Chapter 110

General Election (Part 1)

1908 is destined to be a dazzling year, and it is also a year that will be remembered by future generations...

This year, two truly great powers in the East and the West: economic power, territorial power and population power, began crucial elections one after another.

In China, there is only one meaning of a general election: a congressional election.

China's congressional system is an unprecedented freak, once called "Oriental Borscht" in the West.

The Constitution of the Chinese Empire (1895 edition) is actually a product under a specific historical condition.

In the Jiawu period, the town of ** went north to unify China, formed the "National Provisional Supreme Committee", and announced the convening of a constitutional conference, and the "representatives" of each province discussed constitutional composition in Beijing. In the so-called "new policy provinces" in the so-called "new policy provinces" ruled by the Nanfang Town, the local Senate reorganized by the existing Advisory Council, elected constitutional representatives. In the north, due to the failure of the "new policy", the "National Provisional Supreme Committee" was appointed and published in the newspaper.

As a result, a large number of northern officials in the middle of the town also attended the meeting as "representatives" of the northern provinces.

The Constituent Assembly is a great victory

The result was no suspense: amid the tsunami of "Long Live the Emperor", the MPs who were in a state of fanaticism voted to pass the 1895 imperial constitution with an overwhelming advantage, determined the imperial system, and registered voters in the "New Deal Province" according to the voter conditions stipulated in the "Temporary Election Law", and then voted on this constitution.

In this constitution, the national system is defined as a constitutional monarchy, but the constitution is not "autonomously appointed", but "voting by representatives of public opinion" and "approved by all voters", but the first part first clarifies "the power of the emperor" and then the national rights.

The two houses of Congress are called the Senate and the House of Representatives. In fact, the Senate is the House of Nobles. Senators must be imperial nobles (except for celebrities). There are a total of 120 members, including three in each of the thirty-three provincial administrative regions, one is elected, one is elected by the voters among the three candidates nominated by the emperor, and one is appointed by the emperor. The other seats are held by the hereditary nobles of the Empire. If they cannot attend for some reason, they can entrust designated members to exercise their rights. In the future, each new provincial administrative region is established, the same three seats will be added;

The House of Representatives has 400 members, of which 300 are allocated according to the number of voters in each province, but each province is guaranteed at least three. The other 100 members are appointed by the emperor.

Any legislation needs to be approved separately by both houses before it can take effect.

For a long time, because the Baath Party has a deep roots and the emperor himself is the leader of the party, the Congress and the government have become cooperative institutions, and the struggle is mostly due to factional struggles within the Baath Party. Those who have become popular among the opposition parties have been pulled into the ruling alliance, and the rest can only complain, make suggestions, and occasionally reveal the corruption cases. Major impeachments are often the ruling alliance itself, either taking the initiative or being forced to clean the team, and often even get the emperor's approval first.

However, such a system is now facing challenges.

First, the two major branches of the Faxing Party, the Peasant Party, the Liberal Party, the Yanhuang Party, etc. began to engage in activities, and even looked for their own allies. Then the Labor-Management Relations Committee within the Faxing Party came out to form the Socialist Party, and a large number of elites from the young generation of the Faxing Party changed jobs one after another. Then, the Liberal Party and the Civic Party launched a debate on the theme of freedom, triggering a counterattack among the hard-core members of the Faxing Party, which caused a sensation across the country. But the final outcome was that a big boss of the Faxing Party in Gansu was arrested, and the emperor came out to calm the incident, and directly highlighted the political struggle in front of all the people in the form of a radio speech, criticizing both sides, but in particular, he expressed that he would severely punish the people involved in Gansu and the central government in accordance with the law.

Then the Supreme Court intervened, and even several central government officials resigned due to blame, and many backbone who directly interfered in the judiciary were sentenced.

The situation changes so quickly that it makes people dizzy, and the members of the Baath Party who are in it are even more dazzling.

