中文摘要：

在近代中国林林总总的各类新式民间社团中,商会存在时间最长,也最为普及,社会能量与影响格外引人瞩目。其原因在于商会系由具有经济实力之新兴工商业者组成,并且建立了全国性商会、省总商会、县分会、镇分所这四级组织系统,网络遍及各大都市与中小城市乃至为数众多的乡镇。而经由这一独特组织系统建立起来的＂联动＂机制,则是商会具有＂登高一呼,众商皆应＂之巨大号召力,能够在政治、经济、外交等领域开展一系列大规模活动并产生显著影响的重要原因,同时也是商会维护自身合法社会地位和权利行之有效的主要途径。

英文摘要：

In all kinds of new-style voluntary associations in modern China,the existence time of chamber of commerce was the longest,and its influence was also the largest. The reason is that the chamber of commerce consisted of new-style merchants who had powerful economic strength,and it established perfect organization system including national chamber of commerce,provincial-level chamber of commerce,county-level chamber of commerce and town chamber of commerce. By means of the organization system,a linkage mechanism formed,which made chamber of commerce much influential and conducted a series of large-scale activities. At the same time,the linkage mechanism became the effective way for the chamber of commerce to maintain its legal rights.