从“瓜分”论到“帝国主义”论——梁启超关于列强侵略的理论思考(1895—1905)

From the Theory of Partition to the Theory of Imperialism:Liang Qichao’s Thoughts on the Invasion Theory of the Foreign Powers

梁启超是第一次鸦片战争以来较早对列强侵略进行理论思考与阐释的思想家。他提出的“有形—无形瓜分”论,对列强侵略中国的方式、手段进行深入剖析,得出“无形”更惨于“有形”的结论,触及到列强殖民扩张的本质特征。之后,随着欧美日本政学界“帝国主义”论的盛行,梁启超不仅将之输入国内,而且对其进行理论阐释。与西方“帝国主义”论旨在为列强殖民侵略辩护不同,梁启超的“帝国主义”论则站在中国民族的立场上,在借鉴欧美日本“帝国主义”论相关概念的同时,摒弃其中正义化甚至美化帝国主义侵略扩张的内容,充分警惕并揭示帝国主义的侵略性,尤其强调经济帝国主义对中国的危害,与其“有形—无形瓜分”论有着内在的思想延续性。梁启超对于帝国主义侵略扩张大势及其手段、特征的认知与中国应对之道的阐发,构成了此期中国知识界分析国际局势与解决中国问题的基本话语,在当时舆论界产生深远影响。

Liang Qichao梁启超was a pioneer thinker to engage in theoretical thinking and interpretation of the aggression of the foreign powers since the First Opium War.His theory of tangible partition and intangible partition provided a deep analysis of the ways and means of foreign aggression against China,concluding that the intangible was more devastating than the tangible,touching upon the essential characteristics of the imperialist colonial expansion.Subsequently,with the popularity of imperialism theory in the political and academic circles of Europe,America and Japan,Liang not only imported it into China,but also provided theoretical interpretations.In contrast to the western theory of imperialism which aimed to defend the colonial aggression of the foreign powers,Liang’s theory of imperialism was on the standpoint of the Chinese nation.While drawing on the relevant concepts of the Western theories of imperialism,Liang rejected any attempts to justify or glorify imperialist aggression,fully alerting and revealing the aggressive nature of imperialism,particularly emphasizing the harm of economic imperialism to China.which showed an inherent ideological continuity with his theory of“tangible or intangible partition”.Liang’s cognition of the overall trend,means,and characteristics of imperialist aggression and expansion,as well as his explanation of China’s response strategies,constituted the basic discourse of how the Chinese intellectual community analyze the international situation and solve China’s problems during this period,exerting a far-reaching impact on the public opinion at that time.