《庸言》的立论维度与民初政治困局

从朝代更迭的怪圈到启蒙与政治的怪圈是中国古代政治到近代政治转折的一个突出特点。朝代更迭怪圈形成了在平面维度上的历史循环怪圈,专制政治在这个怪圈中只有变化没有进步。从戊戌变法到20世纪上半叶,中国政治形成了一个思想启蒙与政治统治的另外一个怪圈,没有思想启蒙不能带来民主化的现代政治,这是启蒙者的共识,也是历史的事实。但是掌权者却每每以中国救主自认,认为没有强大的中央集权就不能对外应付列强瓜分,对内不能消弭动荡,而且唯有自身是民主的引导者,民间的民主诉求都是动乱、叛逆,进而采取压制舆论的政策,结果成了民主的反面力量。《庸言》经历了支持中央集权到反对专制的过程,自身几乎经历了这样一个怪圈的过程,浓缩了从戊戌到五四的思想轨迹。

The Argument Dimensions of The Justice and Early Republican Political Deadlock

A prominent feature of transferring ancient Chinese politics to modern political transition is the vicious circle of the change of enlightenment and politics,instead of the supersession of dynasties.The cycle of the supersession of dynasties formed the vicious circle of history in a plane dimensionality.Though various changes occurred in autocratic politics,there was no real progress.From the period of Reform Movement of 1898 to the early twentieth century,Chinese politics formed another vicious circle of didacticism and despotism.It was well-known by all torchbearers that modern politics could not be achieved without the enlightenment,which is also a historical fact.But the rulers,who regarded themselves as Chinese Savior,believed that centralism was the only way to resist aggressions of big powers and eliminate internal disorder,that they were the only guide of democracy,and that the people’s democratic appeal was a kind of unrest and rebellion.So they took actions to suppress public opinions.As a result,they became negative forces to democracy.The Justice,a famous magazine published in 1914,witnessed the period of centralism to anti-autocracy,which also revealed the track from the Reform Movement of 1898 to the May 4th Movement.