西方概念工具与中国传统文化资源--谈近代中国启蒙学者对民主思想的认识

中国自近代以来开始了对民主的追求,梁启超、严复等启蒙思想家向中国引入了西方的民主思想,他们提出的民权、自由、开设议院的思想具有重大的进步意义。但由于当时中国处于民族危机的关键时刻及中西政治文化上存在的巨大差异,他们无法摆脱中国传统文化资源的束缚,只能将西方的民主作为概念工具,通过与中国传统文化资源的结合,形成独特的民主思想。

The West Conceptive Instrument and the Resources of Chinese Traditional Culture

Since Chinese modern times in pursue of the democracy, the enlightened thinkers, like Liang Qichao, Van Fu and so on, brought in the Western democracy thought. The thought of civil rights, freedom and establishing the parliament they put forward was of great progressive significance. But at that time because China was in the national crisis and there were immense differences between Chinese and Western politics and culture, they could not break away from Chinese traditional culture. So they had to combine the Western democracy as a conceptive instrument with the resources of Chinese Traditional Culture and formed their unique thought of democracy.