晚清士人對英國政治制度的認識（1830-1856）

Abstract

1840年代結束以前，在逐漸開發建立「知識倉庫」裡，英國做為「國主與群臣共議」制度典範國家的形象，即已刻鏤而成。而且，英國的情況，正證成了這種「國主與群臣共議」制度的包括的要項是：一、存在著一個可以限制統治者權力的體制，二、這個可以限制統治者權力之體制的部份成員，是經由「推選」產生的。這些訊息，隨著這些「知識倉庫」的被閱讀，以及，在中國人的知識領域裡，類似主題的資料與知識的增加，中國人對「西方民主傳統」的理解與認知，有益形深化的可能。作者認為，藉由比較細致的研討取徑，必當能為我們深入闡析「西方民主傳統」在中國的「歷史遭遇」，提供一些新鮮的認知。

This paper tries to analyze in detail Chinese knowledge of British political institutions in Late Ch’ing China in the period of 1830-1856, as a case study of how the Chinese assimilated Western democratic ideas. The type of information channels the Chinese had shaped their understanding. From British political institutions they acquired the model of “the system of king-in-consultation-with-ministers,” which had two major premises: 1. The power of the king is limited by Parliament and 2. Parliament is elected by the people. The author shows how the Chinese Democratic Imagination was influenced by these two premises.