美国《1882年排华法案》的立法过程分析

An Analysis of the Legislation of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882

论文聚焦于国内学者较为忽视的1882年3月美国国会排华立法讨论的经过,依据留存的美国国会辩论记录和当时的报纸记录,归纳并分析了当年美国排华立法辩论的历史情境。认为美国国会主要围绕三个问题讨论排华立法,即对华人人口的恐惧问题、种族和不可同化问题、华工薪资过廉伤害劳工利益问题。但真正导致排华立法通过的关键因素,是美国当时两党的政治均势和劳工利益团体的积极游说。为了争取工人选票,民主党和共和党都赞成排华。相对于排华态度坚定的民主党来说,利害关系较弱的共和党的积极参与,为排华法案的通过加大了砝码。

This paper examines the congressional debate on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was overlooked by Chinese scholars, through using the Congressional Record and historical newspapers. Through an analysis of the context of the debate, this research finds that the congressional debate was focused on three questions： the phobia to the dramatic increase of Chinese population, to the Chinese resistance to assimilation, and the lower waging driven by the cheap Chinese labor. However, the main reason for the approval of the Chinese Exclusion Act was the power balance between the two parties and American labor organizations. In order to secure workers＇votes, both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party support Chinese exclusion. The Democratic Party held firm stance against Chinese immigrants. The Republican Party, with no direct interest in Chinese exclusion, however, participated actively in the Chinese exclusion, which eventually led to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 unanimously.