Chapter 61 the Chiang Kai-shek he hoped for

In October 1931, after Hu Shi went to Nanjing to visit Chiang Kai-shek, he embarked on the road of supporting Chiang step by step.Later, they gradually became intimate and willing to be a critical friend and minister of the Kuomintang government. What are Hu Shi's so-called "critical friends" and "critical ministers"? In a letter to Weng Wenhao, Jiang Tingfu, and Wu Jingchao, three friends of "Independent Review", he once quoted Yang Wanli (word Tingxiu, pseudonym Chengzhai) from the Song Dynasty. A poem by me, chanting that mountain spring: At first I suspected that it was raining at night and suddenly it was sunny, but I knew it was the mountain spring that blew all night.

Flowing to the front stream without a word, making many voices in the mountains! Hu Shi hoped that the three friends who were officials in the government would not be like Shanquan who remained silent after leaving the mountain, but be admonishing friends and admonishing ministers who "confront court disputes".He said: Selfishly, I always feel that what is needed more at this time is a group of friends and ministers who are "face-to-face with court disputes". Therefore, I always hope that brothers will work hard to educate the chief (education leader), and perseverance will eventually produce results.The two offices of the Executive Yuan should be turned into a "shogunate", brothers and others should treat themselves as guests and teachers, speak up when encountering problems, and fight when they have to, don't make Yang Chengzhai laugh at others. ①

This is Hu Shi's understanding of admonishing friends and admonishing ministers.The "career of educating leaders" that he wanted the three friends to do was exactly what Hu Shi himself wanted to do.His support of Chiang contained an illusion, that is, relying on his own thoughts and status, he regarded himself as a guest teacher and "educated the leader", hoping to guide Chiang Kai-shek on the road of democratic constitutionalism. When Hu Shi started the "Independent Review", he also tried his best to advocate the rule of law and constitutionalism, hoping that Chiang Kai-shek's party-state would implement the American-style democratic politics he yearned for. In the winter of 1933, the discussion on "democracy and dictatorship" that began in the "Independent Review" concentrated on reflecting Hu Shi's above-mentioned thoughts and fantasies.

At that time, Chiang Kai-shek was increasingly intensifying his fascist dictatorship.After the "CC Group", the "Blue Clothes Society" was organized.These two spy organizations clamored to "borrow the soul of fascism and return the corpse of the Kuomintang" and implemented a fascist reign of terror across the country. The articles by Jiang Tingfu and Ding Wenjiang published in the "Independent Review" also openly catered to Chiang Kai-shek's wishes, advocating autocratic dictatorship in China, and advocating the so-called "new dictatorship" in Germany and Italy. ②They believed that in China, “democracy is not at all possible, and dictatorship is inevitable”; they even said, “Are there any alternatives to dictatorship?” Hu Shi was dissatisfied.He disagreed with Ding Wenjiang's and Jiang Tingfu's articles, and clearly insisted on democratic politics and opposed dictatorship.He said:

It is true that the establishment of a country requires the unification of the political power, but the unification of the political power does not necessarily depend on dictatorship. …To specialize in a huge China, lead 400 million adversaries, and build a new country is no small matter, and it is definitely not something that a group of military politicians who have not strictly trained can dream of success.Today's leaders, no matter which party or faction they are, can be said to be our "persons in our eyes"; and no matter how we forgive, we can't see where there is a qualified "Zhuge Liang", nor can we see There are one hundred and fifty thousand people who have received modern education and training who can be the "Zhuge Liang" of our dictatorship. ...Can we still dream of raising a Chiang Kai-shek, or another Chiang Kai-shek, to be the center of a new national unity? ④ Hu Shi believes that Chiang Kai-shek is not qualified to be a dictatorial "Zhuge Liang", let alone others! He further pointed out , advocating dictatorship in China, "It's like teaching a three-year-old child to set fire", "If China really embarks on dictatorship politics today, what it will get will never be a new-style dictatorship, but the old-style dictatorship that the disabled people will succeed." . ⑤

The discussion on "Democracy and Dictatorship" on the "Independent Review" lasted for more than a year, and dozens of articles were published.One faction advocates dictatorship and the other advocates democracy. The differences seem to be very large, and the debate is quite heated.But as far as its essence is concerned, it is only a question of how Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang will rule. One faction advocates transferring the fascist dictatorship from Germany and Italy, while the other wants to adopt the bourgeois democratic system in Europe and the United States. On the point of the regime's rule, there is complete agreement and no disagreement.

In the winter of 1934, after the Kuomintang government won a temporary victory in the fifth "encirclement and suppression", the situation of the struggle between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party changed suddenly.In order to deceive public opinion and win over the hearts of the people, Chiang Kai-shek also made a little democratic gesture. On November 27, he and Wang Jingwei jointly sent a telegram to the whole country, saying: "Considering China's current environment and times, it is not necessary or possible to implement the righteous Russian system." Speaking of "China is different from Italy, Germany and Turkey, so there is no need for dictatorship."Chiang Kai-shek personally came out to make a gesture of denying dictatorship and safeguarding democracy and freedom, which made Hu Shi couldn't help being happy.This is exactly what he hoped for Chiang Kai-shek.Therefore, I wrote an essay immediately, expressing my "sincere approval" of Chiang Kai-shek's declaration, and sincerely hoped that Chiang Kai-shek "don't forget such a serious declaration." ⑥

