晚清以降社会长期落后的症结

The Crucial Reasons for the Social Backwardness of China from Late Qing Dynasty

晚清以来的近代中国,社会全面落后,究其成因,见仁见智,观点不一。应该看到,晚清专制王朝的腐朽、外敌的入侵是近代社会全面落后的原因,但是,这并非症结所在。严格地说,中国社会的崛起与富强还是最近三十余年的事,无疑,思想解放、观念更新以及由此导致的市场经济,是其根本原因。这也给我们探讨晚清以来社会长期落后的症结提供了一个新的思路。放眼世界,文艺复兴是西方富强国家历史发展的转折点,思想解放、文化启蒙与市场经济,也是西方社会走向富强的根本原因。历史深刻地昭示我们:观念上的落后与僵化导致中国社会的长期落后,观念上的解放与变革导致了中国的崛起。社会发展、时代变化正呼唤着中国进一步的文化启蒙、思想解放与观念更新。

Different people hold different opinions about the reasons for the all - sided backwardness of the Chinese society from late Qing Dynasty. Of course the corruption of the autocratic monarchy and the invasion of the foreign enemies at the time could explain the reasons for the cruel reality, but they are far from the crucial ones. Strictly speaking, it is only in the past few decades that China is gradually rising and getting stronger and more prosperous. The achievements are undoubtedly due to the emancipation of minds, updating of ideas and the subsequent outcome of the market economy. This offers us a new perspective in our examination of the long backwardness of society from late Qing Dynasty. A review of the development of the Western countries reminds us that the Renaissance is a turning point in their historical development. It sparks liberation of minds, cultural enlightenment and the market economy, which leads to their prosperity and strength. History has made it clear that lagging behind and rigid thinking result in the long backwardness of China while mind emancipation and change lead to the upsurge of China. As a matter of fact, the development of society and the changes of the time call for a further cultural enlightenment as well as mind emancipation and idea updating in China.