After this shock, the emperor finally gave the Baxing Party mercy and guaranteed the people for them. The Baxing Party finally stabilized its position. On the one hand, it rectified its internal affairs, and on the other hand, it focused on government affairs. With the help of the rapid development of the country's economy, hosted the Fourth Olympic Games and other events, and finally won the hearts of the people and took the lead in the polls.

But after the Olympics, the emperor suddenly announced that in accordance with the Constitution, Congressional Organization Law and other provisions, he decided to entrust 50 seats re-elected by the 100 emperors of the House of Representatives to the Senate of each province that has already implemented constitutionalism.

In terms of the aristocratic house, the emperor's nomination rights in each province were handed over to the local Senate house, which were nominated by them and voted by voters.

A sensation across the country.

Originally in 1907, Congress voted to pass the "Amendment to the Basic Law of the Local Senate", which increased the proportion of elected representatives of the local Senate to two thirds, and completed the election in the winter of this year in accordance with the new law. Now the emperor has released the quota of the two houses of Congress! Although some members of parliament tentatively proposed that even if the emperor was "willing to authorize", it was ultimately in conflict with the Constitution and the Congress Organization Law. The emperor, who hoped that "always respect the constitutional rule of law," had "careful consideration". Some members of parliament privately discussed "whether your majesty was just a gesture", but the result surprised many people: the emperor refused to "take back his orders" and urged the Supreme Court to "give an explanation." He also bluntly stated that if the Supreme Court "ruled unconstitutional", he would recommend "amend the constitution" and amend the Congress Organization Law.

The emperor's unexpectedly tough statement finally forced everyone to accept this fact: this time, this emperor, who has been playing cards frequently, has really wanted to release some of his political resources.

The division of constituencies according to the new method has made the local Senate busy. All political forces are fighting hard, and they are all preparing to make their mark in this election. Now there are so many places all at once, and the game under the table has quickly evolved into open political struggles.

The Baath Party felt unprecedented pressure.

The emperor released so many places, which further increased the pressure on the Baath Party. This largest party that had never felt the real crisis, and even the "mother" of modern Chinese political parties, had to put aside its stature and began to deal with the election situation with unprecedented seriousness.

At the beginning of the Olympics, all walks of life have already moved around, raising funds everywhere, raising opinions, listening to public opinion, and deepening communication. According to the new election law officially implemented at the end of 1907, the voter base has been greatly expanded, and a large number of urban and rural residents who benefited from social security, industrial and commercial development, and farmer-friendly policies have obtained the right to vote, and have also gradually participated in these political lives, gradually feeling the difference between "voting" and ordinary "residents".

The emerging radio stations have become the new favorites of all parties, and traditional print media have not been ignored. The propaganda machines of various companies are fully launched, propaganda propositions, arouse craze, depict the future, and even criticize opponents. An unprecedented "general election" began to take place in a lively manner.

"Dear citizens, I am Ma Liyang, who runs for the election of Representatives on behalf of the Chinese Peasants Party. Our proposition is actually very simple: the basis of the country is agriculture, and the main body of the people is farmers. All national policies should pay attention to protecting the interests of farmers..."

"Don't just say something nice, just make some real."

"Yes! It's real!"

"Yes... Dear citizens, my campaign program is: First, promote national legislation, fix annual funding, and build water conservancy facilities; Second, provide farmers with the same social security as cities; Third, there are many farmers, and they should be treated specially when calculating income tax..."

"It's right!"

"It makes sense!"

"What's going on with the peasant party... Didn't we all choose the Revival Party in previous years?"

"Hey, you're not from the Baath Party?"

"Everyone, I am the representative of the Peasant Party. As the name suggests, the Peasant Party is serving you peasants..."

Before Ma Liyang finished speaking, the peasants' faces changed slightly. They looked at each other. Someone got up and patted their butts: "Okay, I thought it was from the Baxing Party. I said, "Why, the peasant party wants to rebel and seize the power of the emperor?"

"That's right, the Baxing Party is well managed, why did so many of them suddenly appear... "

"We don't have to pay any taxes now, life is very good..."

"When the food price is low, you can sell it directly to the government, and there are cars to pick it up..."

