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Show 6 NORTH CHINA MISSION educational reform and study abroad, have had immense significance. In religion enlightenment makes for monotheism; in politics enlightenment makes for democracy. Absolutism in government, even in the Orient, could not long bear the light of the twentieth century. It is not necessary to show that the Manchu dynasty was more corrupt than preceding dynasties; the Manchu dynasty happened to be the one in power when the light of the modern world broke upon China. While it seems like a stupendous change from despotism to democracy, there have been two important factors which have led the leaders of the Revolution to turn toward a republic as the successor of the Manchu regime. The first factor, though a negative one, has been very potent: there was no suitable person, and no suitable means of finding a person, to elevate to the throne in case the monarchical form of government be continued. The second factor consists in an element of democracy inherent in the Chinese body politic. The democracy of the Chinese is not the democracy of the Occident ; to the western observer it seems curiously mingled with undemocratic elements. But nevertheless this democracy is present, and has been pointed out by many recent observers. Professor H. A. Giles of Cambridge wrote in his book on the "Civilization of China", published just before the Revolution broke out, these remarkable words: "The great democracy of China, living in the greatest republic the world has ever seen, would never tolerate any paltering with national liberties in the present or in the future, any more than has been the case in the past." Although these words are to be taken as hyperbole they still bear witness to a potent element in Chinese life. |