Research On Labor Education Of Nanjing National Government(1927-1937)

Nanjing National Government’s labor education was an important national strategy and institution construction as well as an process of exploration and practice. However, the study of the theory of labor education and practice effects are in lack of comprehensive, detailed and penetrating observation, since it was emphasized on static analysis. This article set Nanjing National Government’s labor education from1927to1937as study subject, having a panoramic study and exploration of its policy-making reasons and procedures, the governmental officials’ theoretical proposal and plan, the content of the laws and regulations, the practice of the policy, multiple causes of the difficulties, improvement suggests as well as the characteristics and meaning of labor education, so as to have a objective assessment of Nanjing National Government’s labor education in such a transitional society.Under the pressure of all trades of the society, Nanjing National Government began its labor education to consolidate its regime, to quiet down the labor conflict and develop national economy. It had formulated a systematic theoretical proposal and policy. With the Three People’s Principles as its goal and guidance, it established a set of relevant administrative offices and regulations from central government to local ones. Though the varying regulation had an orientation of labor suppression and control, it is improving itself in the practice.Local governments, enterprises, the party, labor unions, schools, social organizations and individuals all played their part in the practice of Labor Education. Comparing the outcome of labor education hosted by different bodies, labor unions achieved the most outstanding performance, then enterprises and schools, local governments and the party the worst. Commonly the Labor Education is handicapped by low students quality, lack of qualified teachers, teaching material and money, actually it has more underlying reasons students’ overlook of the education under living crisis, knowledge and skills learned with no job to practice them, employers’ ignorance and opposition, social and political unrest, correspondent administrative and supervisal scarcity and social ethics deterioration, all further deadening the effects of the Labor Education. In respondence to the difficulties and predicaments, kep government officials and volunteers of all trades brought about resolutions and had a picture of the prospect of the Labor Education. In addition, This article is focused on the labor education in Qingdao, Wuxi and Jiangxi, to have a good understanding of the detail difficulties confronted. The Labor Education showed some distinct features, including the particularism and nation saving, the imbalance of sponsors’ facilities and status, the collaboration between officials and civilians, economic backward, etc. Despite its confrontations and predicaments, Nanjing National Government’s labor education had prompted the implementation of law and regulations and the relevant administrations in terms of labor education. It was helpful to the development of labor-education theory, to the improvement of the cultural quality of the people and enlightenment of nation saving, to the progress of worker-friendly business, to the growth of mass education and polytechnical education, and to the preparation of propaganda and mobilization for the War of Resistance against Japanese. More over, it still can be some reference for the labor education today.