Political Disarray and Conflicts Between New and Old Ideology in the First Years of the Republic

Abstract

AbstractThe establishment of the Republic of China was proclaimed in Nanjing on New Year’s Day of 1912, Sun Yat-sen assumed the post of provisional president, a provisional government was set up, relevant laws were drawn up, and in a few months’ time old institutions were dismantled and replaced with new ones. The ambience was very much like that of a new nation. However, the Qing Dynasty in Beijing did not step down from the stage of history just yet. The new Revolutionary Government had established control over a few southern provinces, but its armed forces were too few to force their way into the old haven of the Qing Manchus and unify the whole country. Yuan Shikai, who had rapidly built up his strength in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, took advantage of this situation to seize actual power from the Qing government. Peace negotiations then took place between north and south. The two sides bargained repeatedly over the conditions for the Qing emperor’s abdication before reaching agreement. On February 12, 1912, the young Qing emperor Pu Yi announced he was ceding the throne. However, to his abdication edict was added the words: “Yuan Shikai is to have full powers to organize a temporary republican government.” Yuan Shikai made the most of this proviso and ceremoniously instated himself as the legal successor to state power and the putative ruler of the country. Most intermediate forces in the country at the time wanted unity and peace as soon as possible and pinned their hopes on the relatively powerful Yuan Shikai. Besides, after the 1911 Wuchang Uprising, Sun Yat-sen had more than once expressed willingness to step aside in favor of Yuan Shikai. This formed a consensus that Yuan was the sole person fit to unify and pacify the country. The day after the abdication of the Qing emperor, Sun Yat-sen issued a proclamation of resignation and recommended that Yuan replace him. Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionary party members called on Yuan Shikai to announce his political views, abide by the provisional constitution, uphold the republic, and proceed to Nanjing to take over the presidency. Yuan agreed to all of these requests, but then resorted to a ruse. After stage directing a mutiny in Beijing, he claimed instability in the north and refused to go to Nanjing. On March 10, he was, in Beijing, sworn in as provisional president of the Republic of China. Thereafter, he used his legal position and his new powers to build up his strength, persecute dissidents, push forward reactionary policies, and institute himself as emperor. What ensued was nationwide political disorder and widespread outbreaks of chaos.KeywordsQing DynastyImperial SystemNationalist PartyConstitutional GovernmentState ReligionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.