"Last year, the county started to build roads and all the roads were built to Zhaojiatun. If you want to be a Chaozhou road, will it be no longer built..."

"I don't care about this or that party... I just want to ask for a wife. I heard that Japanese girls are obedient. If you can take care of a Japanese girl, I will choose you..."

"Whether you go, what the peasant party is, it's useful to mess around! The old Ding of the peasant association knows that I'll listen to you dig the corners of the Baxing Party and eat me alive!"

"Everyone, this is a democratic election, it is in accordance with the constitution and law, and is protected by the government..."

"Let's go...Where is the platform of the Baath Party?"

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Foshan, Guangdong.

The handsome young man in a white suit bowed deeply to the crowd below the audience, raised his head after a moment, and stood straight: "Comrades! I am Wang Minghan, who represents the Socialist Party to participate in the House of Representatives election! I am here to take up everyone's time today to listen to your voice! Because brother, this time, I hope to have the opportunity to represent us in Foshan and Guangdong, represent us in the country's House of Representatives, participate in the legislative cause of our country, and continuously improve the welfare of the people!"

The workers looked at the surprisingly handsome little fellow villager with interest.

"Someone asked, what is the Socialist Party? Didn't you all be the Baath Party before? Why aren't you now? You have to go out and work alone? Is this a rebellion?"

The workers burst into laughter. They are basically old-fashioned workers, higher-income workers, and even technicians. Most of them have received basic education. The union organizes cultural tutoring, factories also have training, and most of them have experienced the re-election of the local Senate in the past year. They are not unfamiliar with what elections and parliament are.

"Yes, I was also a member of the Fuxing Party before. A year ago, many like-minded comrades in our party decided to work together to engage in a great cause: to establish a political party belonging to our working class and to fight for reasonable interests for workers. We did it, so we have today's Socialist Party."

"Many workers know that the government has a labor-management relations coordination meeting, which is now the Ministry of Labor. Many of our comrades were originally cadres there, and have been fighting for and implementing rights and interests for workers. Over the years, we have visited many factories and mines to investigate the situation of the workers and listen to opinions. But I have been in Beijing and have no chance to come back to Guangdong. This time I want to run for the election, to listen to your opinions and voices! I want to hear with my own ears the requirements of the workers in my hometown for the government, their expectations for life, and what other things are not satisfied with our country..."

"Fellow workers, the so-called throwing bricks and attracting jade. Based on past experience, I will talk about what we will do when we go to the House of Representatives in the future: First, we must promote legislation to strictly prohibit the use of child labor in general industries and positions, unless it is a very technical position, in order to train apprentices. But even apprentices must be given reasonable remuneration, and the labor intensity must be reasonable, especially to protect safety; second, we must promote the reduction of labor time. The maximum daily labor time limit for the current legislation is twelve hours, one day off a week. In the future, we must strive to set two of the twelve hours to work overtime without lowering wages and pay more. Fellow workers are also human beings, they have to eat, rest, and have events chatting, drinking, and playing with women. Everyone is not a machine. Brothers must insist on this."

"Third, we must promote legislation and establish a safety inspector system for dangerous industries. Enterprises must design safe operating procedures in accordance with regulations, equip safety devices, meet safety standards, inspectors conduct regular inspections. If they fail, they have the right to stop the operation of the company and make rectifications. For example, our coal mine..."

"Okay, Mr. Wang, we have chosen you!"

"Yes, they are all from the old Fuxing Party. When you see that Mr. Wang has read a lot of books in Beijing, it is rare to be able to struggle with us, which is not easy!"

"Mr. Wang is a good person! I went to my brother's factory last night, and my brother said that, so I chose Mr. Wang!"

"Mr. Wang, I have an idea, do you think it's okay... Our factory is afraid that we will steal things, and men and women will search their bodies when entering and leaving the factory. It's so damn that I can't stand it. I'm touched by a big man... Can the country enact a law to ban it?"

"Yes." Wang Minghan nodded, "This is a matter that hurts the dignity of the people. The factory is not a policeman, so people cannot be searched casually..."

