“宰相必起于州部,猛将必发于卒伍”何以可能?——中国古代政治传统再检视

What Enabled China to Insist on Promoting Officials with Practical Experience?——A Re-inspection of the Political Tradition of Ancient China

先秦法家的"宰相必起于州部,猛将必发于卒伍"原则虽然是维系中国"大一统"格局的关键,但它是在一定的历史背景下才会出现的,要想将其充分践行,更需要一定的政治、社会与经济前提,包括社会流动率、有效杜绝世袭权贵集团、确立比较客观准确的铨选规则等。从汉代的历史流变来看,一旦维系这一原则的前提遭到破坏,那么这句话很容易流于空论。在今天,如何汲取毛泽东思想中关于政治平等与群众路线的理论探索,对于能否在新时代以新的形式实现"宰相必起于州部,猛将必发于卒伍"至为重要。

Although the principle held by pre-Qin legalists,that is,"prime ministers are to be promoted from lowly officials,great generals from the ranks"is key to sustain China’s Great Unity,it only came into being under specific historical conditions.Certain political,social,and economic preconditions have to be met,including social mobility,effective prevention of power concentration in the hands of hereditary nobility,and establishment of objective and accurate rules in selecting officials.Judging from the history since the Han Dynasty,once those preconditions were undermined,the principle could easily become an empty slogan.Today,the way to incorporate the Maoist theoretical exploration of political equality and the mass line is extremely crucial for reviving the tradition of official promotion in its new forms in the new era.