明清民间社会救济力量生长的困境与趋向探析

透视明清社会救济史发现，国家荒政的衰败和基层社会自治化倾向的加强，由乡绅倡率的民间社会救济活动不断兴起，但民间力量的生长空间在于不能动摇封建专制统治的根基。在中国传统文化笼罩和社会层级结构固化中的民间社会救济力量，断然不能成为公民组织成长和公民社会形成的“基因”。“双回归”——慈善救济活动回归社会事业本位、政府回归其仲裁者和监督者本色的总趋向，仍将是一个缓慢而艰难的过程。

Growth of non-governmental social relief power in the Ming and Qing Dynasties: difficulties and tendency

An examination of the history of social relief in the Ming and Qing Dynasties would point to the growth of non-governmental social relief led and promoted by rural gentry against the background of declining state power and growing autonomy of grassroot society. Yet, the growth of non-governmental power is expected not to undermine the foundation of the feudal autocratic rule. With the influence from traditional Chinese culture and the solidified social hierarchy, non-governmental social relief power cannot become the ＂genes＂ of civil organization and civil society. The tendency of double returns, i.e. charity and relief activities rediscover its function of social undertaking and government goes back to its roles of arbitrator and supervisor, will stay for a long time.