晚清思想家对民主与科学的追求

在中国的传统思想或文化中,只有民本思想,而无民主思想;只有“格致之学”,而无科学。“民主与科学”虽然在五四新文化运动中才被正式提出,但自鸦片战争开始,一些有见识的或进步的晚清思想家就一直在为此进行探索和追求。综观晚清思想家对民主与科学的追求,其显著特点是为了国家富强和救亡图存,同时也是一个认识不断深入和逐渐发展的过程。认真总结这份重要的思想遗产,对于我们今天高举民主与科学大旗仍具有十分重要的思想意义。

Pursuit of Democracy and Science by Thinkers in the Late Qing Dynasty

While "democracy and science" were formally put forward during the May 4th new cultural movement,these ideas had been probed by learned and progressive thinkers of the late Qing Dynasty since the Opium War.Their pursuit of democracy and science was of a gradual course marked by strong desires for a more powerful China and for the survival of China.The author points out that this is a precious heritage of thoughts with specific and remarkable significance even today when we are holding high the banners of democracy and science.