Kuomintang’s(KMT) Factional Struggle And May Fifth Draft Constitution’s Establishment

May Fifth Draft Constitution is the first draft constitution of Nanjing NationalPeople’s Government. The origination and process of its establishment had beendeeply influenced by Kuomintang’s（KMT） factional struggle.Sun Ke’s political status rose rapidly after “confrontation between Nanjing andGuangdong”. With dissatisfaction of Chiang Kai-shek, he allied Wang Jingweicrowed Chiang out of Nanjing. He responded the requirement of implementingconstitutional government in KMT and put forward “establish constitutionalgovernment rapidly” as a slogan to force Chiang to hand out some power. At firstChiang opposed Sun’s proposal, with the change of the current political situation, hepartly approved Sun’s proposal, agreed to establish constitution.Although Sun and Chiang had reached a consensus about “complete politicaltutelage on schedule, establish constitution rapidly”, they had apparent differed on“what kind of constitution should be established”. In the beginning of establishingconstitution, Sun emphasized establishment of the central political system with theprinciple of separation of powers and checks and balances. He advocated the nominalhead of state, weakening the power of the president, improving the parliamentary andthe national assembly position, in order to curb the tendency of Chiang’s powerexpansion with the constitution. Sun had taken the draft constitution as a weapon tostrike first to gain the initiative, facing this condition, Chiang’s the New PoliticalClique and the CC Clique set propaganda machine, published articles in newspapersand magazines, criticized Sun’s proposal fiercely, asked for strengtheningcentralization and presidential power. At the same time, through the KMT CentralCommittee which under Chiang’s control, he repeatedly examined the draftconstitution drafted and revised by the parliamentary to force Sun to constantly backin his original position. With the strong pressure of Chiang, Sun was forced to followChiang’s will to modified draft constitution several times, but he was not reconciled to completely lost checks and balances of Chiang. Therefore, when he presided over therevision of constitution, he met part of Chiang’s requirement as well as put somebeneficial provisions in it. He attempted to consolidate his power and balanceChiang’s power in this way. Chiang made his requirement of president centralizationlegal with the totalitarian tendency of the five-power Constitution theory, and then heput huge pressure on Sun and the Prince Clique by virtue of his power and the KMTCentral, and tempted him with political interests as well. In this condition, Suneventually compromised, Chiang completely dominated the draft constitution andmake draft constitution and his will maintained a consistent.