《老子》财富伦理思想及其当代启示

Laozi’s Thought of Wealth Ethics and and Its Contemporary Enlightenment

所谓财富伦理,即是指财富主体在创造、分配和消费财富的过程中所蕴含的伦理内涵和道德意蕴。在《老子》的思想中,“樸”“无为”和“损有余而补不足”以及“俭”等都是作为道之德,是道由上向下落实成为人世间的客观真理或规律。而且,“樸”“无为”和“损有余而补不足”以及“俭”等这些客观真理或规律在《老子》中又具有财富上的伦理意蕴,它们揭示了《老子》关于财富伦理中人与财富之间的真实关系。在上述四者中,“樸”是《老子》财富伦理思想的理论基础,因为“樸”之涵义体现了人在面对人性道德与物质财富的关系上应作如何选择。在“樸”的基础之上,《老子》进而把“无为”和“损有余而补不足”以及“俭”作为《老子》财富之创造、分配和消费的重要伦理原则。其中,《老子》财富伦理思想的理论基础“樸”的三个内涵贯穿着《老子》财富之创造、分配和消费伦理原则。四者相辅相成,共同构成了《老子》的财富伦理思想体系。《老子》的财富伦理思想对于我们当今的启示:财富的创造、分配和消费,在以“樸”为本的基础之上,要充分尊重财富创造的客观规律性、分配的公平性和消费的适度性。

The so-called wealth ethics refers to the ethical and moral connotations of the wealth subject in the process of creating,distributing and consuming wealth.In Laozi’s thought,“Pu”,“the non-action theory”and“supplementary to the insufficient by reducing surplus wealth”as well as“thrift”are all virtues of Tao,which are the objective truth or law of the world from top to bottom,have the ethical implication of wealth.They reveal the real relationship between man and wealth.Among the four,“Pu”is the theoretical basis,as the meaning of“Pu”reflects how people should choose when facing the relationship between human morality and material wealth.On this basis,Laozi further regards“the non-action theory”and“supplementary to the insufficient by reducing surplus wealth”and“thrift”as important ethical principles which run through the process of wealth creation,distribution and consumption.They complement each other and constitute the wealth ethics ideological system of Laozi.This wealth ethics inspires us that the creation,distribution and consumption of wealth should be based on“Pu”and fully respect the objective law of creation,fairness of distribution and moderation of consumption of wealth.