Modernization under Nanjing Government
Political
1. Preparing China for constitutional government
Nanjing government passed the Outline of Political Tutelage
(1928)
Then, Provisional Constitution (1931) was promulgated for the
Political Tutelage period.
Besides, government was established based on Five-power system
Chairman of the Nationalist Government was the head.
Legislative Yuan, Executive Yuan, Judicial Yuan, Control Yuan,
Examination Yuan
2. Judicial reform
Modern laws were passed
E.g. Equal rights for both sexes, women’s right of inheritance
Promulgated the Organic Law1of the Courts (1932), which
established the three-level court system (The District Courts, High
Courts and Supreme Court)
Significance
1. Laying the foundation for constitutional government
a) Five-power system was similar to Western political
system
b) Control and Examination Yuans provided checks and
balances
c) It adopted Constitution of the Republic of China in
1947 after the end of WWII (the 1st constitution in China)
Limitation
1. Failure of realizing five-power separation
d) No restriction on the power of the chairman as the five
yuans were under the chairman
e) All members of the yuans were KMT members
1
組織法(=constitution law)
, f) Jiang Jieshi trusted people were in control of the
government (e.g. Song Ziwen, Chen Cheng)
g) Less than 1% of officers earn their positions through
examinations
2. Slow democratic progress
h) The Constitution of the Republic of China was not issued
until 1946
i) One-party rule by KMT
j) Censorship: 1800 books banned in 1928-1937
k) Secret Police
l) KMT purged on CPC
Diplomatic aspect
1. Recovering foreign concessions
Based Sun's outline for the Nationalist Government, the government
should preserve the autonomy, sovereignty of China, and gain an
equal status in the international scene.
It succeeded in recovering:
British concessions at Weihaiwei, Xiamen, Hankou
Belgium concessions at Tianjin in 1931.
2. Restoring tariff autonomy
Since Opium War, tariff only at 5%
Sino-American New Tariff Treaty (1928)
Sino-Japanese Tariff Agreement (1930)
Even though Nanjing government negotiated with Britain, US etc.
to abolish extraterritoriality and unequal treaties.
Unequal treaties and extraterritoriality not abolished until
WWII
Significance
1. Improving China’s international status
Political
1. Preparing China for constitutional government
Nanjing government passed the Outline of Political Tutelage
(1928)
Then, Provisional Constitution (1931) was promulgated for the
Political Tutelage period.
Besides, government was established based on Five-power system
Chairman of the Nationalist Government was the head.
Legislative Yuan, Executive Yuan, Judicial Yuan, Control Yuan,
Examination Yuan
2. Judicial reform
Modern laws were passed
E.g. Equal rights for both sexes, women’s right of inheritance
Promulgated the Organic Law1of the Courts (1932), which
established the three-level court system (The District Courts, High
Courts and Supreme Court)
Significance
1. Laying the foundation for constitutional government
a) Five-power system was similar to Western political
system
b) Control and Examination Yuans provided checks and
balances
c) It adopted Constitution of the Republic of China in
1947 after the end of WWII (the 1st constitution in China)
Limitation
1. Failure of realizing five-power separation
d) No restriction on the power of the chairman as the five
yuans were under the chairman
e) All members of the yuans were KMT members
1
組織法(=constitution law)
, f) Jiang Jieshi trusted people were in control of the
government (e.g. Song Ziwen, Chen Cheng)
g) Less than 1% of officers earn their positions through
examinations
2. Slow democratic progress
h) The Constitution of the Republic of China was not issued
until 1946
i) One-party rule by KMT
j) Censorship: 1800 books banned in 1928-1937
k) Secret Police
l) KMT purged on CPC
Diplomatic aspect
1. Recovering foreign concessions
Based Sun's outline for the Nationalist Government, the government
should preserve the autonomy, sovereignty of China, and gain an
equal status in the international scene.
It succeeded in recovering:
British concessions at Weihaiwei, Xiamen, Hankou
Belgium concessions at Tianjin in 1931.
2. Restoring tariff autonomy
Since Opium War, tariff only at 5%
Sino-American New Tariff Treaty (1928)
Sino-Japanese Tariff Agreement (1930)
Even though Nanjing government negotiated with Britain, US etc.
to abolish extraterritoriality and unequal treaties.
Unequal treaties and extraterritoriality not abolished until
WWII
Significance
1. Improving China’s international status
