Through the efforts of several emperors in the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty formed a complete cabinet government affairs system, which is perfect in terms of power checks and balances. Emperors in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, especially Emperor Wanli and Emperor Jiajing, were called lazy emperors by historians. But it is precisely because of the cabinet system, an effective system, that the political and economic life of the country can operate in a relatively stable mode. Only from this point of view, this is very comparable to the cabinet system under the leadership of the modern constitutional monarchy prime minister.
Second, the cabinet of the Ming Dynasty partially restricted the monarchical power, which made the formulation and implementation of national policies partially democratic and scientific.
In the Ming Dynasty, if a major event happened in the imperial court, each department could not make a decision alone, but held a referendum in front of the emperor. This is called deliberation. Although the decision-making power of this system is entirely in the hands of the emperor, this way of deliberation is conducive to the scientific decision-making of the emperor during the period of inaction, and the cabinet and the imperial palace with dividend rights have real power. Of course, the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were not all villains like Wei Zhongxian, like the great navigator Zheng He (Cheng Zuchao); Sharla Cheung, lay down his life to save the little prince (in order to protect Prince Zhu Shitang, he was framed by Wan Guifei and died by swallowing gold. Xian Zongchao); Carefully assisted Xiaozong to recommend many honest and talented officials and was regarded as eunuch Wynn (Xiaozong Dynasty); Carrying out Zhang's reform and being good at calligraphy is (1) a more educated eunuch; This great eunuch who faithfully assisted Guangzong in the later period was also one of the few Ming Dynasty eunuchs Wang An (Guangzong Dynasty) praised by scholars. Follow four cases to the end of life in Wang Chengen (four dynasties) and so on. Although we don't expect the dream combination of virtuous eunuchs and wise records, we have to admit that the cabinet system is still perfect in some periods.
Third, the struggle for control of the cabinet has led to partisan struggle and political haze.
The struggle for the status of records and archives is the core of the struggle of major political interest groups. The political struggle of the parties did not make the state affairs clean, but aggravated the social crisis and accelerated the demise of the Ming Dynasty. In a slightly stable period, the intrigue of civil servants is also very serious. Zhang climbed the throne of records with various "villain means".
Fourthly, the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty influenced the reform of western political system, which is worth learning from.
The cabinet system in the Ming Dynasty was studied by the British, which formed the later western cabinet system and prime minister system. Cabinet records, which began to appear in Chenghua period of Ming Dynasty in China, are the embryonic form of prime ministers. In the later Enlightenment in the West, Voltaire and others praised the perfection of China's political system. Although their praise is only an excuse or an "inappropriate example" for the spread of capitalist political system, it must be affirmed that the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty really influenced the reform of western political system.
Fifth, the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty provided the soil for eunuch autocracy.
The eunuch leader, called Si, was the prime minister and emperor at the time of the most malodorous politics in the Ming Dynasty. Zhang, a famous cabinet scholar in the Ming Dynasty, could only collude with Si Lijian to instigate state affairs. But at that time, courtiers all opposed Zhang, saying that he was not like the former prime minister, not the chief executive of the official government, and should not play dictatorship-of course, someone must oppose him because Zhang's reform touched their interests, but this reason is not wrong. In fact, Zhang is a blessing to the country-unfortunately, there was only one Zhang in the Ming Dynasty. The politics of the whole Ming Dynasty has always been malodorous: the eunuch's autocratic power, Yan Song's disastrous college students, and the protracted party struggle finally brought Daming into a dead end.
Differences between Cabinet System in Ming Dynasty and Western Cabinet System
I think there are the following important differences:
First of all, the sources are different. China's cabinet system was gradually formed after Ming Taizu abolished the post of prime minister in order to strengthen centralization and let six ministries directly obey the emperor. The cabinet system in the west evolved gradually after the "Glorious Revolution" in Britain, when the king often called some government officials to meet in a small attic.
Secondly, the soil is different. The cabinet system of Ming Dynasty was born in the soil of absolutism, and its nature can only be a political system strengthened by feudal autocracy. In the west, political democratization began as early as Greece and Rome. The cabinet system in the west has a strong democratic color and has achieved great success after its formation. This is why we moved the parliamentary system and cabinet system back from the west in the early years of the Republic of China, but they were not suitable for us. We have no soil for success.
Secondly, identity and responsibility are different. The cabinet of the Ming Dynasty was the executor of the emperor's will and was appointed by the emperor. The so-called cabinet members and cabinet university students are just the drafters of the emperor's will and carry out the emperor's orders. The cabinet system in Ming Dynasty was not the result of decentralization. Cabinet members not only exercise legislative power (of course, they can't go against the emperor's will), but also have administrative power (cabinet members are mostly six-level officials) and judicial power (cabinet includes ministers of punishments, ministers of Dali Temple and overseers). The western cabinet is elected by the parliament, implements parliamentary resolutions and exercises state administrative power on behalf of the parliament and the head of state. It is restricted by the legislature and the judiciary and is the product of the separation of powers.
Finally, the rooted system is different. This is the fundamental difference between the two. Productivity determines relations of production and economic base determines superstructure, which is the general law of social development. In the Ming Dynasty, the germination and development of capitalism in China was very slow. The cabinet system in the Ming Dynasty was based on this, and the system itself lacked democracy. Western cabinet system is produced under the dual effects of emerging capitalist system and traditional democratic politics.
The above is my simple view on the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty. Through the analysis of the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty, we can see that this system itself is relatively good, and the economic and social development of China is also developing in the later western-style constitutional monarchy. However, the powerful feudal forces never made the seeds of capitalism in China grow rapidly and vigorously. The loopholes in the system are constantly being played and controlled by those in power, and it is difficult to achieve democracy and equality in politics. Even so, I think the cabinet system in Ming Dynasty is an outstanding exploration in China's political history.