马基雅维利政治思想中的“virtú”概念

The Concept of“virtú”in NiccolòMachiavelli’s political thoughts

“virtú”(德行或德性)是尼科洛·马基雅维利政治思想的一个核心概念,与“fortuna”(命运)相对应。他认为人掌握着自己行动的一半,要敢于对抗命运,运用自己的“virtú”。他所提出的“virtú”包括自然赋予的天性或者说本质力量,以及灵活运用各种手段的能力,同时也不排斥人文主义思想中的一些普适性道德,但他的创见主要体现在前两个方面。就个人尤其是君主而言,“virtú”基本上是自然赋予的天性,按“virtú”行事使行动符合时势就表现为好运。“virtú”被君主推而广之,成为法律制度,在民众中间传播和固定,从而成为民众“virtú”,一个人的好运就变成了一群人和一个民族的好运,国家也就能长治久安,这就是马基雅维利思想中关于“virtú”概念的重要逻辑。

The“virtú”is a core concept of NiccolòMachiavelli’s political thoughts,corresponding to the“fortuna”(fate,luck).He proposed that people hold half of their actions and must dare to resist fate and to use their own virtues.The“virtú”proposed by him includes the essential power given by nature,the ability to use flexibly various means,and,in the meantime,does not reject some universal morals in humanistic thought.His original ideas are mainly reflected in the first two aspects.In terms of individuals,monarchs in particular,the“virtú”is basically bestowed upon by the nature.Acting according to the“virtú”and making the actions in line with the times may see good luck.The“virtú”was promoted by monarchs and became a legal system.It spread among the people and became the moral virtue of the people.Thus the good fortune of one person became the good luck of a group of people and of a nation.A country could therefore be stable and long-lasting.That is an important logic of Machiavelli’s thoughts on“virtú”.