简论清末道德视野下的群与个人

The “Group” and the “Individual” in the View ofMorality in Late Qing Dynasty

清末以来 ,中国思想言说中“道德”与“社会” (早期或称“群”)的关联相当密切 ,但这方面的研究相对较少。与当年多数思潮相类 ,晚清流行的“合群”观念也是与爱国、强国直接相关的。正因此 ,“民德”被认为是“人群之鸿宝、社会之金玉” ,也就是“合群”为强国的基础。另一方面 ,当时士人受斯宾塞的社会有机体论影响较大 ,常希望使社会的“部分”与“整体”形成有机的联结 ,故“独”与“群”的关系不仅有对立的一面 ,且有相通的一面。章太炎提出“大独”为“大群之母” ,故晚清思想的发展已暗示了打破传统、解放个人的走向 ,这一思路的自然发展便是新文化运动时期以“个人”为中心的道德伦理革命。

Since late Qing Dynasty, “morality” and “society” in Chinese thinking are always associated, which has been ignored somehow in research. Like most thought at that time, the concept “gregariousness” is connected with patriotism directly. So “the mores” is considered as the basis of gregariousness and even patriotism. On the other hand, people at that time have been much affected by “the social organism theory” of Herbert Spencer. They often wished to integrate the “part” and the “whole” in society systematically. So the “individual” and the “group” are not only opposite but also communicative.