On China's Ancient Political System

1. From abdication to hereditary system of the throne: (1) abdication refers to the system of democratic election of leaders by tribal alliances at the end of primitive society in China. (2) The hereditary system of the throne means that in a class society, the throne (or throne) can be passed down from generation to generation (the hereditary system lasted until the Qing Dynasty and lasted for nearly 4,000 years). (3) It is a historical progress that the hereditary system of the throne replaces the abdication system; Because the hereditary system of the throne is the result of the development of productive forces, private ownership and class opposition.

2. The central administrative system in Xia and Shang Dynasties: the formation of hereditary system of the throne: the establishment of Xiang, Qing and history.

3. The patriarchal clan system in the Western Zhou Dynasty: (1) The patriarchal clan system in the Western Zhou Dynasty was a political system that was mutually exclusive to the feudal system. It evolved directly from the patriarchal clan system in primitive society, and has the method of defining the internal clan system to determine and consolidate the position of paternal parents in this clan, thus ensuring the stability of kingship. (2) The main contents of the patriarchal clan system in the Western Zhou Dynasty (that is, its characteristics): First, the biggest feature of the patriarchal clan system is the eldest son inheritance system. Second, the relative distinction between large and small cases is stipulated. Third, the patriarchal clan system is reflected in the political system by the enfeoffment system. (3) the role of patriarchal clan system: the patriarchal clan system ensures the political monopoly and privileged position of the nobility, and is also conducive to the stability and unity within the ruling group. (4) The influence of patriarchal clan system on China society today: ① Positive influence: it is conducive to national unity, social stability and the reunification of the motherland, such as "respecting ancestors" and "recognizing ancestors and returning to the ancestors"; ② Negative effects: It is easy to form local separatist forces and sectarian forces, such as "cronyism" and "sectarianism".

4. The supreme imperial power and central official system in Qin Dynasty;

(1) Establish the supreme imperial power: ① Establish: From the Qin Dynasty, the emperor became the title of the supreme ruler in ancient China, which was used by feudal dynasties. The national military and political power belongs to the emperor, and the main officials of the central and local governments are also appointed and removed by the emperor. Certificates for mobilizing troops were controlled and issued by the emperor. ② Features: The emperor system initiated by Qin Shihuang, on the one hand, shows that power cannot be transferred by hereditary throne, on the other hand, shows that status cannot be surpassed by imperial power. This is an important feature of China's ancient autocratic system.

(2) Establish a relatively complete central official system: ① Functions: In the central organization established by Qin Shihuang, the prime minister assisted the emperor in handling state political affairs, the imperial envoys were also in charge of supervision affairs, and Qiu was in charge of state military affairs. Under the prime minister, there are ministers who are in charge of the specific affairs of the country and are the functional departments of the central government. ② Evaluation: The main official positions in the Qin Central Committee cooperated and contained each other in status, responsibility and rights, and the military and political power was controlled by the emperor. But for military and political decision-making, it is generally the prime minister, the suggestion and Zhu Qingxian who discuss it and finally the emperor makes a ruling. To some extent, this has reduced the decision-making mistakes on major issues under the autocratic monarchy.

5. Evolution from Han Dynasty to Yuan Dynasty:

(1) Han Dynasty: At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the prime minister held a high position in decision-making, judicial and administrative power. In order to strengthen the imperial power, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty reused his aides and made them ministers. And participate in military affairs to weaken relative power.

(2) Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties: Shangshu Province was the first province with real power, followed by Zhongshu Province and Menxia Province, gradually forming a three-province system. (3) Sui and Tang Dynasties: the three central provinces of the Tang Dynasty, Zhongshu, Menxia and Shangshu, were responsible for decision-making, deliberation and implementation; During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, there were six departments in Shangshu Province: officials, households, ceremonies, soldiers, ministries and workers. The governors of the three provinces are all prime ministers, and their powers are decentralized. The three provinces contained and supervised each other, which weakened the relative power and ensured the exclusive respect of imperial power. The system of "three provinces and six departments" is a great creation of China's ancient political system, which was basically followed by successive dynasties.

