铁路代漕:国家治理视角下晚清漕运铁路的修建及论争

Railway to Replace the Water Transport: Argument on Building Railway for Transport in Late Qing Dynasty——in the View of National Governance

漕运在传统中国的政治生活中扮演着重要角色,维系着庞大帝国的正常运转。19世纪80年代,朝廷面临传统漕运不能正常运转的危机,即要有新的国家治理方式以资应对。李鸿章等人以便利漕运为由,主张修筑漕运铁路,也能够加强淮军的军事力量。但此议遭到了朝中反对派的抵制,朝廷也忌讳李鸿章淮系尾大不掉,以致漕运铁路的修建几经争议而不得不罢议修筑。面对铁路这一新兴事物的出现,中国朝野上下缺乏相对应的现代治理理念,同时也掺杂了政治派系之间斗争及朝廷与地方督抚之间的政治博弈。

In the traditional Chinese political life,water transport was used to carry grain to the capital,and played a very important role for it maintained the normal circulation of the large kingdom.In 1980s,the royal court faced the crisis that traditional water transport was insufficient for the need to carry materials,and new method,as the country’s governance,was required to deal with the situation.Li Hongzhang and some of his followers,taking this as a reason,proposed to build railway for transport instead,which may also strengthen the military strength of Huai army at that time.But this suggestion was resisted by the opposition in the royal court,and the main leaders of the court also were concerned that Li Hongzhang’s strength may be too much or beyond control.Therefore although the building of railway for transport was argued for several times,this suggestion had to be put down in the end.The emergence of railway was something new,but at that time in China,modern governance ideals were lacked no matter in the court above or in the masses below.Moreover,there existed the struggle among political parties,and the political game between the royal court and local governors.