文明的“早生晚熟”和“晚生早熟”——中、英两国文明特征的比较与反思

On the “Early - bom while Late - mature”and “Late - born while Precocious” in Civilization: A Comparison and Reflection about Chinese and British Civilization Characteristics

本文从经济形态、政治制度、社会结构、思想观念、人格特征五个方面对中英两国文明进行观照,认为中英文明分别具有“早生晚熟”和“晚生早熟”的不同特征,而这又是与双方文明进程迥然、专制程度差异、社会结构有别以及对待传统态度不同分不开的。正是这些差别造成了中华文明从先行到落后,而英国文明虽后来反居上。因此,只有丢掉包袱,轻装上阵,中华民族才能浴火重生。

The paper compares Chinese civilization with British civilization from economic formation, political system, social construct views and personality characteristics. The author thought that Chinese civilization was premature and late - maturing but British civilization was late - birth and precocious, which was linked with their different civilization process, different autocracy degree, different social structure and different attitude to their tradition. The differences changed the Chinese advanced civilization into the backward state, and changed British in the reverse direction. So, Chinese should self - examined and start anew.