Chairman Li Yuanhong Merged into Progressive Party | Dissolved 29 May 1913 | |
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Founded 9 May 1912 (1912-05-09) Merger of National Progressive Association
People's Association
Unity Party Ideology Conservatism
Nationalism
Republicanism
Corporatism | ||
The Republican Party (simplified Chinese: 共和党; traditional Chinese: 共和黨; pinyin: gònghédǎng; Wade–Giles: Kung-ho-tang) was a short-lived political party in the Republican era of China from 1912 to 1913.
History
The party was formed on 9 May 1912 in Shanghai by political groups who opposed to the Tongmenghui, later Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), including People's Association (民社), Unity Party, and National Progressive Association (國民共進會).
The party ideology was based on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract, and its aims were to "uphold the united, republican politics with progressivism in order to achieve well-beings of the countrymen." People's Association was formed in January 1912 included Li Yuanhung, Tan Yankai and Wang Zhengting, mainly with people from Hubei. National Progressive Association was formed in March 1912 by supporters of Yuan Shikai. The party included politicians who had formerly served as officials under the former Qing government and who in the National Assembly generally supported Yuan Shikai.
On the establishment day, Zhang Jian chaired as the provisional chairman. Li Yuanhung, Zhang Jian, Zhang Binglin, Wu Tingfang, and Borjigit were elected the first directors (理事). After its headquarters was moved to Beijing, Li Yuanhung was elected chairman at the general meeting. The Republican Party held 40 of the 120 seats in the Provisional Senate of the Beijing Provisional Government.
The party became the second largest party in the first ever National Assembly election in 1912 behind Kuomintang. The Republican, Unity, and Democratic (formerly Constitutionalist) parties later merged into the Progressive Party under Liang Qichao in order to balance the dominance of the Kuomintang in the assembly.