帝制中国的两种基本"公""私"观及其制度表现——一个从制度回溯观念的尝试

在帝制中国的政治制度背后隐含着两种不同的"公"私"观和制度设计原理,一则肯定君权的绝对性,以是否满足君主个人意志以及皇家利益为"公"私"标准;一则以是否符合儒家式"天理"与"民心"价值观、是否符合较为抽象的国家共同体利益为"公"私"分野.两千多年的专制制度演变史,可谓两种"公"私"观相互摩擦、渗透的过程.尤其是儒家式"公"私"价值观对专制制度的濡染与重塑,在很大程度上造成了某种平衡、约束君权的机制,使得专制国家往往能够逸出"私"的原初目标而兼具公共性和自主性.

Two Kinds of "Public" and "Private" Concepts in Monarchy China and Their Systems

There are two kinds of concepts about "public" and "private" and two kinds of principles for designing a system in the political system of monarchical China.One accepts the absoluteness of the monarchical power and thinks that the division standard between "public" and "private" is whether the personal purpose of the monarch or the imperial family is met.Another takes whether the "public" conforms to Confucian values,such as "moral principles" and "popular feelings",and whether it conforms to the interests of an abstract state community as a division standard.The history of autocracy in two thousands of years is a process of which two kinds of concepts about "public" and "private" influence each other.Especially,the reinforcing and rebuilding of autocracy by Confucian "public" and "private" values,to a great extent,make a mechanism to balance and control the monarchical power,so that,in general,it has both commonality and autonomy beyond the original purpose on "private".