Death Of Warlord

The thesis is about those local militarism leaders involved into civil wars (known as "warlord"), in the early years of Republic of China (so call "warlord period"). To discusses the ruling of a major regional authority. This research focus on Li Chun the governor general (Dujun) in Jiangsu province from 1917 to 1920, his regime finally end of a mysterious suicide. Unlike the older impression about warlordism in the early period of republican China, his political struggle suggest that position and power of a militarism leader is not firm as usual opinion. To explain how wrong the misunderstanding on those narrative of "militarist-gentry regime".The central government in Peiking (Beijing) try to gain control over provincial area, and avoid the grown of potential secession or autonomy strength. But fail to reform a centralized system, so the regional authorities can still take action on their own interest. A local militarism leader faces conflict with both central power and nearby militarists. And also challenged by military officers under his authority, or by the province civic governor (Shengzang) as local bureaucracy leader. In this political structure, give more struggling and less power to the governor general. Though they seem like always selfhood, copartnership is not only common but also essential for them.The tradition model as "militarist-gentry regime" theory suggested most militarism leaders or local authority mainly care about and fight for territory. Actually militarism leaders join civil wars in this period usually seek for factional profit, not territory. Consider the risk of take a military action, most time compromise seem reasonable. Political status is important to regional authorities, a militarism leader can fall because infamous and against by public opinion. Especially in those costal and more modernized provinces, there’s still politic and social elite appearance under warlordism to keep militarist from tyranny.In conclusion, inspiration by how Li Chun to administration a provincial area and keep position depend on weekly power balance, leads an understanding to the politic picture in early China republican period. Under militarism ruling, the gentry were not a negative factor to democratic enlightenment stage. This historical experiment can also be a hint to explain the reactionary happened in modern China reform and transforming, which lead to totalitarianism.