第一章《胡适英文论著：民族危机与公共外交

第一章《胡适英文论著：民族危机与公共外交》（1）

arepublicforchina

thecornellera

jan.,1912.pp.240-242.cornellpapers.

thenewyearbells,astennysonsang,did"ringouttheold,ringinthenew."amidsttheirmerrychimestherewasbroughtforth,intheancientlandofchina,arepublic.libertyrejoicesinit.china'ssonsarerejoicinginit.yettheworldhesitatestojoininourvoicesofraptureandgratification.therearestillsneersandlaughterattheideaofarepublicforchina.itisinthedefenseofthis"chosenmusic"oflibertyforchinathativenturetosubmittoouramericanfriendsajustificationofthatnewbirthinchina.

theworldseemstohavethemisconceptionthatdemocracyisentirelyanewthingtothechinese.icallitamisconceptionbecause,thoughchinahasbeenundermonarchicalgovernmentforthousandsofyears,still,behindthemonarchsandthearistocratstherehasbeendominatinginchina,aquiet,peaceful,orientalformofdemocracy.thebookofhistory,theoldestofchina'sclassics,hasthegoldenrulefortherulers:

"thepeopleshouldbecherished.

andshouldnotbedowntrodden.

thepeoplearetherootofanation:

iftherootbefirmthenationissafe."

mencius,themontesquieuoftheorient,said:"thepeoplearetoberegardedmost;thesovereign,theleast.hewhogainsthefavorofafeudalprincemaybecomeanofficial;hewhogainsthefavorofanemperormaybecomeafeudalprince;buthewhowinstheheartsofthepeopleisthesonofheaven,thatis,theemperor."

thatthepeoplearetoberegardedmosthasbeentheessenceofthelawsofchina.mostfoundersofthedynastiesweremenwhowon,notconquered,thepeople."neglectofthepeople"hasalwaysbeenapretextineverydeclarationofthenumerousrevolutionswhichterminatedolddynastiesandestablishednewones.

thepowerofthechineserulershasalwaysbeenlimited,notsomuchbyconstitutionalismasbytheethicalteachingsofoursages.thesovereignshadtoobservethataruler,asdefinedbythesages,was"onewhoshepherdsthepeople."veryfewrulersinchinesehistoryhavedaredtoindulgeinsuchextravagancesandbrutalcrueltyasaredescribedinenglishandfrenchhistory.therewereministersandcensorstocensure,andrevoltstodread.suchwasthechinesedespotism:suchwasthedemocracyor"people'sstrength"inchina.

somuchforthepast.nowletuslookintothechinaoftoday.thereareonthemanchuthronethebabyemperor,theregent,andtheempressdowager.therearenumerousmanchuprinceswhoarebornnoblesandbornofficials.butamongthechinesethereisnoclassofnobility.therearenoprinces,nolords,nodukes."theofficials,"toquotefromanarticlewrittenbydr.wuting-fang,formerlyministertotheunitedstates,andnowforeignministerofthenewrepublic,"springfromthepeople,andtothepeopletheyreturn."withthemanchuthronetherewillgoallthemanchuprinces!andthereisnorecognizedroyalfamilytosetupinplaceofthedepartingroyalhouse.thus,asdr.wufurtherremarks,"withthemanchuthroneremovedthereisleftamade-to-orderrepublic."

aleadingweeklyinthiscountryarguesthat"politicalhistoryalmostuniversallyshowsthatamonarchy,limitedbyconstitutionalism,mustinthedevelopmentofnations,precedearepublicofpurelydemocraticform."iamnostudentofpoliticalhistory,butsofarasicansee,ifthepurelydemocraticformofgovernmenthadnevercomeintoexistence,orifithadonceappearedandbeenobscuredbyagesofmonarchyandaristocracy,thenalimitedmonarchymightprecedearepublic.butwhenmenhavebeheldtheexampleofthisgreatcountryandofothernationswherelibertyandequalityprevail,andhaverealizedthemeritsthereof,theywillneverbesatisfiedwithamonarchy.whentheeyesofthepeopleofedenhadoncebeenopened,eventhealmightycouldnotbutletthemgo.thisispreciselythesituationinchina.thatthemanchudynastymustdisappeargoeswithoutsaying.and,asihavesaid,thereisnorecognizedroyalfamilytosetupinplaceofthedepartinghouse.shallwe,aftersomuchleandsomuchbloodshed,besoridiculousastoofferacrowntosomeindividual,andsethimupasanationalornament,merelyforthesakeoffulfillingatheoryofpoliticalhistory?

andevenifchinaneedsamonarchy,whowillbetheemperor?theworldlooksuponyuanshih-kai,theimperialpremier,asthefittestmanforthethrone.butalas!theworldhasbeengreatlydeceivedbyitsshort-sightednewspapercorrespondentsinchina!tothemindsofthechineseyuanshih-kaiisameanman,atraitor!itwashewhobetrayedthelateemperorandbroughttoadisastrousendthereformationof1898,whichwouldhaveeededbutforthetreasonofyuan,andwhich,ifithadeeded,wouldhavesparedtheworldtheboxers'warandsavedthechinesefromtheshameandtheweightyburdenofindemnitywhichresultedfromthatwar.duringtheshortperiodofhispremiershipthousandsoflivesandmillionsofpropertywerelostwhichwouldhavebeensparedbutfortheambitiouseffortsofyuan.heisnotintheheartsofthepeople:hehassinnedagainsthiscountry.

othersmayestthatweoffertosomeofourownrevolutionaryleaders,acrowninsteadofapresidentialseal.dr.sunyat-sen,dr.wuting-fang,orgeneralhuanghinwouldbetheman.butwhilethesearemenwhowouldwillinglydieforthewelfareoftheircountry,theyarenotfightingforpersonalambition.theydonotwanttobecaesarsordiazes;theywantandthepeopleexpectthemtobeonlywashingtonsorfranklins.

andevenifchinahasthefitmanforthecrown,andamonarchyissetup,then,whenthechinamenhavecometosuchapoliticalstandardastheamericansoftheeighteenthcentury,whatshallwedowiththemonarchy?theenglishpeoplehavespentanumberofyearstryinginvaintodiminishthepowerofthehouseoflords,—nottospeakoftheroyalhouse.whyshouldwepavethewayforbloodshedinthefuture,whenitisnowinourpowertopreventit?

wehavethusfarseentheimpossibilityoftheestablishmentofamonarchicalgovernmentinchinatoday.forseveralyearschinahashadherprovincialassembliesandhernationalsenate.thechinesehavelearnedtoelectrepresentatives.theynowdecidetohavearepublic.theirdecisionisawiseone,fortheworldistendingtowarddemocracy.youhaveallseenthe"youngturks"casttheirsultanintoprison;youhaveallseenportugalexileherking;andyouhaveallseenmexicoelectherfirstpresidentofthenewrepublic.chinasimplyrespondstotheworld'smighty,irresistiblecall.shehasrungthefirstbelloflibertyinthatgreatcontinentofasia.maythatsweetsoundbeprolongedandechoedthroughoutthewholeearth,and

"longmayourlandbebright

withfreedom'sholylight!"