A Study Of Enlightened Gentry Class In Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region

As the highest authority for the people in the border regions during the Anti-Japanese War,the Regional Council in Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border was the main way for people in the Border Region to participate in and discuss government affairs.In 1940,the "three third system" was put forward to provide policy assistance for the enlightened gentry to participate in the construction of border regions.The class of enlightened gentry began to participate in the construction of political power at all levels in the border regions on a large scale.As a special group that was close to but did not belong to either officials or working class,the gentry class played a special role in the stable development of society in the rural region.The majority of whom came from the left wing of the landlord class,the enlightened gentry class also included retired bureaucrats of the National Government(KuoMingTang Government),progressives in the education sector and businessmen with higher economic foundation.Compared with other less gentry in Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border region,the class of enlightened gentry were more open-minded.While promoting the management of public affairs,economic development,culture,education and medical and health development in the border region,they were able to transcend their own class limitations by taking into account the overall situation of resisting Japan and saving the nation,and supporting the revolutionary cause led by the CPC with its own practical actions.Since the establishment of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Regional Council system,the class of enlightened gentry became senators of the Border Regional Council through special invitation or election,actively giving proposals and offering suggestions to the construction of democratic regime in the Border Region.In addition,they also participated in the political,economic and cultural construction of the border region through through the border region government and gentry symposiums.On the one hand,they promoted the development of democratic system in the border region;on the other hand,they also united around the Chinese Communist Party and appealed to the call of the Chinese Communist Party.Although there was a small division among the enlightened gentry in 1947,most of them still chose to join hands with the CPC in China's War of Liberation.Due to the demise of the Imperial Examination System,the gentry class was interrupted,and it was difficult for the enlightened gentry group to replace the old with the new,thus losing the social foundation of its existence.Therefore,the group of enlightened gentry is also destined to be a specific appellation that existed in a specific historical period.During the construction period of Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region,the class of enlightened gentry could stand on an objective stand to speak out against the unfavorable remarks of the CPC and assist the CPC in carrying out various policies.In the meanwhile,they paid much attention to the economic development of the border region,providing economic assistance to various causes in the border region,or promoting the economic development of the border region by directly establishing industries,which also had positive significance in the development of border region culture,education,medical and health care and other fields.To sum up,the class of enlightened gentry played an important role in the development and construction of various causes in the border region.Therefore,it is of necessity and importance to conduct relevant researches on the class of enlightened gentry.