Modern Literature Series -- Preliminary Remarks on Governance

Author: John Fryer
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: The author was a missionary sent by the Church of England, who arrived in China in 1861. He taught at St. Paul's College in Hong Kong, the Imperial College of Translators in Beijing, and the Anglo-Chinese College in Shanghai. From 1868 to 1896, he served as a translator at the Jiangnan Arsenal Translation Office. Throughout his life, he translated over one hundred Western books, founded the Journal of Science, and edited dozens of Chinese textbooks, making him a master in the dissemination of Western learning. This book is adapted from a volume on political economy in an educational series edited by the British publisher Chambers Brothers. The book is divided into 3 volumes, 31 chapters, and 418 sections. The first 13 chapters primarily discuss issues related to society, politics, and law. The author argues that individuals cannot live in isolation from society and must be part of it. Independence is their right, while self-reliance and adherence to the law are their duties. The last 18 chapters focus on economic issues. The author believes that the ownership of property by individuals is natural, and the state should protect it. At the same time, it should also ensure that the benefits derived from property are equally distributed. The idea of equalizing property ownership is bound to fail. This book is the most systematic introduction to Western political and economic thought before the Wuxu Reform, exerting a significant influence on the intellectual circles of late Qing China.