“民本”与救荒——林则徐的救荒思想与实践

Lin Zexu's Opinions on Disasters and His Relieving Actions

自然经济是以分散的个体家庭作为基本生产单位,这严重限制了劳动人民自身与封建政府整体的御灾能力。由此,封建政府评判官员的政绩优劣,很大程度上是依据其救荒实践。受传统儒家“民本”思想的影响,林则徐认为自然灾害的出现是“天象示警”;但他并非消极坐等转机,而是始终重视“民生”,开展了大量救灾防灾活动。尽管这些实践仍未跳出封建传统救荒的窠臼,但他所付出的艰辛努力及积累的宝贵经验,值得后人肯定和纪念。

Effected greatly by the Minbenism which had been the essence of the Confucian in ancient China, Lin Zexu attached the most importance to the people＇ s livelihood. When fighting disasters, he took the prevention more seriously than the relieving. Though carrying on the traditional system of relieves, he brought forth new ideas and blazed new trails.