Soon, Hu Shi came out to summarize the discussion on "democracy and dictatorship".In his article "Obtaining a Common Political Belief from the Discussion of Democracy and Dictatorship", he quoted the KMT's party principles and expressed his feelings, saying: In our view, the "source of law" of the Kuomintang, Articles 14 and 24 of the National Founding Program are a kind of parliamentary politics. ... If the Kuomintang does not overthrow the legacy of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, sooner or later it will have to embark on the road of democratic constitutionalism.And in the process of embarking on democratic constitutionalism, the Kuomintang can get the kind sponsorship of people outside the party who care about state affairs. ⑦

Hu Shi represented the "Independence" group, and he also publicly expressed his support for Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang as a representative of "non-Party" people.This is "a common political belief" that has been sought after discussing "democracy and dictatorship" for more than a year. At this time, Chiang Kai-shek's position in the Kuomintang and the government had stabilized, and he actively prepared to hold the Sixth and Fifth Plenary Sessions of the Kuomintang.Hu Shi immediately published an article on the "Independent Review", publicly speaking for Chiang Kai-shek, carrying the sedan chair, boasting that Chiang Kai-shek "does have the qualifications to be the leader of a country today", and created public opinion to help Chiang Kai-shek ascend to the throne of the "Supreme Leader" of the country; and said "He has grown up; he has become more magnanimous, and his attitude has become peaceful." He also said, "He is not selfish, nor is he seeking the interests of the party." Take up the burden on your shoulders, work tirelessly, do not avoid grievances, and can quite accommodate the demands of dissidents and respect the views of dissidents."Therefore, Hu Shi concluded that Jiang's "becoming a nationally recognized leader is a matter of fact, because no one else in the country can compete with him for this leadership position." ⑧Heaping so many good words on Chiang Kai-shek's stone is almost flattering, and the veil of "independence" has been completely torn off.

However, even though Hu Shi praised Chiang Kai-shek, he did not forget his good intentions and fantasies of teaching and guiding Chiang as a guest teacher.He tactfully criticized Chiang Kai-shek for "loving to interfere in matters outside his authority", regardless of military affairs, internal affairs, foreign affairs, finance, education, industry, transportation, health, as well as central and provincial affairs. dictatorship.Hu Shi said that this was "Mr. Chiang Kai-shek's biggest shortcoming".He once wrote a letter to Chiang Kai-shek, "Advising him to clarify his authority, not to exceed his authority and infringe officials, and to devote all his energy to doing things within his authority, it will be easier to succeed, and the responsibility is clear. Success is easy to trust, but responsibility is not necessary. Generations have suffered."

He believed that Chiang’s “what happened today is counterproductive. It’s called taking over tens of thousands of people, but in fact he’s living in a low class, and all the evil in the world will be returned.” ⑨ Hu Shi’s most important thing is still democratic constitutionalism, and he repeatedly persuaded Chiang Kai-shek to implement constitutionalism. ,Say: If Mr. Jiang can understand the lessons of this period of history, he should use his prestige and status to resolutely go further to advocate for constitutionalism, resolutely come out to support the draft constitution, and promote the implementation of constitutionalism... If he can do this, that is the real The supreme leader of the country who is not dictatorial.Only a leader who abides by the law and protects the constitution is the supreme leader who is not dictatorial and can be supported by the whole country.That is the road to political reform. ⑩ Abiding by the law and protecting the constitution, not authoritarian, this is the Chiang Kai-shek that Hu Shi wanted.Hu Shi's devotion to Jiang and his fantasies are almost devout and persistent.However, how could Chiang Kai-shek, who started his career by force, sincerely accept and implement the democratic constitutionalism contributed by Hu Shi? ① Hu Shi sent a letter to Weng Wenhao, Jiang Tingfu, and Wu Jingchao on January 26, 1936, contained in "Hu Shi's Correspondence Letters", Beijing Zhonghua Book Company, May 1, 1979, volume 1, pp. 302-303. ② "Revolution and Dictatorship" by Jiang Tingfu and "Revolution and Autocracy" by Ding Wenjiang, both of which were published in "Independent Review" No. 80, published on December 10, 1933.The discussion on "democracy and dictatorship" aroused by these two articles did not come to an end until February 1935, which lasted for more than a year. ③Ding Wenjiang's "Democratic Politics and Dictatorship", originally published as "Ta Kung Pao" weekly paper, "Independent Review" No. 133, published on December 30, 1934. ④ "Re-discussion on the founding of the country and autocracy", contained in "Independent Review" No. 82, published on December 24, 1933. ⑤ "Reply to Mr. Ding Zaijun on Democracy and Dictatorship", contained in "Independent Review" No. 133, published on December 30, 1934. ⑥ "The Necessity and Possibility of No Dictatorship in China", contained in "Independent Review" No. 130, published on December 9, 1934. ⑦ "Seeking a Common Political Belief from the Discussion of Democracy and Dictatorship", contained in "Ta Kung Pao" "Weekly Paper" on February 17, 1935; reprinted in "Independent Review" No. 141. ⑧ "The Road to Political Reform", contained in "Independent Review" No. 163, published on August 5, 1935. ⑨This letter has not been seen, but the manuscript of "Hu Shi's Diary" (Taipei Yuanliu Publishing Co., Ltd., December 1990 edition, Volume 11) on April 4, 1934 has "Write to Tingfu and take it to Mr. Chiang Kai-shek" , and a summary of the content of the narrative letter, you can refer to it. (Third Edition Note) ⑩ same note ⑧.