卢梭与休谟共和主义自由观的差异性

On the Difference Between Rousseau’s and Hume’s Liberal Concepts of Republicanism

在西方共和主义思想史上,卢梭与休谟提供了两种不同的共和主义理念以及各自的理论支撑。卢梭的共和主义自由观基于自然状态学说和社会契约论而构建,休谟则对自然状态学说和契约论学说进行了批判,两个人的理念显然是背道而驰的。卢梭认为,现代商业社会是堕落的,科学与艺术的发展并不会有利于社会风俗的改善,现代人与古代人相比更不自由。休谟则认为,现代商业、科学与艺术的发展是自由的必要条件,没有现代文明,公民自由则是不可能实现的。卢梭主张在堕落的现代社会,人们获得自由的唯一方式就是通过社会契约,建立一个在公意指导之下的政治共同体。休谟则认为,自由的实现取决于不同的社会发展阶段,自由应当是规则限制下的公民自由,不可能是完满的,也不能盲目地扩大。相较于卢梭较为激进的思想而言,休谟的自由观更具有保守主义色彩。

In the history of Western republicanism,Rousseau and Hume provided two different concepts of republicanism and their own theoretical support.As we know,Rousseau’s republicanism is based on the state of nature and the theory of social contract,but Hume,as a staunch anti-contract scholar of the 18 th century,criticized the theory of natural state and the contract theory.Thus,their ideas are clearly divergent.Rousseau believes that modern commercial society is depraved,and the development of science and art is not conducive to the improvement of social customs;instead,it makes people vain and hypocritical,and modern people are less free than ancient people.However,Hume believes that the development of modern commerce,science and art is necessary for freedom,and civil liberties cannot be achieved without modern civilization.Rousseau argues that in a depraved modern society,the only way to get people free is to establish a political community under the guidance of general will through a social contract.But Hume believes that the realization of freedom depends on different stages of social development,freedom should be civil freedom under the restriction of rules,and it cannot be perfect and be blindly expanded.In a word,Hume’s concept of liberty is more conservative than Rousseau’s radical ideas.