On The New County System In Sichuan Province In The 1940s

The New County System was a significant measure of the reform of county system taken by Kuomintang in its late period. This system intended to solve two issues. One was to prepare for the long-term anti-Japanese war and the other was that how to govern the grass-roots effectively. But actually the later was its final purpose. The thesis details the operating of the New County System in Si-Chuan province. Through the reform of the New County System, Si-Chuan government built the two-level administrative system between cities and counties and changed the function of "bao-jia" organization from the perspective of administrative organs, which laid foundation for local autonomy. On the aspect of public opinion, it also built institutions and popularized the election mechanism which, to some extend, enhanced the local autonomy. In addition, achievements got by Si-Chuan province on local construction also played the supporting role in anti-Japanese war. However, problems, such as lack of talents, economic difficulty, bad political circumstance in gross-roots, lower-level democracy and etc, still existed during the process of New County System operated by Si-Chuan government. And further more, the New County System itself had some deficiencies and effective governing system of gross-roots didn't fully develop due to the great influence of the local esquires. So in a sense the New County System didn't attain the purpose of administrating the grass-roots.There are altogether three chapters being discussed in this thesis. The first chapter gives an overall description about the background, preparation and plan of the New County System carried out by Si-Chuan province. The second chapter details the adjustment and operation of administrative organs, the building of organization for public opinions and the local construction under the New County System. The last chapter discusses the properties of the New County System in Si-Chuan province and objectively judges the achievements and existing problems during its operating process.