Principles of the Constitution
1908 Qing dynasty attempt to establish constitution
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The Principles of the Constitution of 1908 (Chinese: 欽定憲法大綱), also known as the Outline of Imperial Constitution[2] or the Outline of the Constitution Compiled by Imperial Order,[3] was an attempt by the Qing dynasty of China to establish a constitutional monarchy at the beginning of the 20th century. It established a constitutional monarchy and confirmed some basic rights of citizens, while imposing some limitations on the power of the monarch.[4]
| Launched | On 27 August 1908[1] |
|---|---|
| Promulgated | by Qing government |
| Other names | Outline of the Constitution Compiled by Imperial Order |
| Principles of the Constitution | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 欽定憲法大綱 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 钦定宪法大纲 | ||||||
| |||||||
Since this outline of the constitution was not democratically formulated, but was promulgated in the name of the Guangxu Emperor by the Empress Dowager Cixi, it was called the "Outline of Imperial Constitution".[5]
Main contents
Impact and evaluation
Although the Outline of Imperial Constitution was modelled on the Japanese Meiji Constitution,[7] it is the first constitutional document in Chinese history.[8]
