國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

Liang Qichao’s political thought took a dramatic turn after his travels to the United States in 1903. Previously, Liang had tended to emphasize the importance of political rights and the transformation of the political system. Later, his attitude became more conservative, and he began to stand against the Republican revolution. What remains constant throughout his writings, however, is the core concept of the “people” (Volk), which Liang indirectly took from Bluntschli.

Using the contextualist method, this article attempts to point out that Liang merely took the parts of Bluntschli’s concept of Volk which served his purposes well, depending upon the situation and political goal. It was possible for him to use the term for opposing purposes as it originated from 19th century German political theory, which was essentially shaped by political compromise between the ruler and popular sovereignty. It, therefore, had a double meaning, which contained arguments both in favor of civil liberties and in support of the persistence of the monarchy.