The Republican Party () was a short-lived political party in the
Republican era of China from 1912 to 1913.
History
The party was formed on 9 May 1912 in Shanghai by political groups who opposed to the
Tongmenghui
The Tongmenghui of China was a secret society and underground resistance movement founded by Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and others in Tokyo, Empire of Japan, on 20 August 1905, with the goal of overthrowing China's Qing dynasty. It was formed ...
, and later the
Nationalist Party (Kuomintang). These included the People's Association (民社), formed by mostly
Hubei
Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...
natives (including
Li Yuanhong
Li Yuanhong (; courtesy name ; October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a prominent Chinese military and political leader during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. He was the Provisional Vice President of the Republic of China from 191 ...
,
Tan Yankai and
Wang Zhengting) in January 1912, the Unity Party, and the National Progressive Association (國民共進會) which had been organized by supporters of
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai (; 16 September 18596 June 1916) was a Chinese general and statesman who served as the second provisional president and the first official president of the Republic of China, head of the Beiyang government from 1912 to 1916 and ...
in March 1912. The party included many politicians who had formerly served as officials under the deposed
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...
.
The party's most important figures were Li Yuanhong,
Zhang Jian, and
Wu Tingfang. On the establishment day, Zhang Jian chaired as the provisional chairman. Li Yuanhong, Zhang Jian,
Zhang Binglin, Wu Tingfang, and Borjigit were elected the first directors (理事). After its headquarters was moved to Beijing, Li Yuanhong was elected chairman at the general meeting. As the Republican Party supported President Yuan Shikai, he aided it in gaining a substantial number of seats in the
Beijing Provisional Government's first, unelected senate and the new provincial assemblies. This resulted in a stalemate between the Kuomintang and the Republican Party, weakening the provisional senate and strengthening President Yuan's own position.
Following fierce debates between the parties and much stalling, the provisional senate finally passed a number of bills which allowed for the
first National Assembly election to take place in December 1912. In this election, the Republicans became the second largest party in the National Assembly behind the Kuomintang, winning 120 seats in the house and 55 in the senate.
The Republican,
Unity, and
Democratic (formerly Constitutionalist) parties later merged into the
Progressive Party under
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao (Chinese: 梁啓超; Wade–Giles: ''Liang2 Chʻi3-chʻao1''; Yale romanization of Cantonese, Yale: ''Lèuhng Kái-chīu''; ) (February 23, 1873 – January 19, 1929) was a Chinese politician, social and political activist, jour ...
in order to balance the dominance of the Kuomintang in the assembly.
Ideology
The party's ideology was based on
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Republic of Geneva, Genevan philosopher (''philosophes, philosophe''), writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment through ...
's ''
The Social Contract
''The Social Contract'', originally published as ''On the Social Contract; or, Principles of Political Right'' (), is a 1762 French-language book by the Republic of Geneva, Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The book theorizes about how ...
'', and its aims were to "uphold the united, republican politics with progressivism in order to achieve well-beings of the countrymen."
It thus advocated a strong central government with great powers to ensure the unity and future progress of China. The party also supported a peaceful foreign policy.
See also
*
List of political parties in the Republic of China
References
Works cited
*
{{Authority control
1912 establishments in China
1913 disestablishments in China
Chinese nationalist political parties
Conservative parties in China
Defunct political parties in China
Political parties disestablished in 1913
Political parties established in 1912
Political parties in the Republic of China
Republican parties