对表象的统治:马基雅维里的新君主及其限制

Rule the Presentation:Machiavelli's New Prince and Its Limitation

马基雅维里《君主论》中表述了一种现代的政治学说。这一学说的核心在于将政治理解为人间事物的总体性。新君主的视角是兼具君主与民众二者的总体视角,其欲望也是超越任何具体对象的事物的总体,那就是人间事物的好的秩序。为此,君主将其基础奠立在民众的基础之上,同时又超越民众。其理性并非某种特殊的理性,而是各种理性的综合物,或曰理性的理性。然而,马基雅维里并没有完全贯彻这一政治的概念,而是让他的君主通过操纵民众给定的道德世界来塑造他与其民众之间的关系,从而实现对他们的治理。这种治国术与其政治的概念是不匹配的。

Machiavelli stated a modern political theory in his The Prince. In its core lies the critical asertion that the object of politics is the order of things. The nature of the political is totality. The new prince should have total perspective. His desire does not relate to any specific object but the good order of things. So he has not a particular reason but the reason of all reasons. As a result, the new prince founds his power in his subjects without being restricted by them. However, Machiavelli did not adhere to this conception of politics. He thought his new prince shall dominate his people through manipulating people＇s opinion, a gived moral world. Such statecraft does not match his conception of politics.