孔、孟、荀社会福祉思想及其比较研究

A Comparative Study on the Social Welfare Thoughts of Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi

孔子的社会福祉思想主要有:“大同”理想,以德以礼、宽猛相济的治国方略,重民、爱民、富民、教民的主张,有教无类,重视环保等。孟子的社会福祉思想主要有:“民贵”学说,主张“仁政必自经界始”,“舍生取义”,使“义”成为道德规范、政治规范及价值判断的尺度,使所有人在“义”面前平等等,养老育幼及教育环保等。荀子承认物欲的合理性,主张对民生福祉要加强管理,提出“制礼义以分之”,“名分使群”,养民、重民、爱民,政平民安,隆礼重法、天下为一。孔、孟、荀三者的社会福祉思想各有特点,为当今提供了重要启示。

Confucius’ thoughts on social welfare mainly include: the ideal of “great harmony”;the strategy of governing the country by virtue, courtesy and generosity;the proposition of valuing the people, loving the people, enriching the people and educating the people;no distinctions in teaching;and attention to environmental protection. Mencius’ thoughts on social welfare mainly include the doctrine that “the people are the most valuable”;the proposition that “benevolent government must start from solving the problem of land boundary”;“sacrificing one’s life for justice”, making “justice” the norm of moral, political and value judgment, making all people equal by “justice”;the ideas on supporting the old and raising the young and that on education and environmental protection. Xunzi acknowledged the rationality of material desire, advocated to strengthen the management of people’s livelihood and welfare, and proposed to “lay down rites to govern the people” and “to differentiate people into social groups”. He also attached importance to the people and is aware of significance of social stability. He pays attention to the rites and law which is key to the social harmony. The thoughts of Confucius, Mencius and Xunzi, each with distinct characteristics, provide important enlightenment for today’s social welfare.