陆象山的“主民”思想及其对晚明“觉民行道”的开启

Lu Hsiang-shan’s Thought of “By the People” and Its Enlightenment towards the Movement of “Awakening People” in Late Ming Dynasty

陆象山在继承孟子贵民论的基础上,提出了“主民”的思想观念。“主民”思想涵盖了三个层面,一是官员为政应以保民、利民为先;二是统治者应将民众视为治国的根本;三是民众能够为自己做主。可以说,“主民”思想确定了民众的主体性地位。这一思想进路在中晚明的“觉民行道”运动中得到了继承和发展。从象山的“主民”思想到“觉民行道”的实践都包含了对个体性价值的肯定,而很多儒者的政治取向也诉诸社会大众,并逐渐形成了民众政治主体的概念。然而,民众政治主体存在着伦理与政治的两重内在困境,这导致一般民众难以直接参与到现实的政治实践之中,而对这一困境的解决,则构成了晚明至近代学者在政治领域内探索与实践的题中应有之意。

On the basis of Mencius theory that people are the most important element,Lu Hsiang-shan put forward the idea of“By the People”.This thought covers three levels.Firstly,the political practice of officials should give priority to protecting and benefiting the people.Secondly,rulers should regard the people as the foundation of governance.Thirdly,people could decide for themselves.We could say that the idea“by the people”determines the subjective status of the masses.This idea was carried on and developed in the movement of“Awakening People”in the middle and late Ming dynasty.Both Hsiang-shan s thought of“By the People”and that of“Awakening People”contain the affirmation of individual value,while many Confucian political orientations also appeal to the public,thus the concept of mass political subject came into being gradually.However,there are two inherent dilemmas of ethics and politics in the public political subject,which makes it difficult for ordinary people to participate directly in practical political practice.The solution to this dilemma constitutes the meaning of the exploration and practice of scholars from late Ming dynasty to modern times in the political field.