试论明代中国应对西欧殖民者的得与失

On Ming's Success and Failure to Confront with the West European Colonialists

15世纪至16世纪之交地理大发现后,西欧殖民者先后来到世界东方,各地区间封闭状态被打破,明朝遇到了如何应对即将急剧强大起来的西欧殖民者的问题。明朝应采取的正确应对措施,主要者应包括四项:迅速调查西欧殖民者的情况、努力发展本国的对外贸易、积极学习欧洲先进的科技知识、大力发展能与西欧殖民者相抗衡的国防力量。而明朝在这几方面做得有正有误,消极和积极的两种表现大体平衡。这使其时中国的发展速度低于西欧殖民者,国力对比朝着有利于后者的方向演变。只是由于明朝土广民众、原有国力相当强大,其综合国力直至该朝灭亡也没达到小于西欧殖民者的地步。后来清朝发展了明朝以上四个措施的消极面,加速了中国的衰弱。明朝的经验和教训说明,地理大发现后,各国必须在全球性的国际交往中应对得法,才能使之避免被动,保持富强;而时刻注意即将发生深刻影响的新动向,才能保证应对得法。

It was a problem for Ming China to deal with how to confront the West European colonialists since they came to the East Asia after the great geographical discoveries during the late 15th century and early 16 century. There were 4 important measures that Ming should adopt as following: to investigate the backgrounds of the West European colonialists rapidly, to develop its external trade positively, to learn from European advanced science and technology hard, and to build up its national defense energetically. However, some what Ming did was successful, some was failure, then Ming's developing speed was lower than the West European countries. Ming's national strength was stronger than the West European colonialist powers even until it was overturned since Ming China was a dynasty with broaden area and huge population. Qing became declined since Qing accelerated the above Ming measures' disadvantages. It proves from Ming's experiences that a country should take suitable measures among the global intercourses to keep its prosperous and to keep notices on the new trends.