人的非自足性与城邦、圣王之治的必要性——亚里士多德与荀子政治哲学比较

Self-insufficient Nature and Necessities of a Polis and Ruling by the Sage King——A Comparative Study Between Political Philosophy of Aristotle and Xunzi

在亚里士多德看来,人的非自足而又追求自足是城邦存在的基础与发展动力,与此类似,荀子认为,人的非自足性是需要圣王之治的一个原因。亚里士多德的自足城邦需要以节制为前提,较易走向封闭,存在被其他城邦消灭的风险,具有宗教色彩。荀子主张的天下政体几乎没有宗教色彩,相对而言,不易走向封闭且被消灭的风险较小,其虽不追求自足,但更有可能实现经济上的自足。但亚里士多德可能会认为,此天下政体不但是不可行的,而且是不高贵的,它并不是一个真正的自足政体。

For Aristotle, a man’s self-insufficient nature and pursuit of self-sufficiency is the basis of the necessities and the power for the development of a polis.Similarly, Xunzi thought a man’s self-insufficient nature is one of the reasons for the need of ruling by the sage king.As a premise, Aristotle’s self-sufficient polis needs citizens to take moderation.The polis is easy to be closed, and has the risk of being destroyed by other poleis, states.What’s more, it has religious color.There is almost no religious color in the under-heaven state advocated by Xunzi.Compared with Aristotle’s ideal polis, the under-heaven state is less? likely? to? close itself, be destroyed from outside, although it does not pursue self-sufficiency, but is more likely to achieve economic self-sufficiency.But Aristotle might criticize that the under-heaven state is not only unworkable but also not noble, not really self-sufficient.