以往对民国初年省制改革的研究, 大多拘泥于机构设置的现代化或军民分治、缩小省区等枝节性问题, 因而不能正确认识改革的意义与失败的原因。事实上, 那场改革的核心内容与重要意义在于对各省与中央的关系及省之行政运作的探讨: 省制改革草案的设计不仅考虑到中央对各省的控制和各省对中央的制衡, 还考虑到省之自治行政与官治行政的区别与联系, 并试图对二者的运作做出合理的安排。但是由于时局、民众的心理传统和自治能力的限制, 这些有益的探讨皆未能落到实处, 致使如何安排各省与中央的关系以及省之行政运作这两个问题遗留下来, 仍成为当前省制改革的核心内容。

Conventional researches about the provincial system reform in the early Republic of China mainly focused on some minor issues.In fact, the core and significance of the reform lie in its consideration of the provincial-central government relations and the exploration of the provincial administrative operations.The design of provincial system not only respected the control exerted by the central government over provinces and the balance provinces exerted on the central government, but also took into account the distinction and interdependence between administration and autonomy with an intention to balance their operations.Unfortunately, due to the difficulties generated by the situation, folk psychology and the limitations of autonomic ability, the inspiring efforts fell to the ground.