论林语堂的国人公共精神观

Lin Yu-tang’s View of Chinese Public Spirit

林语堂认为近代中国国人普遍缺乏公共精神,主要有三个原因:一是个人主义价值观的泛滥,人们重视自己及其家族利益,轻视公共利益;二是社会团体活动的严重缺乏,公共精神的培育缺少有效途径;三是法治缺失,国民个人政治权利没有保障,大家明哲保身,不愿多管闲事,导致人们对公共事务非常淡漠。

In Old China,people generally lacked public spirit.Lin Yutang believes that there are three main reasons for this situation:First,the overflow of individualistic values,people attaching importance to their own and their family interests,and despising public interests;Secondly,there was a serious lack of social group activities and an effective way to cultivate public spirit.Third,the absence of the rule of law,the lack of protection of the political rights of individual citizens,and concern for public affairs were liable to cause trouble,leading to people’s indifference to public affairs.