Chapter 42 "Efforts" Talks about "Good Governmentism"

In the spring of 1922, Hu Shi prepared to create the weekly newspaper "Efforts". In February, the case was filed; in March, it was approved, and the police department's approval document required them to "carefully handle matters and refrain from propagating radical remarks." ①On May 7, "Efforts" was launched.Since then, Hu Shi officially broke up with the "New Youth" group. "Effort" weekly is a publication that focuses on talking about politics.In the inaugural issue, the "launch speech" was published, which was a song "Song of Hard Work" written by Hu Shi. The last two sections read:

Friends, let's sing a "song of hard work": "Don't be afraid of resistance! Don't be afraid of force! I'm afraid not to work hard! work hard!" "Less resistance! Force down! China is remade! work hard!" This song reflects that the "Strive" weekly still maintains an attitude of dissatisfaction and resistance to the "forced" rule of the warlords.But Hu Shi said that "Keep Harding" talks about politics, but still "just implements my idea of ​​'more research on issues and less talk about doctrine'". ②The most famous is its "good government doctrine". Issue 2 of "Efforts" was published.This is a manifesto dedicated to "Good Governmentism", drafted by Hu Shi, led by Cai Yuanpei, and signed by 16 people including Tao Xingzhi, Li Dazhao, and Ding Wenjiang.At the end of the article, these 16 "proposers" and their occupations are signed. There is a long list, most of which are principals, professors, doctors, directors and the like, which is quite grand. ③And "good government" seems to have become the doctrine of many people.

In fact, "good government doctrine" was originally a political proposition that Hu Shi had been brewing for a long time.As early as June 1921, an Anhui politician came to visit. During the conversation, Hu Shi proposed the term "good governmentism".He said: Today's teenagers regard anarchism as a fashionable thing, which is a big mistake.We must not talk about anarchism indiscriminately now; we should talk about governmentism and good governmentism! ④ As for the meaning of "good governmentism", Hu Shishi did not explain it at the time. This summer, he gave lectures in Suzhou, Nanjing, Anqing and other places. On August 5, gave a public lecture on "Good Governmentism" for the first time in Anqing No. 1 Middle School.When talking about the conditions for the practice of good government, he said:

It is necessary for a group of "good people" to unite and actively struggle for this goal (press, refer to the good government).Good people don't stand out, and bad people leave the world behind! ⑤It can be seen that a good government is also a government of good people.Hu Shi also proposed a kind of "Political Instrumentalism" (Political Instrumentalism), saying that this is the basic concept of good government, which is obviously a pragmatic concept. After that, Hu Shi gave many lectures on "Good Governmentism" in Shanghai, Beijing and other places. ⑥ On the eve of the Double Tenth Festival, several newspapers in Shanghai asked Hu Shi to write commemorative articles. Because he was short on time, he wrote a poem entitled "Ghost Songs on the Double Tenth Festival". The last stanza reads:

Don't hate it, you can commemorate it in another way! Let's get together and get rid of this pack of wolves. Overthrow this bird government, start a new revolution, make a good government: That's Double Ten Days commemoration! At that time, Hu Shi was filled with the idea of ​​"good government", so he also talked about "good government" in his report. He also talked about "good government" in his poems; and judging from this poem, the good government he talked about at that time did have positive meanings against the warlord "bird government".

At the beginning of the publication of "Efforts", Hu Shi planned to vigorously promote his good government doctrine. In the middle of the night on May 11, he finished writing an article and was already very tired.However, he thought that if this article was only published as a general political commentary in the "Keep Hard" weekly magazine, it would have little impact. It would be better to invite some "good people" to join in and make a public declaration.So I called, and I was the first to discuss with Li Dazhao, and agreed to have a meeting at Cai Yuanpei's home the next day; I also called Tao Xingzhi, who also agreed.In the morning of the next day, Li Dazhao, Tang Erhe and other ten people came to Cai's house for a meeting; later Wang Chonghui and Luo Wenqian also came.After discussion, a slight revision was made, and everyone agreed, and they were all listed as proposers.As a result, it was quickly telegraphed by the news agency, and all newspapers published it. ⑦

This manifesto proposes "good government" as the common goal of reforming Chinese politics.There are three basic requirements: First, we demand a "constitutional government", second, we demand an "open government", and third, we demand a "planned politics". He also believes that the only way to do political reform is to "good people need to have the spirit of struggle" and "to fight against the evil forces in the country."Their proposition obviously also has positive significance against warlord rule, so Communists like Li Dazhao also signed in favor of it.However, the essence of a "good government" is an attempt to organize a cabinet from the so-called "good people" of liberal intellectuals and implement the bourgeois republic plan imported from Europe and the United States.Their request, at best, is to make certain political improvements without disturbing the rule of the warlords, reflecting their illusions and compromises with the warlords.In "A Year and a Half Review", Hu Shi admitted it bluntly, saying, "We did have a little hope for the northern government back then." ⑧The "Keep Effort" weekly newspaper no longer mentioned "overthrowing the government of this bird", but also imagined that the warlord government would "reduce the army", "make the constitution", implement "inter-provincial freedom", and promote bit by bit. improved.Isn't this an article for the thieves? Hu Shi also admitted later that their fantasy was simply "seeking skins with tigers".Instead of overthrowing the warlords, talking about a "good government" will serve to cover up and whitewash the dark rule of the warlords.