"Okay, I'll choose you!"

"Agree! Choose Mr. Wang!"

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Due to several important legal amendments, the current power of the local Senate and Congress is no longer comparable to that of Zheng Ying's era.

In constitutional provinces, the local Senate has obtained the authority to approve budgets, local legislation, government administrative structure, government financial supervision, impeachment of government officials, and even the budgets of local police departments are approved by the local Senate. Members with great power have begun to play an increasingly proactive role in local affairs.

As the power of the Senate in various provinces, cities and counties increases greatly, it will inevitably gain more and more reliance from residents. People who were used to "blocking sedan chairs and shouting for justice" and "blocking the door to report" have also begun to visit the local Senate in more and more, or directly write letters to parliamentarians. Some of the bad policies of grassroots governments, and measures that have caused improper losses, have begun to be brought out to discuss openly, and local public opinion has also shown its strength and has begun to seize opportunities to win capital.

This election naturally received unprecedented attention from various political forces.

In this election, all kinds of social groups began to play an increasingly important role.

During the war, a strong wartime control system requires a large number of various social organizations to help the government implement measures at the grassroots level and penetrate the entire overall will into every corner.

Under this background, social organizations with various compositions, different ideas and different purposes were established like mushrooms after a rain. Work mutual assistance, protect the interests of families of specific groups, maintain fairness within a certain range, etc.

With the relaxation of public opinion control after the war, especially after the revision of the election law, the voter base increased greatly, and the Baaking Party successively divided the parties, and various political forces came to the stage one after another, and various social groups gradually evolved into political popular organizations and put forward their own interests. Not only did the Senate in various places begin to face up to these powerful popular groups, but candidates from various parties also had to face up to this voice. All of this made the 1908 re-election of the Congressional election even more exciting.

As a large number of adult men joined the army or participated in front-line logistics during the war, many women had to go out of their homes to find jobs in the rear towns. When their husbands returned, most of their wives, who had become accustomed to working to support their families, retained their own jobs and gradually gained economic status.

This change in economic status has gradually spawned many women's groups and moved towards union. Gradually, women began to appear as groups and put forward their own political propositions: strengthen the protection of women's rights and interests in legislation, punish domestic violence, crack down on trafficking in women and children, food safety, etc. Some radical groups even raised the issue of monogamy and even demanding the right to vote and the right to be elected, which has caused a lot of cynicism among patriarchalists in society.

In the past two years, the Haotian Church, which has a believer of more than 7 million, has become the target of all parties' efforts to win over. However, the purpose of the Haotian Church is that the church is to stay away from politics and only serve to spread the glory of Haotian, and guide people's beliefs to the basic principles of Haotian Church, so it has not intervened in either party in the election.

In the field of the election, various parties and candidates have made strange tricks, and even a lot of news about setting up slander and even beauty schemes have been revealed. Many candidates withdrew from the election in a mess.

As the first election that could be considered "freedom of speech" in a very positive sense, the Baath Party, which originally had powerful departments and essentially controlled public opinion, seemed quite embarrassed due to the frequent attacks of its opponents. Some of the candidates' affairs were also intentionally or unintentionally drawn out for inquiries.

Faced with such a situation, the Baxing Party and the professional public relations companies and polling companies they hired also racked their brains to deal with it.

During the multi-party melee, voters were stunned and were filled with colorful political concepts, administrative measures, economic measures, and half showing off and half seriously discussing each other after dinner. They asked each other about difficulties, which also produced many "civilian experts" who were very prestigious among many lower-level groups.

In the unprecedented fierce election campaign, major newspapers and magazines competed to supplement the issue, and sent people to dig out sensitive news everywhere. Under such background, the people became more and more accustomed to politics and became more and more aware of it.

During the debates again and again, they were also thinking, comparing, and gradually began to learn to evaluate candidates and distinguish political views.

Because His Majesty had taught them before: As a citizen, you must learn politics and know how to exercise your legal rights.

Then, start from now on.


Chapter completed!