政治改革的失败与清朝的覆亡

The failure of political reforms and collapse of Qing dynasty

百年前的清朝在武昌起义后很快土崩瓦解,无疑与其"预备立宪"的失策和失败关系密切。当时,社会精英和国家决策者心态失衡,夸大危机,误认为君主立宪是解决自身问题的灵丹妙药,在条件并不成熟的情况下贸然启动了政治改革。其间,双方以立宪为砝码展开博弈,立宪派借机夺权,所望过奢;而皇室忽视民意,揽权不放,彼此南辕北辙,越闹越僵,最后,立宪派在武昌起义后倒向革命,导致了王朝的瓦解。回顾这一历史,可见民主制度前程的坎坷漫长和民主建设中敬畏民意、务实冷静的重要。

The abrupt collapse of Qing dynasty after the Wuchang uprising is undoubtedly related to the failure of establishm, ent of constitution. The mentally collapsed elites and politicians exaggerate the cri- sis, and trigger the political reforms under pre-mature conditions, for they have long regarded the constitu- tional monarchy as the ultimate solution. The pro-constitution reformers and the royal family fail to come to agreement, but neither stops struggling for power. The endless confrontations eventually lead to a dis- solution, with the reformers turning to the revolution.