Utilitarianism And Chinese Modern Political Thoughts

As the primary manifestation of western liberalism in modern times, utilitarianism became matured in Great Britain in nineteen century. However, if talking in a sense of origin, utilitarianism is not merely exclusive in western and especially in western modern times. It's trail can ascend from the ancient Greek "happiness theory"presented by Democlite ?and Epicure, while at the same time in China, the idea "will bring love and communication will bring benefits to each other"originated from Mo-tse has given utilitarianism the other theory headstream. In modern times of China, as for the definite history era, the way of thinking of Chinese traditional utilitarianism thrived again. Besides, accompanied with western countries'more severe invasion, those countries had accelerated the wide spread of western knowledge as well. And just thanks for the wide spread of western knowledge; the English utilitarianism, which matured in nineteen century, had an access to China. Thus, when succeeded the way of thinking of Chinese traditional utilitarianism at the same time, Chinese modern politicians also absorbed western modern political thoughts of utilitarianism in a prudent and bold attitude. So, the obvious feature of utilitarianism characterized Chinese modern political thoughts. There exist so many impacts as for the utilitarianism to Chinese modern political thoughts; generally speaking, it can be shown in follow aspects: Firstly, natural humanism—utilitarianism's impact on the logic start of Chinese modern political thoughts. We all know that the question of human nature has been the major hot debated issue of Chinese and foreign thinkers in ancient and modern times. The discussion about the human nature not only reflected the degree of recognition and understanding of human itself of thinkers in different historic stages, but representative development level of theory and thinking in different historical stages. In China modern times, the specifically historical period made thinkers ponder the human nature more deeply. However, affected by the specified condition, thinkers almost started the recognition of human nature from the angel of view of utilitarianism, in which they emphasized the nature attribute of human. So , they succeed the natural humanism holding fast by utilitarian thinkers in dynasty Song. Beginning from this kind of theory of human nature, thinkers in modern times denied the wrong idea "preserve justice and exterminate human desires"taken by moralists since the dynasty Song. At the same time, they also endowed the human desires natural rationality in the sense of human nature. Furthermore, with the extent of introducing western knowledge to east getting more deeply, modern thinkers audaciously consult western theory fruit especially the "eudemonism"or "hedonism"preferred by western utilitarian on matter of human nature. Thus, under the common influence of tradition of Chinese and foreign utilitarianism, natural humanism had become the logic origin of Chinese modern political thoughts. Secondly, Chinese body western material the impact of utilitarianism to Chinese modern idea of morality and implements.It is well known that the issue of "morality and implements"and "body and use "had been paid much attention by so many Chinese ancient thinkers. Until the modern times, due to the need of specified period, this old issue was mentioned again. Nevertheless, the idea of "morality and implements"and "body and use "in modern times not only distinguished the different theory category of Chinese traditional culture, but possessed the functions to differentiate vary culture system—Chinese learning and Western learning. Most Chinese modern thinkers maintained the idea that Chinese learning was characterized by Taoism, while the Western learning was body culture. Since in Chinese traditional culture, body originated from Tao, Chinese modern thinkers regarded western culture originated from Chinese traditional culture as well, so it should serve Chinese traditional culture. Besides, the royalists took absolute predominance at that time; even there existed further thought about western learning among few thinkers, they would be reluctant to open out for minority. Just due to consideration in these two aspects, as for the western learning, Chinese modern thinkers almost presented the theory strategy of "Chinese body-western application model"in the base of utilitarianism. Thus, from the saying "learn from West and against West"put forward by Wei Yuan to "Chinese body-western application "promoted by Zhang Zhi Dong and others and to "constitutional monarchy limited monarchy"advocated by Kang You Wei and Liang Qi Chao we can see that utilitarian way of thinking had affected the whole process of recognition of western learning among the Chinese modern thinkers. Thirdly, prefer interest than righteousness, the impact of utilitarianism to Chinese modern theory of righteousness and interest. During the development of Chinese traditional political thoughts , therecognition on relationship between moral and interest has been an important issue ,as a whole the issue has transcended the entire Chinese traditional political thoughts .So ,the research on relationship between moral and interest can not only help us get definite viewpoint on different political stand of thinkers in every historical stage but help to foster a comprehensive mastery on the entire development of Chinese traditional political thoughts. General speaking, there exists two major schools on recognition about relationship between moral and interest during the whole development of Chinese traditional political thoughts. One is moral theory, which based on the viewpoint of "prefer righteousness than interest", while the other utilitarianism hold the contrary idea of "prefer interest than righteousness". The different standpoint held fast by two sides led to long-time disagreement and long argument, which can be often seen in the form of "controversy between majesty and righteousness and interest". During Chinese modern times, in order to satisfy the need of temporal social reality, the discussion focused on the relationship between righteousness and interest became important issue again. In this debate, thinkers advocated moral and interest theory characterized by "prefer interest than righteousness"in the basis of utilitarianism. In the first place , Gong Zizhen and Wei yuan brought forward thoughts of "benefit country"and "benefit people"and other utilitarian opinions ; next, enlightened officials and early reformists proposed utilitarian thoughts such as "value profit"and "respect commerce"; thirdly, represented by Kang You wei ,Liang Qichao and Yanfu and other reformists put forward utilitarian ideas such as "pursue happiness and avoid pain", "self-regard"and "combination of righteousness and interest"and so on; last but not least , revolutionary mainly represented by Dr. sun yat-sen raisedpeople-favored proposition of "people's livelihood". besides, started from their standpoint, other temporal deontologists(deontology) proposed opposite moral and interest theory characterized by "prefer righteousness than interest".Thus ,the two theories wove together and formed the new style of "controversy between righteousness and interest"in Chinese modern times. Finally, liberty and democracy---the impact of utilitarianism to value inclination of Chinese modern utilitarianism. Being two important categories of western modern politics, liberty and democracy played a very important role due to the process of whole western modernization. After the opium war, with the vast rush of western learning, the concept of liberty and democracy gradually gained the attention of Chinese political thinkers. Furthermore, with the degree of modernization deepen, liberty, democracy and other concepts became no more exclusive by political thinkers, they had gone deep into the mind of most ordinary people and turned into a strong force to dominate their mind and action. Under the guidance of liberty and democracy, China finally abolished feudatorial imperialism in 1912 and elementally made a test of designed system of building new China in the basis of liberty and democracy and other modern concepts. In China modern times, the political thinkers'identification and pursuit of liberty, democracy and other value concepts had been spread accompanying with the historical process of Chinese modernization. During this process, although thinkers in different era had made untiring efforts, under the effect of utilitarian way of thinking, Chinese modern political thinkers still basically on the superficial phrase of sensibility as for the identification of liberty and democracy, they failed to grasp the true meaning of liberty, democracy. So, in spite of too many hard work spent by modern thinkers , they still did not shape...