埃德蒙·柏克的审慎观念——政治实践的核心原则

The Prudence of Edmund Burke——A Core Principle of Political Practice

埃德蒙·柏克是18世纪英国政治家,在晚年见证了法国大革命那段改变世界的政治进程。面对以理性为基础的革命理念向英国蔓延,柏克作出激烈回应。从柏克的思想看,审慎是反对法国大革命所持观念的基石。实际上,柏克并未准确给出审慎的定义。从柏克的言词看,审慎似乎包含了西方四枢德的全部内涵,它是在认识到世界不完美性之上的实践观念,也是对付美国革命、英国议会改革、法国大革命的应急之需,柏克的审慎思想有着重要借鉴意义。作为政治实践的核心原则,把审慎放在首要位置对中国未来改革而言将会是一种政治福祉。

In his later years,Edmund Burke,as a British politician in the 18th century,witnessed the French Revolution that changed the political development of the world.The revolutionary ideas,based on reason,had been spread to England,and Burke had to make an acute reaction to it.Burke considered that the concept of prudence would be a basic principle to oppose those ideas raised in the French Revolution.Actually,Burke never precisely defined the meaning of the prudence.In Burke's discourse,prudence seemingly includes the meanings of the four Western cardinal virtues.It is a practical concept of the imperfection of the world.It is also a necessity to deal with American Revolution,British parliamentary reform,and French Revolution.Burke's prudence is significant for us.If we give a priority to the prudence as the core principle of political practice in the future of China's reform,it would be a political bliss.