中西方公民社会的历史嬗变及其文化传统之比较

Comparisons of the Transmutation of Civil Society and Cultural Traditions between China and the West

古希腊和古罗马留给西方现代人最有价值的遗产是民主与法律的理念和实践的经验和制度、机制的模式与架构,而中国古人给现代中国人留下的最有价值的遗产是五千年从未中断的人文精神、道德资源和生命智慧。其重大区别是中国的陈腐传统如封建思想以及所谓国民劣根性之类,易于认识却难以克服,而其优秀文化传统却难以认识和不易理解;西方中世纪黑暗的禁欲主义和现代性的负面因素则易于认识而难以克服,其优秀的文化传统如民主和法律等理念和制度虽然易于认识和理解,但在社会现实的操作层面却难以把握。本文梳理了中西方公民社会的历史嬗变并对其文化传统进行了纵横交错性地比较分析。

The most valuable heritages ancient Greece and Rome left to the modern West are the concepts of democracy and the law, practical experiences and models of systems and mechanisms. But the heritages our Chinese ancestors left are the humanistic spirits, moral resources and wisdoms of life, which have existed for 5,000 years. The Chinese fusty traditions, such as feudal ideology and the so-called ＇national incorrigibility＇ are easy to realize but hard to conquer; while the outstanding side of our cultural tradition is difficult to realize while hard to understand; The situation in the West is totally different. The abstinence prevailing in the dark Middle Ages and the negative factors of modernity are easy to realize but hard to overcome. Their good cultural traditions, like the democracy and the law, are easy to understand but hard to operate. This article tries to straighten out the transmutation of civil society between China and the West, compare and analyze them in every aspect.