The Elections In Folk Merchant League In The 1920s’ Shanghai

Modern merchant groups play an indispensable role in the transformation process of Chinese society from traditional to modem. The study of chamber of commerce rise since the 1980’s until now, academia has made a specific and in-depth research on it. But the problem of merchants group elections at the local level still lack the necessary discussion. This paper aims at studying the Shanghai Street Business League, investigating its vote mechanism, operation and effect. Then on the basis of this analysis I can reveal the outline of the election at the basic level in folk merchant league in the 1920s’Shanghai and other problems.Shanghai Street Business League, which arising after May 4th Movement, is a characteristic businessman group in Shanghai concession area and a new regional folk commercial community of middle and small businessmen in street districts. Its election campaign could be including two levels and three aspects, which included the election campaign of Street Business League (transverse) and a high level election of Chinese taxpayer organization and provincial council (longitudinal) from the level of election. From the contents of election, it included the election campaign of Street Business League, the election of Chinese taxpayer organization and provincial council. In the election campaign, the whole set of institutions and rules embody openness of elections, social legality and equality among members. But because of various differences in organization and management, economic strength, cultural level, so that the election practice not only has the common also have distinct personality differences. In the process of Chinese taxpayer organization election, the Street Business League has done a lot of mobilization and propaganda work, at the same time also launched an "open elections" movement. The above activities not only ensure the director elections of Chinese taxpayer organization go smoothly but also raise its own political position and social influence. Through the problem of Chinese consultant, we can see the growth of voters’consciousness of middle and small merchants groups. In the third provincial parliament elections of Jiangsu province, due to the national responsibility, the Street Business League actively participates in the election of investigation and supervision work in Shanghai district. Although the election exist error and make Part of the merchant’s vote was deprived, it provides a platform for small and medium-sized merchants to participate in high-level political, making them the greater depth to participate in the election.Despite a few flaws in elections, as a practice of middle and small merchants groups to participate in grassroots democracy, this election promoted the democratic quality, voter consciousness, the enthusiasm of participation in elections, voters vote for the breadth and depth and attention to politics of middle and small merchants groups, which suggests that they started out of the durance of it’s "zai shang yan shang", and has become politicized. At the same time as an exploration of democracy at the grass-roots level in modern China, it provides the reference and accumulated experience for today’s election work at the local level.