论孟德斯鸠对亚里士多德式政体理论的改造

Montesquieu's Transformation of Aristotle's Regime Theory

关于政体理论,亚里士多德和孟德斯鸠无疑是西方政治思想史上两个重要的里程碑,同时,政体理论也都构成了他们政治思想的基础。从形式上来看,孟德斯鸠承袭了亚里士多德政体分类的框架,并通过这样的框架讲出了十分不同的内容。孟德斯鸠从根本上改变了亚里士多德的政体分类原则,德性不再作为区分政体优劣的根本标准,原因在于他将德性从其与智慧的关系中剥离开来,而降低为一种激情。于是,对于所有的政体,其动力——德性、荣誉、恐惧,都将处于激情的层面。因此,无论哪种政体,其权力的本质都是一致的。另一个与亚里士多德分类非常不同的地方在于:孟德斯鸠将专制主义单列为一种政体类型。这一方面是出于现实政治的考虑,另一方面也是由于上述原则的改变所致,专制主义这种权力最原始的表现形式,成了现代政体最危险的演变可能。孟德斯鸠正是在这个意义上改写了亚里士多德的政体理论。

Both Montesquieu and Aristotle have made great contribution to the formation of the regime theory in the West.It seems that Montesquieu has inherited Aristotle's classification of the regimes but in fact he changed Aristotle's principle of classification.Montesquieu does not regard morality as the basic criterion for distinguishing the good regime from the bad one because he considers morality as a passion and all regimes' motive forces like morality,glory and fear remain at the level of passion.Thus,all regimes are the same in terms of the nature of power.Different form Aristotle,Montesquieu views despotism as a regime due to his political consideration and change in principle.Despotism is the most primitive expression of power and the most dangerous one for the change of a modern regime,and in this sense,Montesquieu has transformed Aristotle's regime theory.