清末立宪保守思潮的困境与悖论——以政治现代化的视野

The Dilemma and Paradox of Conservative Ideas on Constitution Formation at the End of Qing Dynasty——From the Perspective of Political Modernization

清末立宪保守派以民智未开、立宪条件不具备为由反对立宪,实则民智大开本非立宪的必备条件,况且清末民智渐开,人民已具备一定参政能力;保守派又以中国社会危机四伏、立宪可能致乱为由反对立宪,实则立宪是当时解决清政府政权合法性危机、进而解决其他所有危机的关键,立宪有风险,不立宪则必亡;保守派主张开明专制,实则清末并非君主专制不够,而是专制过甚,致使官僚群体治理能力退化,无力应对变局,引发各种危机,专制只会加深危机,最终沦为暴政。在清末具体情势下,立宪是中国政治现代化的最优选项,也是清政府自救的惟一选择。

The conservatives on constitution formation at the end of Qing Dynasty objected to constitution formation with the reasons that the Chinese people haven＇t been enlightened.,which actually was not essential for constitution formation.Moreover,Chinese people have been enlightened at the end of Qing Dynasty.And the conservatives objected to constitution formation with the reasons that Qing Dynasty was threatened by growing crises and constitution formation may cause political disaster.But actually constitution formation was the key to resolve crisis of regime legality and further other crises.Constitution formation was full of risks,but without which Qing Dynasty was bound to fall.The conservatives advocated enlightened autocracy,which actually caused all crises by weakening the officials＇ abilities of dealing with changes.And autocracy would fall to tyranny,not be enlightened.In a word,at the end of Qing Dynasty,constitution formation was the best choice to political modernization of china,and the only choice to self-save the government.