In primitive society, the tribal alliance set up an alliance meeting, and the leaders of all clans and tribes were members of the meeting. According to legend, when Yao was old, he raised the issue of successors at the tribal alliance meeting, and Gou Dou (Huān dūu not u) recommended Gong Gong. Although Yao didn't agree, he was appointed as Gong Shi to test his talents, but the result was not good. Everyone recommended Shun, saying that he was very capable.

2. Prepare for constitutionalism

After the Boxer Rebellion in the late Qing Dynasty, people's resistance struggles broke out one after another, democratic revolutionary thoughts swept across the country, and anti-Qing armed uprisings broke out one after another. And the bourgeoisie constantly demands political rights. Under the precarious situation, the Qing dynasty announced the implementation of the New Deal and prepared for constitutionalism.

The first is administrative reform, including justice, education, official system and so on. The imperial examination system, which lasted for 1300 years, was also abolished at that time; Secondly, we must establish a parliament; The third is to implement local autonomy. However, when the parliamentary cabinet was established, there were 13 people in the cabinet, including 8 banners and 5 royalty, so it was ridiculed as the "royal cabinet".

3, the imperial examination.

Since the Sui Dynasty, the official recruitment system in China adopted the imperial examination. When modern people refer to the imperial examination, they may first think of the negative effects such as "Fan Jinzhong Ju". Needless to say, the imperial examination is indeed a legacy, but we can't deny its positive role.

Although the imperial examination confined the thoughts of intellectuals in the world to the Four Books and Five Classics (after the Yuan Dynasty), it was the pioneer of the fair competition system, and was even called the fifth invention of China by the west!

Fair and just Since the Song Dynasty, imperial examinations have been conducted regardless of birth or wealth. In addition, a set of examination management system has been established to prevent candidates from cheating and examiners from practicing favoritism.

1300 years, the imperial examination system effectively promoted the cultivation and education of talents, promoted social stability, and effectively improved the level of national management. But its greatest contribution is to let people from humble origins and poor families see the way to enter the upper class.

Since then, it has opened up a new way for successive dynasties to turn from poor to expensive, except rebellion and luck.

4. People are precious.

Mencius said, "The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the light." In the whole chapter of Mencius, this sentence is definitely not to express the view that "civil rights are greater than monarchical power", but only to emphasize that "Qiu Min" (the lower class working in the mining field) plays a very important role in the whole society.

Nevertheless, the rulers will have to pay attention to the people's independent rights, especially in view of Mencius' cultural status (Yasheng). Many rulers will have to consider people's independent rights, even if they don't consider "Qiu Min" or their dominant position, just to save face.

5. Cabinet system

Cabinet system is closer to democracy. At first, the cabinet mainly assisted the emperor in handling some daily affairs and consulting work, and rarely had the opportunity to participate in decision-making. Later, the power of the cabinet became greater and greater. Especially during the reign of Zhengde Emperor Zhu Houzhao, the failure of state affairs had to be handled by the Cabinet.

Zhu Houzong, the Emperor of Jiajing, was ranked before the six ministries (Official Department, Ministry of Punishment, Ministry of War, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Housing and Industry). At this point, the power of the cabinet is far beyond the scope of the "secretary group", comparable to or even worse than that of the prime minister. The difference is that in those days, the Prime Minister could make the final decision by himself, while the Cabinet had to make a joint decision after discussion and deliberation.