History sometimes plays a joke with people in the form of comedy. In September 1922, due to conflicts among warlord factions, Wu Peifu and others supported Wang Chonghui to form a cabinet and act as the prime minister, with Luo Wenqian as the chief finance officer and Tang Erhe as the chief education officer.All three of them have signed the letter, so this cabinet is known as the "government of good people".But the real power of the cabinet is all controlled by the Zhili warlords, and the "good government" is just a tool and decoration in the hands of the warlords. The "good government" lasted only 73 days.Wang Chonghui and others were busy all day, begging for loans from foreign countries, mainly to fund the warlord's civil war, which caused dissatisfaction among the people.Because of the uneven distribution of military expenditures, which caused internal disputes in the direct lineage, Wang Chonghui naturally leaned towards the "Luo (Yang) faction" headed by Wu Peifu and provided them with more military expenses, which aroused extreme tension among the "Bao (Ding) faction" headed by Cao Kun. Big dissatisfaction. On November 18, Wu Jinglian, the speaker of the National Assembly who leaned towards the "protection faction", and others excused that the Finance Minister Luo Wenqian had corruption in signing the loan contract, and forced Li Yuanhong to order Luo's arrest, forming a sensational "Luo case".Wu Peifu intervened and released Luo.Cao Kun did not give up, and issued a telegram with other direct warlords, demanding that Luo Wengan, Wang Chonghui and others be punished.Wu Peifu was isolated and had to sacrifice his chariots and horses to compromise with Cao Kun.Wang Chonghui and others lost their backing and were forced to announce their resignation on November 29. ⑨The short-lived performance of "good government" made "good government" notorious, and decent people bother to mention it.

①Refer to Hu Shi’s diary on February 4, 17, and March 31, 1922, see “Hu Shi’s Diary”, Beijing Zhonghua Book Company, 1985 edition, Volume 1, pp. 255, 269, and 300. In the diary on July 8, 1921, it is recorded that "Bill 'E.S.' briefing. 'E.S.' gathering in the afternoon. We are all in favor of having a little weekly newspaper. "E.S. should be the abbreviation of the English name "Endearor Society" of "Endearor Society". According to this, Endearor Society had already been established at this time. ② "My Forked Road", originally published in the seventh issue of "Keep Hard" weekly report; see "Hu Shi Wencun Two Collections", Shanghai Yadong Library, March 6, 1929, Volume 3, p. 99.

③, listed as proposers are: Proposer Occupation Cai Yuanpei President of National Peking University Wang Chonghui National Peking University Teacher Luo Wengan National Peking University Teacher Tang Erhe, M.D. Tao Zhixing National Southeast University Education Department Director Wang Boqiu National Southeast University Political Law Economics Director Liang Shuming National Peking University Lecturer Li Dazhao National Peking University Library Director Tao Menghe Director of the Philosophy Department of National Peking University Zhu Jingnong National Peking University Professor Zhang Weici National Peking University Teacher Gao Yihan National Peking University Professor Xu Baohuang National Peking University Professor Wang Zheng Secretary of the New Bank of the United States Ding Wenjiang Former Director of the Geological Survey Hu Shi National Peking University This article by the dean was originally published in the second issue of "Keep Hard" Weekly, and later included in "Hu Shi Wencun II Collection", Shanghai Yadong 6th Edition, Volume 3.

Rearranged by Taipei Far East Book Company in 1953, this article was also deleted after Hu Shi edited it. ④ See Hu Shi's diary on June 18, 1921, "Hu Shi's Diary", Volume 1, pp. 99-100. ⑤ See "Hu Shi's Diary", Volume 1, pp. 173-175. ⑥ See "Hu Shi's Diary", Volume 1, pages 186 and 241. ⑦ See "Hu Shi's Diary" Volume 2, pages 352-354. ⑧ See "Hu Shi Wencun II Collection", Shanghai Yadong 6th Edition, Volume 3, p. 145.Taipei Far East Book Company rearranged the version in 1953, and this article was also deleted. ⑨See "Wang Chonghui" written by Zheng Zemin, "Biography of the Republic of China", Volume 2, Beijing Zhonghua Book Company, August 1980 edition, pages 140-141.