A Game Of Power And Rights

This paper is focused on the research of press lw of the Late Qing Dynasty and it’s corresponding response of the press(1906-1911). which will be placed in the historical context of that period, to explore the reaasons and plans of Qing government, the attitude and rights of the press, and the dispute of press law with the constitutionalism of Qing Government o. On that basis, I intend to present the root source of both sides, and then, seeing the big things, I will see though the plight of the constitutionalism of the government. Except the introduction and conclusion, the paper is divided into three parts:In part1,I mainly describes the expectations of the press before the press law is published. Not only this, I wll generally sort out the rorigin of the late Qing Dynasty, and how the press cognize it’s own rights. After1894, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao et al, advocating for political reforms with the communications tools of newspapers. Their knowledge of the press is more than their political considerations. They frequently took the press for the tool, aiming their political ambitions. The Qing government tried to formulate the press law, not only controlling the public opinion, but also limiting the comments range, to save it’s rule. In general, the press before1906,ofen didn’t object to the press law of Qing government, but they still felt anxious.In part2,I chiefly discuss the press reactions which triggered by the press law of Qing government. The size of Qing government scared the rough opinion, they urgently needed the press law to restrict the press. The press laws were established one after another which resemble the adminstrative orders. But the politicized press accused the Qing government of being law as kid’s stuff, destroying the public opinion, violating the spirit of constitutionalism, referring to the constitutionalism, using the articles on politics as weapons. Aditionally, the constitutionalism of Qing government constantly deviated the track which the people then expected, the press law became the targer of public criticism.In part3, I mainly analyse the press reactions of the extention、enforcement、 modification of The Press Law of Qing government. Owning to several reasons, the press law of Qing government suffered repeated setbacks. Not only resisted by the press,but also humiliated by the government officials. The prestige of the press law vanished. But the Qing government still get busy legislating, the press expressed fury at it.In brief, the press law of the Qing Dynasty can be counted as the result of the amelioratiom of the Qing government. But the Qing government can’t distinguish the law and the administrative orders, didn’t act according to law, trampled the law made itself, with the addition of high expections of the press, and the protection of the concessions and abroad etc, g the press law ceased to exist except in name. In the press’s opinion, the press law were not only an issue of the law and free speech, but also a grave subject of politics, they regarded the press as the better weapon,promoting political reform. They can’t live without politics. The press can’t agree that the Qing government strived for confining the public before the successful change of it’s regime. The Qing government believe it for granted that utilizing it authority to make laws, while according to the rights of the press, the arbitrary power had lose it’s legality.