无产者从何而来,向何处去?——马克思到西塞罗的历史倒溯

Where the Proletariat From and To: A Retrospective Narration from Marx to Cicero

在西方文明发展进程中,无产者最初是贫穷与堕落的象征,直至马克思的时代才被看作是进步力量,这是人类思想发展的创举。从西塞罗到马克思的西方文明发展进程中,无产者的历史地位大致经历三个阶段:从古罗马至近代,无产者是按照财产多寡划分的最低等级,为主流社会污名化;从法国大革命至19世纪前半期,部分无产者虽有意识地争取平等权利,但囿于资本主义政治解放的视野;从马克思的时代开始,无产者成为革命与进步的力量,不仅找到自我解放的出路,而且承担起人类解放的历史使命。马克思的无产阶级学说,不仅为资本主义批判提供了理论武器,而且为超越西方文明提供了全新的理念。

In the process of Western civilization, the proletariat, originally symbolizing poverty and degeneration, is never taken as progressive force until in the times of Marx', and this is a pioneering idea for human emancipation. From Cicero to Marx, the historical role of the proletariat goes through three stages: Ranging from the Ancient Roman to early modern times, the proletariat stands for the lowest status, sorted out according to their property, and stigmatized by the mainstream society;During the period from the French Revolution to the early 19 th century, a part of the proletariat is conscious of fighting for their equal rights, restricted within the capitalist political emancipation; And, from Marx' age and on, the proletariat comes into a powerful being for revolution and progress, not only figuring out a way of selfemancipation, but taking over the historical responsibility for human liberation. Marx's thought of the proletariat provides not only a theoretical weapon for criticizing the capitalism but also a new idea for transcending the Western civilization.