中国传统社会的法家传统及其价值

The Legalists' Tradition and Value of Chinese Traditional Society

一般认为,儒家思想作为中国传统社会建构的思想基础主导着中国传统社会的运作。然而自秦代开始,法家思想实际上一直受到统治者的青睐,统治者治理国家所运用的有效制度,就是以法家思想为基础所建构起来的。借助以法家思想为基础的制度,政治权力对中国传统社会的控制变得细致严密,虽然产生了如压制个人自由、限制社会发展等副作用,但不可否认的是,法家思想在社会治理、解决社会的道德困境问题和对官僚队伍进行制度化管理方面发挥着积极的正面作用。同时,法家思想中重视制度的威信与执行,是当代中国消除选择性执法现象、树立制度权威可以借鉴的传统资源。

It is generally believed that Confucianism,as the ideological basis for the construction of the Chinese traditional society,dominates the operation of the Chinese traditional society.However,since the Qin Dynasty,Legalism has actually been favored by the rulers.The ruler's effective institution for governing the state is based on the Legalism.With the institution basing on the Legalism,the control over the traditional Chinese society by political powers has become more and more meticulous.Although side effects such as suppressing individual freedom and restricting social development have been produced,it is undeniable that Legalism playes an active and positive role in social governance,solving the moral predicament and institutionalizing the bureaucracy.At the same time,the emphasis on the prestige and implementation of the system in Legalism is a traditional resource that contemporary China can learn from to eliminate the phenomenon of selective law enforcement and establish the institutional authority.