(4) Northern Song Dynasty: Measures: Below Zhongshumen is the highest administrative organ, and the chief executive exercises the functions and powers of prime minister. Add advisers, Tang envoys and third secretaries to divide the executive power, military power and financial power of the prime minister.

(5) Yuan Dynasty: Zhongshu Province was the highest administrative body, and the Chief Executive exercised the functions and powers of prime minister. Relative rights have been strengthened. At the end of Yuan Dynasty, the prime minister became more and more powerful, and sometimes even controlled the succession of the throne.

6. The strengthening of absolute monarchy in Ming and Qing Dynasties;

(1) Abolish the prime minister system: The power of the prime minister in the Yuan Dynasty was too heavy, which led to unstable imperial power and frequent civil strife. Ming Taizu followed the Yuan Dynasty system in the early Ming Dynasty and thought that the prime minister system hindered the high concentration of imperial power and would lead to social unrest. 1376, Ming Taizu abolished the Ministry of Finance in the Bank and established "three departments", which were subordinate to the relevant departments of the central government respectively, so that local power was centralized in the central government. The prime minister in charge of the central ministries has also expanded his power. 1380, Zhu Yuanzhang killed Hu for treason; At the same time, we abolished Zhongshu Province and the Prime Minister, and managed the national government affairs in six departments, directly reporting to the emperor. Influence, is conducive to prevent authoritarian regime, consolidate the rule; Contribute to the unification and consolidation of multi-ethnic countries; China's prime minister system, which has been implemented for more than 1000 years since the Qin Dynasty, was abolished, and the emperor integrated imperial power and relative power, lacking the mechanism to restrict monarchical power, and the autocratic monarchy was further strengthened; However, the abolition of the prime minister and the excessive concentration of the emperor's power caused the confusion of eunuchs after the middle of the Ming Dynasty.

(2) The appearance of the Cabinet: Ming Taizu set up the Diange University as an adviser to the squire to help him deal with all kinds of government affairs. These college students seldom participate in politics, and all major events are still presided over by Ming Taizu himself. During the Emperor's reign of the Ming Dynasty, imperial academy officials were selected as university students in the palace, entered the Wenyuan Pavilion in the palace, served the emperor, and began to participate in the decision-making of confidential affairs, resulting in the emergence of the "Cabinet". During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, the cabinet university students had the right to draft the throne for the emperor. Later, the position of the cabinet became more and more perfect. By the middle and late Ming dynasty, he actually mastered the power of the prime minister. When Zhang was appointed as the records, all the power went to the cabinet, and six departments almost became subordinate institutions of the cabinet. The cabinet of the Ming Dynasty was not a statutory administrative or decision-making body at the central level, but a Chamberlain institution that advised the emperor. Cabinet is the product of the strengthening of autocratic monarchy, and it is impossible to restrict imperial power.

(3) Military establishment: In the early Qing Dynasty, the central institutions generally adopted the Ming Dynasty system with six cabinets. However, the highest decision-making and central organization is the Council of Ministers, whose power is above the cabinet and six ministries, which greatly restricts the imperial power. Emperor Kangxi established the south study room, which made the cabinet, the meeting and the south study room stand in three pillars and strengthened the imperial power. In Yong Zhengdi, in order to deal with the northwest military affairs, a military department was set up, and the military affairs minister was summoned by the emperor every day and knelt down to take notes. Military affairs are entirely decided by the emperor, and the role of the Minister of Military Affairs is only to upload and issue orders. In this way, local military and political leaders actually obey the emperor's orders directly. The establishment of the military department has improved administrative efficiency and can quickly handle various documents; The national military and political power was completely concentrated in the hands of the emperor, the absolute monarchy was strengthened, and the centralization was further consolidated; It is the product of the high expansion of imperial power, and marks the peak of centralization of feudal monarchy in China.