A Study On The Xunzi's Social Order Thought

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, the way of the social vertical mobility was non-institutionalized. Based on the strong sentiment of social responsibility , the Confucianists pursued the dream of suitable social order, who wanted that the people can live in the standarded and rational society where their values may come true. Confucius initiated the thought of social order by founding the ethics of Confucian school. Xunzi inherited his thought of social order and formed his own ethics from that society's reality. On one hand, this theory solved the problems came from the non-institution and value—crisis that was bonded up with it at a certain extent. On the other hand, his thought provided a rational system for the centralized politics.Xunzi was in the anomie age , the old social order was dissembled and the new wasn't built. Actually, because of the society reality he had no alternative but to pursue another pattern of social order in order to explore ethics and values and rebuilt a new effective pattern of social control. Then, he responded to the challenges result from the non-institution and created his own social order system by absorbing other thoughts'excellent essences.He demonstrated the foundation of social order from the human nature. Everyone has desires and wishes. But these desires must be satisfied at some extent. Xunzi realized the feasibility and significance of the satisfication of desires. This happened to hold the same view of Masciluo's theory about the demand; He putted forward that the human nature is born evil from a creative perspective,which is the theoretical foundation of his thoughts .Xunzi emphasized the peoples'nature property. One can achieve the socialization by exchanging evil human nature to kind human nature. During the socialization, he attached an importance to the social education and society environment.Human has society property in the form of group. Xunzi thinks that it is the social groups make up of the structure of the society. The working form of the social order are the social groups and divisions. One can not live without the group. It can satisfy peoples'material and mental desires, and make them have the sense of belonging. The whole society is not only a cooperation, but also a integration on the base of the divisions. This can make the individual's behavior in accord with the social order and degree. Then everyone can recognize and perform it's social status.Xunzi emphasized that the government can control the society by the means of his thought of rules and etiquette. He putted an emphasis on prospering etiquette, which has great effects on cultivating oneself, putting family in order, governing the state and pacifying the world. He payed much attention to respecting the rules and laws, because it has the external, mandatory, and restraining effects, which is helpful for the practices of etiquette. Furthermore,he putted forward a series of principles of legislation and views of enforcing the laws. Xunzi advocated prospering the etiquettes and respecting the laws to maintain the order from the internal and external controlling. Meanwhile, Xunzi attached an importance to the music.Expect for the social dynamic and social control pattern, there is social stimulate and social safeguard pattern in the whole social order pattern. Xunzi advocated his thought about the morality and punishment. Through this positive and negative ways, the government may steer the members'behavior and values. Furthermore, establishing and imitating the models is another way to educate people.Xunzi's thought of social order has its specific historical status and social values. He confirmed that human has society property, constructed the social control pattern and maked the theory update with the times. Those thoughts take an important part in the sociology theory. But his thought also has its limits. His doctrine about the monarch and the intention to maintain the rank and degree are not active.