| British missionary Timothy Richard had gone through a turbulent era of China in which he witnessed the Westernization Movement,the sion-Japanese War and the Reform Movement of 1898.While during this period,he had switched his missionary approach from street preaching to a top-down approach.Then he made friends with a lot of Chinese offices and intellectuals,translated western books and generally took part in the political reform of China,especially had influenced the Reform Movement of 1898.Timothy’s parliamentary thought is worthy to get attentions from law circles."Yi-Yuan" is a core concept in the Reform Movement of 1898.And the book History of the Nineteenth Century translated by Timothy(with erkang Cai)was mainly about western parliamentarism which he had praised a lot.however,he didn’t suggest China should open parliament promptly.Therefore,there are some questions to think about:what is Timothy’s parliamentary thought?had it change before or after the Reform Movement of 1898?(and what made this happen?)And how did it influence his propositions about reforming Qing dynasty?This essay,first,by analyzing Timothy’s thought system from eschatology and secular theory,thinks post-millennial eschatology made him optimistic to social progress and to join social reform.Because of this,he also,in some degree,had identity with social evolution theory which is also approve that social is going to progress,and had obedient and respectful attitude towards the governors.Then,I think Timothy introduced History of the Nineteenth Century mainly for three reasons initially.Firstly he wanted to broadcast social evolution theory to inspire Chinese people’s awareness of reform to promote the progress;secondly he emphasized education to make Chinese know more about the west countries to avoid blind rejection as well as to help missionary easier;thirdly he may want to inspire Chinese people’s consciousness of individual basic rights to change their living circumstance.Second,this essay analyzes that China was defeated in the sion-Japanese War,this book unexpectedly arose a strong reaction,so Timothy had to declare his opinions more deeply.After that,he introduced Benjamin Kidd’s social evolution theory to respond Chinese intellectuals’ adoration for the secular social evolution theory,proposed moderate reform to respond their impassioned appeal to radical reform,emphasized system that suits China to respond their firmness to implement western parliamentarism.Finally,this essay conclude why Timothy didn’t suggest China should open parliament promptly.First,the theory understanding was not mature yet,because the reformers hadn’t absorb the essence of western parliamentarism.Second,the circumstance to reform also was not mature,for Chinese people and governors were still need to be enlightened.Third,country might be in crisis if China opened parliament promptly.As a missionary,Timothy cares about people’s individual private rights,and for him,the most important thing for China that time was to build a strong center government and strong state machinery to protect people’s life,freedom and property rights in private law.As for normal people’s political rights in public law,he didn’t actively appeal.Nevertheless,Timothy Richard’s parliamentary thought still appears his spirit of Rechtsstaat in the authoritarianism politics. |
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