“民意”:中国古代的民众力量

“The Will of the Ordinaries”:the Power Drawn from the Subjects in Ancient China

中国古代的民意,是指王朝国家所统治的普通民众的意愿与志向。民意主要表现为民之所“欲”与民之所“恶”。基本的生存条件、有序而安稳的生活环境、财富以及权势,是民之所“欲”的四个主要方面;贪暴、苛政、不信,则是民之所“恶”的三个主要方面。民意主要通过民众的态度与行为表现出来,包括“趋从”“畏服”与“敬服”“不从”乃至“亡匿”“怨恨”及“起为盗贼”等。民意的力量既可以表现为攻城略地,或以民谣等形式影响国是朝政、官吏任免,也可以以怠工、逃亡等形式逃避、拒绝纳赋服役,甚或起为盗贼,给国家与社会造成破坏。民意具有力量的基础,是民众的人力与物力。中国古代民意的基本内涵是求生存,追求美好的生活,它本质上是一种求生意志;中国古代民意所展示出来的力量,是一种求生的力量。

“the will of the ordinaries”in ancient China refers to the wishes and aspirations of the subjects ruled by an emperor,and it mainly presents their“desire”and the“hatred”.The former embraces basic living conditions,an orderly and stable living environment,wealth and power while the latter covers corruption,harshness,and dishonesty.The item itself is mainly expressed through the attitudes and behaviors of the subjects,including their“tending to obey”,“fearing to obey”“respecting to obey”,“disobeying”and even ascending to their“getting hidden”,“resenting”,and“turning into thieves”,and so on.With this will,cities can be conquered and land taken;under its influence,some unfavorable decisions made by the royal court may be revised and undutiful officials replaced,the positive side.Armed with this will,the subjects may get slack in work,be a fugitive to evade taxes or refuse to accept services,and some even are reduced to bandits,thus damaging the empire and the society,the negative side.This will counts as it draws energy from the human and material resources from the ordinaries and its basic connotation is to survive and pursue a better life,and hence in essence targets to survival;its potential thus displayed pursues survival.