Zhang Shizhao’s "Agricultural Nation" Thought Research

Zhang Shizhao is one of the most important people in the history of the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. He was active in politics, and wanted to devote himself to his motherland. In the 1920s, he was a warlord government officer. Facing the unhealthy politic tendencies, he even posted crusade against the Guangzhou Congress. Not long after, he involved in domestic political upheaval. Finally, he had to quit his job and went to Europe to seek a new way of governing.In the early days, Zhang was a constitutional scholar insisted in his "reconcile state" theory. Its purpose was introducing advanced western political thought to the domestic, in order to enhance the comprehensive national strength of our country. For the second time when he traveled to Europe, he saw the industrial development brings serious damage to the society. What’s more, the economic crisis spread to the whole Europe, world war one almost devastated the area. This scenario shocked Zhang and caused him started to doubt his western theory. This time went to UK, he contacted the guild socialism. When the capitalist failed, many scholars attend to socialism, so as Zhang. Guild socialism is the representation of socialism. Its advocates of politics, economy and culture just fit our traditional society. Accessing to guild socialism in the West Country had inspired him thinking the nostalgia of traditional Chinese culture. He thought to combine Chinese traditional social with guild socialism, produced his own idea of "agriculture nation" thought.The "agriculture nation" thought collects political, economy, cultural and social construction thinking. It had some domestic scholars’ praise and supports. However the "agriculture nation" thought also faced many scholars’disapproval. Zhang used his position in politics trumpeting his theory of "agricultural nation", in order to restore the past prosperity with agricultural construction. A series of rural reform measures failed before being thorough practiced.Zhang’s "agricultural nation" thought has its own unique social and historical significance and its disadvantages are also obvious. In today’s Chinese modernization process, "agricultural nation" thought still worth our using for reference and reflect its ills. Wherever "agricultural nation" thinking’s position is, Zhang was an indispensable important figure in out history, and his ideas worth our further research and thinking.