中国权力观念的四种类型:兼评俞可平先生的《权力和权威》

中国对原始权力的恐惧导致了一个理想化的权威政府的观念。中国人对原始权力的恐惧来自几千年历史中王朝崩溃时的天下大乱。中国历史中始终贯穿着一个不受限制的理想化的权威,确定天子的至高无上的权力地位,形成一个超稳定的权力规则:只能有一个权威;最高权力不能竞争。由此中国又发展了典仪的权力观,道德的权力观,势、术、法的权力观;分别从礼仪,道德,势、术、法三个层面来控制人们的原始权力。三者旨在建立和强化一个强有力的中央权威来维持政治秩序,避免因政治失序而退回到人与人之间争斗的原始权力占上风的状态中。本文讨论并补充了白鲁恂对中国权力文化的研究成果,提出了四种中国权力观念的类型。

Chinese people’s fear of primitive power,resulting from the chaos of Tianxia when dynasties repeatedly collapsed in the long history of China,creates the perception of an idealized authoritative government.This unrestricted idealized notion of authority throughout Chinese history constructed the supreme power position of emperor as an ultimate power ruler who does not tolerate any political rivalry and power competition.To strengthen and defend the idealised authority,China has developed three corresponding perceptions of power:ritual power,moral power and governance power,so that the idealised authority can control primitive power effectively from etiquette,morality and governance ability.The three perceptions of power aims to establish and strengthen a strong central authority maintaining political order,and preventing political disorder from returning to a state where primitive power prevails in struggle among people.This article critiques and supplements Lucian Pye’s research on Chinese political culture and political psychology,and proposes the four types of power in the context of China.