“汤武革命论”与中国传统政治伦理

“Tang-Wu Revolution” and China's Traditional Political Ethics

"汤武革命论"是中国传统政论中的重要命题之一,对它的肯定与否定取决于认同民本思想还是坚持君主至上信条。君主至上论者以"冠与履"比喻君臣秩序的天然合理性,是不讲逻辑的任意比附;民本论者认同汤武革命的合法性与正当性,具有通向"主权在民"现代民主政治的倾向,但无法解决暴力之下的权力更迭带来的破坏性。

＂Tang-Wu Revolution＂ is an important proposition in Chinese traditional politics.Affirming or negating its legitimacy depends on identification with people-oriented ideology or insistence on the supremacy of monarchs.The monarchists expounded the holiness of monarchs versus the humbleness of subjects by the metaphor of hats verse shoes,ignoring the invalidity of their argumentation in logic.Yet the people-oriented thinkers confirmed the legitimacy and validity of Tang-Wu Revolution.They were pioneers of modern democracy which stressed on popular sovereignty,but they could not provide a way to avoid catastrophes caused by violent revolutions.