Journal paper

Issue No.	No. 42
Title	Chen Li-fu and the Early 1930s’ Tutelage Controversy
Author	Chen Hui-fen
Page	235-296
Abstract	Chen Li-fu’s discourse of the early 1930s concerning the political tutelage was the product of unique temporal and geographical circumstance. It was one of the many relevant commentaries competing for ideological dominance at the time. For Chen Li-fu, this was not only a theoretical dispute over political tutelage, but also a struggle to defend the single-party rule of the KMT and Chiang Kai-shek’s authority. 　　In the early 1930s, Chen Li-fu restated Sun Yat-sen’s analogy of “Yiyin instructing Taijia (伊尹訓太甲)” as a means of opposing an end to the KMT’s political tutelage. He stressed that implementing the nationwide tutelage after the northern expeditions was a mistake, and that a six-year period of political tutelage was merely a “theory”. He pointed out that China was still in the stage of “military rule” and had yet to progress to a state of “political tutelage”. During a time where “military rule” is still in effect, the KMT should have accorded absolute authority to the highest military officer in China, thus making him the “military center.” He also examined the political effectiveness of the highest authority, the Central Political Council and the National Government, in the political tutelage period and advocated enhancing it by establishing a “Checkingsystem (駕御核心)”. 　　Chen Li-Fu’s discourse amidst the controversy concerning the political tutelage in the early 1930s was a call to terminate KMT tutelage and to implement a constitutional government. More accurate to say, it was a theoretical attempt to resolve the long-term entanglements between party and military power as well as the struggle for leadership among KMT, both of which had been present since the Northern Expedition. He tried to establish a new model of KMT’s governing authority under KMT tutelage. His main concern was not thelegitimacy of the tutelage, but was how to consolidate the governing authority of KMT, and to further unite KMT members under the leadership of Chiang Kaishek. His emphasis on strengthening authority clearly runs counter to the democratic goals implicit in the tutelage. All of above were the results of the deliberate pursuit of the Chen Li-fu and Chiang Kai-shek faction, the demonstration of Sun Yat-Sen’s teachings and authority, and the international trend of dictatorship during the 1930s’.
Keyword	Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Li-fu, military rule, political tutelage, the Central Political Council
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