“均”之思:社会转型期思想变化的一个案例

Thought of Equalization: A Case of Thought Change in the Period of Social Transition

先秦诸子针对现实问题集中阐发了包括均地、均政与均贫富等在内的"均"观念。均地之议主要从保民生、尽民力、土地管理及赋税征收等角度生发,均政之议包含均平爵禄、均用民力、均治天下等不同层面。相关论议的产生有其背景:一是战国时期生产水平的大幅提高,使得小家庭从宗族中分离出来成为独立经济单位;二是官—民二元格局形成,需要建立新的社会与政治伦理关系;三是华夏文化圈统一趋势日益明显,均平天下成为主流思潮。诸子"均"之思,不管是均地、均政抑或均贫富,都切中了社会现实问题,少有虚渺玄远的内容,相较西周时期产生了根本性的转变,体现了战国时期个体价值的发现,是其时建立新的社会与政治伦理关系的重要组成部分。

The pre-Qin scholars expounded the concepts of equalization such as equalization of land, equalization of government, and equalization of wealth and poverty in view of practical problems. The discussion of the equalization of land originated from the angles of ensuring people’s livelihood, exerting people’s power, land management and tax collection, etc. The discussion of the equalization of government includes different aspects such as equalize rank and salary, equalize use of people’s power and equalize governance of the world. The background of the relevant discussion: First, the great increase in production level during the Warring States period made small families separate from clans and become independent economic units;Second, the formation of the dual pattern of officials and the people requires the establishment of a new social and political ethical relationship;Third, the unification trend of the Chinese cultural circle is becoming more and more obvious, and how to govern the vast country has become the main problem. The thinking of the masters, whether it is to equalize land, equalize government or equalize the wealth and the poor, all hit the real social problems, which has produced a fundamental change compared with the Western Zhou Dynasty. Thoughts of the philosophers embody the discovery of individual values during the Warring States Period, and are part of the establishment of a new social and political ethical relationship at that time.