重农主义与中国的“自然法”

Physiocracy and China's “Natural Law”

重农主义思想是18世纪西方"科学崇拜"与"中国崇拜"之间共同作用的产物。重农主义者将中国的治理模式视为反重商主义的样板,用以倡导尊重客观规律、降低政府干预的自由市场经济主张。出于当时欧洲的"中国热",魁奈等人将儒家阐发的自然观等同于西方传统的"自然法",用来捍卫自由市场原则和人的自然权利。受其影响,希卢艾特最早利用《论语》中有关"无为"的概念,阐发了"自由放任"学说的合理性。这种思想倾向源于18世纪宋明理学在西方的传播,"理学"之"理"被重农学派解释为万物存在的第一物质以及宇宙间普遍的理性法则。这不但成功地与西方启蒙时期倡导的科学精神相汇通,且融贯了儒家道德哲学与西方自然法理论之间的精神联系,塑造了中国哲学重实体而轻上帝的思想肖像。中国从治理经验与哲学精神方面对欧洲思想界的影响至今仍在,只不过当今的西方人"日用而不知"罢了。

The thought of physiocracy is a common product from the worship of science and China in West during the eighteenth century.Physiocracists deem the Chinese governance pattern as a paradigm for anti-mercantilism,and thereby advocate respecting objective law and lowering governmental interference in economic policies.In terms of respecting Chinese wisdom,Quesnay with several other scholars equates the principles advocated by Confucius with Western traditional 'Natural Law',with which they defend human freedom and natural right.The mindset originates in the dissemination of neo-Confucianism in West during the eighteenth century.'Li' is interpreted as the first matter appearing before anything else exists and the universal reason and spirit.Therefore,it not only succeeds in communicating with scientific spirit,but establishes the relation between Confucian philosophy of ethics and theory of the natural law,which shapes the notion that it gives weight to substance while looking down upon the God in Chinese philosophy.Silhouette,deeply influenced with that,is the first to make most of the account of 'Wu Wei' in the Analects of Confucius.He verifies the rationality of laissez-faire theory.From the two aspects-governance experiences and philosophical spirit,China helps promote a crucial leap forward in Western political economy.