儒家对民众政治地位的设计及其现代转化

儒家政治思想不仅重视君主一方的修养与责任,而且对民众一方也有一定的阐述。儒家政治思想是对当时政治现实的提升与规约。在政治现实中,民众是被动的一方,但儒家赋予民众有人人为政的主动性一面;在政治现实中,天意不可违,人们要服从天意,接受天命,但儒家认为,民意决定天意,在君王的更替与治理中应服从民意;在具体的政治治理过程中,有无限权力的君主视民如草芥,但儒家却认为民贵君轻,应重民、养民、富民、教民。对儒家的民众观进行现代解读,对当代中国关注民生、推进民主、提升民众民主意识方面将有一定的借鉴意义。

Study on the Status of the Public in Confucian Political Culture and Its Modern Transformation

Confucian political philosophy was a sublimation of and constraint on the political reality in the Chinese feudal society.It not only emphasized the culture and responsibility of the monarch but also expounded the status of the populace.In the political reality,the populace was passively engaged in politics.However,Confucianism upheld that everyone should be entitled to take part in politics with his initiatives.People should be subordinated to heaven in the political reality but Confucianism argued that public opinions must be obeyed.In reality,brutal monarch regarded the subjects as light as straws,but Confucianism believed that the subjects are more fundamental than monarch and attached great importance to educating,serving,respecting the subjects as well as making them rich.The interpretation of Confucianism from a modern perspective has great implications for improving the people’ s livelihood,promoting democracy and enhancing the public awareness of democracy in contemporary China.