管仲的伦理思想初探

管仲的伦理思想是时代的产物,基本上是维护传统的道德观念,核心是“礼”,但管仲所维护的“礼”已与传统的“周礼”相去甚远;“仁”是春秋时期的新道德观念,虽然不能肯定管仲一定提出过“仁”的概念,但其思想中的人本主义精神却为“仁”的发展作出了伟大的贡献;管仲对伦理学最大的贡献是他的“仓廪实而知礼节,衣食足而知荣辱”的道德基础论。

A Tentative Discussion of Guanzhong's Ethics

As an influential ancient statesman and reformer, Guan Zhong's ethics is the product of his times. The central idea of his ethics agrees with the feudal ethical code although it is quite different from the ethics of Zhou Dynasty. Benevolence was a new ethical concept in the Spring and Autumn Period. The humanist element in Guan Zhong's ethics contributed to the development of the idea of benevolence. His greatest contribution to ethics resides in his idea of the basis of ethics: "The peasant knows good manners when his barn is full and he can tell honor from shame if he is not worried about food, clothing and shelter". This materialist idea served as the theoretical basis of the great benevolent politics in the feudal society of China.