预备立宪是清政府面临国内外压力下所采取的积极行动。晚清政治格局的变化使地方精英成为推动预备立宪开启和发展的重要力量。江苏地方精英在江苏咨议局的筹备、选举和开办中起到了巨大的作用,有力地推动了全国和地方的政治现代化进程。当选江苏咨议局议员的人尽为地方各界精英,他们在本省内进行了地方的政治和社会革新,并发起了全国的开国会请愿运动。在这一时期,由于清廷一系列铸成大错的举措,得罪了地方精英及其背后的支持力量,最终促使其转向支持革命,结束了清廷的统治。 The preparatory constitutionalism is a positive move taken by the Qing government under pressure from home and abroad. The changes in the political pattern in the late Qing Dynasty made the local elites an important force in promoting the opening up and development of preparatory constitutionalism. The local elites in Jiangsu played an enormous role in the preparation, election and start-up of the Jiangsu Advisory Council, which effectively promoted the political modernization at the national and local levels. The elected members of the Jiangsu Advisory Council were all elites from all walks of life. They conducted local political and social reforms in the province and initiated a nationwide founding petition campaign. During this period, due to a series of mistakes made by the Qing court, the local elites and the support forces behind them were offended, eventually leading them to turn to support the revolution and put an end to the Qing court’s rule.