卢梭政治思想中的代表制问题探析

An inquiry into the issue of representation in Rousseau's political thought

政治代表制是现代民主政治中的重要制度形式,但它在民主政治中的地位和作用却一直众说纷纭,卢梭最早对政治代表制提出了在概念上极为彻底的批评,这一批评对后世理论家在这一问题上的看法影响很深。本文着重分析和探讨卢梭政治思想中的代表制问题,从卢梭文本中对代表制的态度转变历程出发,进而重点解释《社会契约论》和《论波兰政体》两个文本在这一问题上的"矛盾",并认为这一"矛盾"在实质层面并不存在。卢梭对代表制的否定与他关于主权意志的不可分割性有关,主权意志被代表即意味着不自由,这一观点在许多当代民主理论家那里都有所体现,同时也招致很多批评。

Political representation is a very important part of modern democratic institutions. But its relationship with democracy itself is a controversial issue among scholars. Rousseau gave the first thorough critique of political representation,which has a great influence on the later theorists. This paper explores the representation problem in Rousseau's thought for a better understanding of the role of representation in democratic politics. Starting with a review of Rousseau's attitude change towards representation,the paper focuses on the apparent contradiction between The Social Contract and Considerations on the Government of Poland on this particular issue,arguing that there is no substantial inconsistence between the two.