China's Local Councils in the Age of Constitutional Reform, 1898-1911 (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

'Dazzled by the model of Japan's Western-style constitutional government, Chinese officials and elite activists made plans to establish locally elected councils. By October 1911, government agencies had reported the establishment of about 5,000 councils. Throughout the period, data on self-government reforms collected from localities were compiled in provincial capitals, then collated, summarized, and archived in Beijing. Simultaneously, directives were being sent from the capital to the provinces. From this wealth of previously unexamined material, Roger R. Thompson draws a portrait-in-motion of the reforms. He demonstrates the energy and significance of the late-Qing local-self-government movement, while making a compelling case that it was separate from the well-studied phenomenon of provincial assemblies and constitutionalism in general.' CHINA'S LOCAL COUNCILS IN THE AGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM 1898–1911 Contents PREFACE AUTHOR'S NOTE ON CONVENTIONS FOR ROMANIZATIONS AND CHARACTERS INTRODUCTION: THE IDEA OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN THE AGE OF REVOLUTION PART ONE: SETTING THE SCENE, I902-I9o6 I ZHAO ERXUN'S SEARCH FOR LOCAL LEADERS IN SHANXI 2 YUAN SHIKAI'S FOREIGN MODEL FOR CHINA PART TWO: LOCALISM, CENTRALISM, AND PROVINCIALISM, I906–I908 3 LOCAL ELITES IN CORPORATISM'S REALM 4 THE CENTER READIES ITS ARSENAL 5 PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS CHANNEL ELITE ACTIVISM PART THREE: STATE AND SOCIETY UNRAVELLING, I909–I9II 6 LOCAL COUNCILS IN CHINA 7 QRNG POLICY, RURAL CHINA, AND ELITE FACTIONS IN THE AGE OF CONSTITUTIONALISM Appendices Abbreviations Used in the Notes and Bibliography Notes Select Bibliography Character List Index APPENDIX A: LATE-QING GOVERNMENT GAZETTES AND SERIAL COMPILATIONS APPENDIX B: PROVINCIAL AND METROPOLITAN REPORTS ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, 1909-I9II APPENDIX C: THE JIADING COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES AND SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY NOTES SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY Documents Archival and Published Sources CHARACTER LIST INDEX Harvard East Asian Monographs Preface -- Author's Note On Conventions For Romanizations And Characters -- Introduction: The Idea Of Local Self-government In The Age Of Revolution -- Zhao Erxun's Search For Local Leaders In Shanxi -- Yuan Shikai's Foreign Model For China -- Local Elites In Corporatism's Realm -- The Center Readies Its Arsenal -- Provincial Officials Channel Elite Activism -- Part Three: State And Society Unravelling, I909- I9ii -- Local Councils In China -- Qing Policy, Rural China, And Elite Factions In The Age Of Constitutionalism -- Appendix A: Late-qing Government Gazettes And Serial Compilations -- Appendix B: Provincial And Metropolitan Reports On Constitutional Reforms, 1909-1911 -- Appendix C: The ]jading County Council Members -- Abbreviations Used In The Notes And Select -- Bibliography -- Notes -- Select Bibliography -- Documents -- Archival And Published Sources -- Character List -- Index Roger R. Thompson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [181]-249) And Index. Dazzled by the model of Japan's Western-style constitutional government, Chinese officials and elite activists made plans to establish locally elected councils. Throughout the period, local data on self-government reforms were compiled in provincial capitals, then summarized and archived in Beijing. Simultaneously, directives were being sent from the capital to the provinces. From this wealth of previously unexamined material, Roger R. Thompson draws a portrait-in-motion of the reforms. He demonstrates the energy and significance of the late-Qing local-self-government movement, while making a compelling case that it was separate from the well-studied phenomenon of provincial assemblies and constitutionalism in general. He also finds the first steps in the estrangement of rural China from the treaty ports and major cities that came to typify modern China. Finally, he shows tensions and factional tendencies within the local self-government movement.