1911年12月到1912年2月的南北議和是辛亥革命成功的關鍵，因此辛亥革命可說是《議和革命》。 表面上，南北議和是袁世凱的代表唐紹儀和革命派的代表伍廷方所達成。事實上張謇在南北議和中，幕後扮演了極為重要之角色，支持袁世凱擔任民國總統以交換清廷在優惠條件下退位。張謇與當時控制北京政府的袁世凱關係密切，張謇亦為革命派所重視，因為他經營實業教育有成而享有社會聲望和影響力。 當然，南北議和的成功也要歸因於袁世凱為自己的最佳利益作考量願意擔任民國總統，以及孫逸仙的接受放棄總統之位。

The North-South Negotiation of December 1911 to February 1912 was the key to success of the 1911 Revolution, and therefore this revolution can be said as “Revolution by Diplomacy”. On the surface, the North-South negotiation was conducted by the representatives led by T'ang, Shao-i, chief representative of Yuan, Shi-k’ai, and by the representatives led by Wu, T’ing-fang, chief representative of the Revolutionaries. However, in fact, Chang Chien had played a leading role behind the scene during the North-South negotiation in 1911-1912 leading to the abdication of the Ch’ing government under certain kind of concession for the support of Yuan Shih-k’ai as the president of the republic. He had close connected with Yuan, Shih-k’ai who then controlled the Peking government, and he was also respected by the revolutionaries due to his great prestige and influence in the society and achievement in industry and in education. Of course, the success is also due to Yuan Shih-k’ai’s self-consideration of his best interest to accept the presidency of the republic and Sun Yat-sen’s acceptance to give up the presidency.