传统的困境与现实的困惑——明末清初思想家对政治体制的反思与批判

The Dilemma of Tradition and the Confusion of Reality——The Reflection and the Critique to the Political System by Thinkers during the Late Ming and the Early Qing Dynasty

明末清初,中国社会经历了前所未有的空前大动荡,思想家们传统的政治信念受到严重挑战。他们在深刻反思之后,把斗争锋芒直接指向专制君权。在不否定专制君权存在合理性的前提下,批判君主没有"圣明有道",并提出一系列变革君主专制、限制君主权力的主张,而且又近乎一致地认为以置宰相分割君权,是达到他们所理想的"君明""相好"的最佳途径。可以说,这一时期的政治制度改革愿望是强烈的,但是整体的表现却依然是"有破而无立"——批判有余,而建设有限。这是中国固有的儒家治世之道,僵化了他们的思考和改革视野及方式,社会中远没有产生出可以提出新主张的新生力量和反映新要求的社会阶层。而这几乎已经成了中国传统社会政治改革的一个通病。

During the late Ming and the early Qing Dynasty, the Chinese society underwent an unprecedent- ed time of upheaval. Thinkers＇ beliefs of traditional politics were challenged seriously. They directed the spearhead of their struggle against the autocracy after profound introspection. They criticized that the monarchs were not wise, and put forward a series of views about changing absolute monarchy and limiting the monarchs＇ powers based on the idea that they did not deny the rationality of autocracy^s existence. They agreed that the best way to get a wise emperor and a good chancellor was setting up the system of prime minister. But the methods and views of their reform were solidified by the innate Confucianism of China. It did not generate a new force that can put forward new ideas and social class.that can reflect the new requirements, which is a common weakness of Chinese traditional political reform.