Page 9 - 《社会》2025年第4期

社会·2025·4

blueprints distinct from those of the constitutionalist gentry elites in southeastern
China. The study first investigates May Fourth youth organizations （notably the Young
China Association） to trace the origins of the National Revolution鄄era leftist youth
movement， analyzing how young intellectuals subjectively perceived their role in
national construction. Influenced by the idea of a nation as an organic entity
inherent in youth culture， young people sought to establish spiritual identification
between the individual and the nation鄄state. This drove their self鄄transformation
according to national ideals and formation of new collectives to forge an integrated
modern nation. The transcendental idealism and anarchist ethics prevailing among
youth inclined them toward reforming traditional social organizations and ethical
relationships mediating between individual and state. Consequently， they rejected
the legitimacy of southeastern gentry elites’ modernization model based on“gentry鄄
administered democracy”.This divergence produced contrasting orientations：the
gentry’s reforms exhibited an engineering鄄technical approach鄄continuing Ming鄄
Qing local autonomy traditions while incorporating American influences to create a
modernization program integrating pragmatic education， constitutional campaigns，
and national industries. Left鄄wing youth conversely articulated a moral ethos
centered on social justice and nationalism. During the National Revolution，
Shanghai’s leftist youth reshaped ideological discourse through party organs，
revolutionary universities， militant publications， and student federations. These
institutions reconfigured young people’s consciousness and behavioral patterns，
prompting them to interpret self and society through Marxist frameworks.
Ultimately， this fostered a materialist worldview encompassing both cosmic and
social orders， alongside a collectivist philosophy of life.
Keywords：nation states， National Revolution， Young China Association，gentry鄄
elites， Education Association of Jiangsu Province

一、 绪论：中国近代史中的绅士与青年

如何观察历史的坐标常常决定着观察者视野的大小。 在以政党为
主角的革命史视角下， 士绅在民国期间发挥的作用很大程度上被遮蔽
了。中国长久保持着“小政府”模式，县以下的基层社会大多处于官绅共
治之下。 北伐战争后，国家权力开始向基层社会渗透，表现出“国进民
退”的趋势（罗志田，2012）。 沟口雄三（2014：296-323）从明清坐标看中
国近代史，将辛亥革命视为继秦汉帝国建立、唐宋变革、明末清初转换

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