Commentary On The Investigation Into Constitutionalism By The Five Ministers Who Went Abroad

That the five Chinese ministers went abroad and inspected the constitutional government is a very important event in the movement of constitutionalism at the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is a intermediary between the decade's "New Politics" and the constitutional movement of the late Qing Dynasty, and it is also an important step in the course of modern China's opening and going towards the World. This paper will use the data that I can masterd and take the social background as a start point, narrate the expirence and content about the five ministers'investigation into constitutionalism abroad.Chapter one, the origin of the constitutional inspection of the five ministers traveling abroad. The cause that five ministers travelled abroad to inspect the constitutional government is shaped by the following factors. Firstly, the voice of constitutionalism is rising, which We can discuss from two aspects. The first point is the the Qing government's internal support. The representatives are the main foreign envoys, but also including some important officals who were invested the border. The second point is the Zhang Jian and Liang Qichao's continuous efforts to make the constitutionalism as main appeal. Secondly, the Russian-Japanese War which happened on the land of chinese and ended by the victory of the constitutional Japanese, gave a deeper reognization to the importance of constitutionalism for some people with lofty ideals, who recognized that in order to induce our nation onto a way of independence and prosperity, the constitutional path must be choiced. Third is the impact of bourgeois revolution. The confusion in the late Qing Dynasty including continuous peasant uprising, also coupled with the destruction of bourgeois revolutionaries, gave the Qing government a deeper understanding that the best way to eliminate the bourgeois revolution is to implement the constitutionalism. Thus in 1905 the government of the Qing Dynasty sent the five Ministers whose head is ZaiZe and DuanFang, went abroad to investigate the foreign constitutionalism.Chapter two, the expierence and content of the investigation. Based on the documents of "the Files of Preparations for the Constitutionalism at the End of the Qing Dynasty", this chapter primarily depicts the time, countries and content of the Five ministers traveling abroad. After more than half year's time, they studied Japan, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and other 14 countries. Their inspection covers a wide range of issues, including visits, retaining politicians, jurists and scholars to explain the constitutional principle, investigating every system, collecting and translating the relating books and so on. After return, Zaize orgnized to edit some books, they write the book "the Main Points of European and American Politics,"as soonly as they can, concisely introduced the regime and system of Europe and the United States. Later they also compiled a 133 volumes book named "the Political Figures of Various Countries". These provided the theoretical basis for constitutionalism.Chapter three, the effect of the inspection. This constitutional inspection had far-reaching effects in many aspects. First of all, it promoted the implementation of the constitution and provided a lot of constitutional reference, including constitutional model. Meanwhile, the politics examination Minister's heated verbalism deeply stimulate the empress dowager Cixi who make up minds to implement constitutionalism. September 1, 1906, the Qing government issued the imperial edict of "preparative constitutionalism". Secondly, it promoted the formation of constitutional bodies,namely"the consortia of preparative constitutionalism". Since issue of the imperial edict of "preparative constitutionalism", made the constitution faction have an idea that China has entered a new stage of constitutionalism, therefore, they set up some constitutional bodies. Zhang Jian, Zheng-Xiao xu and others in Shanghai, set up the first constitutional body --"the consortia of preparative constitutionalism". Kang Youwei also renamed the the royalist National Constitutional Council as the People's Constitutional Committee at overseas, Liang Qichao in Tokyo set up a"Political News Committee". Thirdly, it combinate the ruling party and the constitution faction. Constitutionalists hope expand their influence through governors'background to participate in political power,and enable the government to implement economic policies conducive to them. On the other hand, governors Qingui wants to use the economic strength of the onstitutional faction to enhance their ruling status in the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, the Constitutionalists and the governors combined, furtherly weakenned the autocratic rule of the Qing Dynasty, expanded the strength of the constitutional forces. Fourthly, it promoted the vigorous development of the constitutional movement. After inspecting constitutionalism, especially after the issue of the imperial edict of "Preparative Constitutionalism", the Constitutionalists launched a series of petitions activity, meanwhile they also widely publicized, made democracy been widely disseminated. Finally, it promte the poliical examination Minister promote recognized the world and changed the ideal. During the inspection, the poliical examination ministers personally experienced the western capitalist constitutional system is superior to China's feudal autocratic monarchy system. it enabled them recognized that to promote China from the poor and weak position to rich and strong need to implement the constitutional system of the West.Chapter four, the evaluation of the inspection. This chapter will carry out from two aspects. The first explains, this inspection is in the name of the government, it is the first time in modern Chinese history. Before this, the government has send some offcials abroad to inspect business, academic and agriculture. Therefore, the five ministers'traveling abroad in 1905 also marked the prologue of to inspection of constitutionalism in name of the Chinese government in modern history of China. Second, the five ministers'traveling abroad is to eliminate political revolution, strengthen the military, but objectively, it promoted the constitutional development, and to some extent, it promoted the development of the Chinese revolution in the social system. Its positive role should be affirmed.In the end, the article was summarized. This summary is taken as an evaluation of this paper as a whole.