Editing Democracy in China (section)

=== Qing dynasty ===
Introducing the concept of modern democracy is credited to [[Liang Qichao]], a prominent writer and political thinker. In 1898,  along with his mentor [[Kang Youwei]], he submitted reform proposals to the young emperor, leading to the [[Hundred Days' Reform]]s. These proposed popular participation and elections, but provoked a [[Wuxu Coup|crackdown]] from court conservatives and the beheading of several reform advocates. After escaping to Japan, Liang Qichao translated and commented on the works of [[Hobbes]], [[Rousseau]], [[John Locke|Locke]], [[David Hume|Hume]], [[Jeremy Bentham|Bentham]] and many other western political philosophers. He published his essays in a series of journals that found a warm audience among Chinese intelligentsia hungering for an explanation of why China, once a formidable empire, was now on the verge of being dismembered by foreign powers. In interpreting Western democracy through the prism of his strongly [[Confucian]] background, Liang shaped the ideas of democracy that would be used throughout the next century. Liang favored gradual reform to turn China into a [[constitutional monarchy]] with democracy.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Liang's great rival was [[Sun Yat-sen]] who argued that democracy would be impossible as long as the Qing monarchy still existed. Sun proposed the [[Three Principles of the People]] ({{zhi|c=三民主義}}) – typically translated into English as "Nationalism, Democracy, and People's Livelihood".<ref name=":17">{{Cite book |last=Crean |first=Jeffrey |title=The Fear of Chinese Power: an International History |date=2024 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Academic]] |isbn=978-1-350-23394-2 |edition= |series=New Approaches to International History series |location=London, UK}}</ref>{{Rp|page=53}} This framing of democracy (''minquanzhuyi'') differs from the typical Western view, being based in Liang's interpretation of [[General will]], which prioritizes the power of the group over individual freedoms.<ref name=":17" />{{Rp|page=54}} Sun viewed traditional Chinese society as too individualistic and stated that individual liberty must be broken down so that the Chinese people could pressed together, using the metaphor of adding cement to sand.<ref name=":17" />{{Rp|page=54}}

The [[Boxer Rebellion]] and the [[Eight-Nation Alliance]] invasion exposed the need for basic changes. The Qing Imperial Court responded by organizing elections. China's first modern elections were organized by [[Yuan Shikai]] for [[Tianjin]]'s county council in 1907. In 1909, 21 of 22 provinces, with the exception being [[Xinjiang]], [[1909 Qing provincial elections|held elections]] for provincial assemblies and municipal councils. Requirements were strict; only those that passed the [[imperial exams]], worked in government or military, or owned 5000 yuan of property may vote or run for office. This essentially limited the electorate to the [[Gentry (China)|gentry]] class. Hundreds of thousands voted and the winners were overwhelmingly [[constitutional monarchists]], followers of Liang Qichao. The provincial assemblies elected half of the 200 member national assembly, the other half was selected by regent [[Zaifeng, Prince Chun|Prince Chun]]. All of these assemblies became hotbeds of dissent against the Qing as they were protected by freedom of speech. In 1909, the Qing government held [[1909 Qing parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]].{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}