Liang Qichao's Explorations of Modern Legal and Political Systems

doi:10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2003.04.002

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the belief that China's absolute monarchy had to be changed, Liang Qichao proposed to adopt constitutional monarchy in the Hundred - Day Reform of 1898. After its failure he went into exile in Japan. Through his studies of Western and Japanese societies, he concluded that it was then immature to carry out constitutional monarchy since Chinese consciousness of democracy was still quite weak. The only choice was civilized autocracy. As to the official system reform, he advocated the Western examination system for selection of officials. He argued that social grassroots units should be autonomous with their administrators elected through voting, and administrative divisions should be reduced so as to strengthen centralization. He also stressed that the rule by law and rule by men should be in coordination with each other and even suggested that the judicial system be amended to two trials in three levels. Liang's thoughts of political and legal systems represented his reflections on the complicated political situation in modern China as well as his explorations of the possibility of China's political reform. It is of great significance both in theory and in practice today.

Key words: constitutional monarchy, democratic republic, judicial reform

CLC Number:

Jun-mei XIE. Liang Qichao's Explorations of Modern Legal and Political Systems[J]. J. East China Norm. Univ. Philos. Soc. Sci, 2003, 35(4): 10-15, 27.

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