The Study Of Thoughts Of Postponed Constitutionalism In Late Qing Dynasty's Political Reform

The preparation of constitutionalism in Qing Dynasty of Chinese Empire is one of the most important events in China's political development progress.The Chinese Qing government had to signed the 1901 Treaty ending the Boxer war and declared to set up constitutionalism in China in order to protect the nation and culture.This decision was urged by several high level officials in the court and advocators of constitutionalism in Chinese society.And the decision promoted the development of Chinese political thoughts.In the study of political thoughts about that period,the thoughts of constitutionalists and revolutionaries are always hot thesis.But in fact,their thoughts are not the whole of the political thoughts in that period.Some officials such as Zhao Binglin,Yu Shimei,Hu Sijing,Liu Ruji and Chen Kuilong advocated postponed constitutionalism that China should set up constitutionalism at a slow pace.This paper is designed to study the thoughts of postponed constitutionalism in the preparation of constitutionalism,thus pushing forward the study about Chinese political thoughts in late Qing and early Republic.The main aim of this paper is to clarify the views,influence and causes of the thoughts of postponed constitutionalism.In the central government of late Qing dynasty,some high level officials,several officials in the Court of Sensors and Imperial Academy,several local governors held the political thought which was not the same as the constitutionalist's and revolutionary's.They did not confess the necessary of constitutionalism in China while they did not agree with the view that China should set up constitutionalism at a radical pace.They advocated that China should set up constitutionalism in a slow and safe way.Based on this kind of reform,Chinese Empire would set up constitutionalism which could match China's historical tradition and national conditions.They had unique ideas in modifying power structure and designing reform strategies.The writer has tried and worked a lot in this paper to study this kind of political thought which is called the thoughts of Postponed Constitutionalism in late Qing Dynasty.This paper would reveal the key points,influence and causes of the thoughts of postponed constitutionalism.Thus representing the respect to the tradition of Chinese politics.In the area of reform in bureaucratic establishment,the supporters of thoughts of postponed constitutionalism regarded respecting the Emperor's authority and protecting the power of Emperor to be the purpose of China' constitutionalism.The emperor's authority and political power were thought to be the base line of the reform in bureaucratic establishment.They held the view that China's constitutionalism should prevent the autocracy of the prime minister from happening.This view was based on the tradition of Chinese politics and late Qing Dynasty's political situation.To achieve this goal,they constantly wrote memorials to the throne recommending the Empress dowager and the Emperor that the cabinet system of responsibility should be implemented in a long term.Their efforts had influence on the reform of bureaucratic establishment and bureaucratic rules.They successfully delayed the idea of establishing cabinet system of responsibility to be the truth.The idea that China should establish cabinet system of responsibility in a short time was suggested by Yuan Shikai who was the Viceroy of Zhili Province now known as Hebei Province.The advocators of thoughts of postponed constitutionalism also preserved some Chinese traditional organizations such as the office of grand council of state and the court of censors.While high level officials'rights to write memorials to the throne and have an audience with the Emperor were also preserved,These are all the influence of the thoughts of postponed constitutionalism in the last decade of Chinese Empire's political progress.In the strategy to conduct reform,they frequently argued against the idea that China should set up constitutionalism at a radical pace.Based on the traditional humanistic thought,they prefer that the imperial government should pay attention to people's livelihood and treasure people's capacity to bare reform.So the imperial government should set the agenda of reform according to the order of priority.At the same time,the supporters of thoughts of postponed constitutionalism had never changed their goal to protect and keep the political power of the Emperor while they remind the government to pay attention to people's livelihood.So their thoughts are very different from democratic thoughts in late Qing and early Republic.The thoughts of postponed constitutionalism have many causes about social and political conditions.In ancient China from Sui to Qing Dynasty,most officials had to take part in imperial examination system to join the imperial government.Traditional Chinese political thoughts could be learned in their preparation for the imperial exam,thus had an influence on their thoughts towards political concepts overseas.The fractions of high level officials and conflicts of interests in the reform also had an influence on the different thoughts in that period.Due to the hard conditions that Qing government met with in the reform,thoughts of postponed constitutionalism was suggested to help the Emperor and government deal with some problems.These complex causes and political concepts overseas created thoughts of postponed constitutionalism in late Qing Dynasty.Most scholars think that the history between the empire and the republic was mainly influenced by constitutionalists,revolutionaries and power holders of Qing government.After the reform beginning,China soon lost her traditional political order.The Chinese Republic was founded,democracy was suggested and welcomed.Radical revolution was prefered more than gradual reform.Even the central authority was destroyed and political power was divided after 1911,until strong and stable political order was restored at 1949.Now it is the time to reveal the thoughts of postponed constitutionalism in late Qing Dynasty to grab and understand the values which treasure the tradition of Chinese politics.In modern China's political development,we should show more respect to traditional institutions and political culture of Chinese Nation.