南京国民政府时期全国性议政机构中少数民族代表考察

Research on Ethnic Minority Representatives in State Council Agencies During the Period of Nanjing National Government

从民国初年的"五族共和"到现在的五十六个民族共和,少数民族参政议政经历了漫长的道路。从南京国民政府时期全国性议政机构中,以少数民族身份当选的代表的基本情况来看,政府对外承认民族平等,对内却坚持民族同化,可谓"五族共和"为表,"一族一国"为里。虽然迫于外界压力与抗战需要,政府不得不开放少数民族参政议政权力,部分少数民族的政治主体也得到承认,但少数民族代表所占比例增加缓慢,代表的广泛性也不够,其发挥的参政议政的作用也相当有限。

China is a multi-ethnic country.From the wuzu gonghe( Five nationalities under one union) in the early Republic of China to the current union of 56 ethnic groups,the participation of ethnic minorities in political affairs has always been a vital and important factor for the development of China's democratic politics. On one hand,the Nanjing National Government was dedicated to the model of a 'civil identification'and weakening ethnic characteristics. On the other hand,due to the immense pressure from the resistance of the Japanese invasion and the increase of minority representatives' appeals,they had to gradually allow some ethnic elites,as ethnic minority representatives,to participate in the national affairs so that they could acquire more political identity. Although the government of the Republic of China claimed 'Five nationalities under one union ' as well as declaring many times to guarantee extensive and orderly ethnic minority participation in national affairs,by analyzing cases of elections in the state council agencies during the period of Nanjing national government,not all the promises were implemented.I. The general situation of the elections for ethnic minority representatives in the state council agencies.In the National Conference in 1931, onlyMongolia and Tibet were allowed to organize their own elections and send their own ethnic representatives. Among the total of 520 national conference representatives,Mongolian representatives accounted for 12,and Tibetans accounted for 10. The National Political Council,which also known as'the Congress during war',was founded on July6,1938,and was abolished on March 28,1948.It lasted for 9 years and held conferences a total of4 times. In all the 4 conferences,10 people were elected as participants to represent Tibet to discuss political affairs,and 18 people were elected as participants representing Mongolia. However,although other minorities were not regarded as elected units, yet still some outstanding personages from these ethnic minorities were recommended by their provinces or other political organs as participants to discuss national political affairs. In the National Assembly held on November 15,1946,each of the following provinces,including Yunnan, Guizhou, Xikang, Sichuan, Guangxi and Hunan,were allowed to send ten people who represented their local ethnic minorities to discuss political affairs. In the National Assembly held in March of 1948,not only the numbers of ethnic minorities increased, but also the way of electing them was improved.II. An analysis of the election conditions ofthe ethnic minority representatives in the national state agencies.1. Although the numbers of ethnic minority representatives increased,nevertheless,the proportion of them did not. During 18 years( 1931-1948),the number of the ethnic minority representatives increased from the initial 22 to 147.However,the proportion of them only increased by0. 7%,which was not so remarkable.2. The structure of the ethnic minority representatives was complicated,but most came from the 'upper classes '. In the year of 1931,there were only 6 representatives for the state conference from both Mongolia and Tibet. By the year 1948,there were 148 ethnic minority representatives coming from Mongolian,Tibetan,Hui,Manchu,Miao,Yi,and,so on,ethnic groups. As a result,the structure of ethnic representation was more complex as the numbers increased during the period of Nanjing National Government. Many representatives were elected by the selection method,and most of them came from the upper classes.Therefore, structurally, representatives from the bottom rung of society who deeply understood the sufferings of ethnic people,were lacking.3. The regional characteristics of the ethnic minorities were weakened and the ethnic characteristics were strengthened. With regard to the election of representatives for the National Conference held in 1931,in consideration of regional politics,only Tibet and Mongolia were chosen as election units which could hold their own elections. When the National Political Council was held in 1938,the situation had not changed. Many provinces,for example,Xinjiang,and Ningxia,and many southwestern provinces,which were home to many ethnic minority people,could only select their representatives through elections held either by organizationsor elections on the provincial or municipal level. It was not until the victory of the war againstJapan,that the National government acknowledged the particular characteristics of the southwestern ethnic minorities. It was only at the time of the election for the representatives for the National Assembly,that the Manchu and Hui achieved the right to hold their own election separately.III. 'Five nationalities under one union 'or'Single nation state'?Although the Nanjing National Government claimed 'Five nationalities under one union'and asserted to the public that all the nationalities were equal,Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek were hopeful of building a country which promoted the situation of a 'single nation state '. Their ethnic policies embraced the hope of the national government,i. e. to replace'ethnic identity'with'state identity'. In fact,with the awakening of ethnic consciousness in modern times,it was obvious that the idea that 400 million of people came from the same nationalities was only the government's view.During that time,although the political status of a few ethnic minorities was acknowledged by the government and the number of the ethnic minority representatives increased,the change was not promoted by the national government on its own accord.First of all,because of the pressure from the resistance to the Japanese invasion,all the social classes needed to unify. In addition, many ethnic elites tried their best to gain the opportunity to participate in national affairs. What's more,the ethnic policies in those regions governed by the Communist Party were also one of the influential factors.From the National Conference to the National Assembly,the criteria for holding elections were still only acquired by the Mongols, Tibetans, Hui,Manchus and the ethnic minorities in the southeastern border areas. All in all,it was an unequal way for ethnic minority representatives to participate in national affairs.Objectively,the ideal of a 'Single Nationstate'which was pursued by the nationalists was not suitable for China's situation. Instead,it might be the cause of ethnic conflicts. China has a vast territory with uneven economic development. The transportation,economy and education in the regions where ethnic minorities live were mostly undeveloped. As a result,it was difficult for the ethnic minorities to win when they campaigned with the inner regions which held many resources. Furthermore,although a few of the ethnic minorities were gradually granted the status of political subject by the Nanjing National Government, this process lacked efficiency. A large group of the civilians belonging to ethnic minorities had trouble approaching state identification while,moreover,their own ethnic identification was not acknowledged by the government. Therefore,the ethnic minority region naturally found it difficult to identify with the rule of the national government.