摘要
严复认为,自由是“生人所不可不由之公理”,中西文化的差异就在于“自由与不自由”。他将自由意译为“群己权界”,其要义不仅在确认个人之间私权的边界,而重在区分公域与私域、国家公权力与个体私权利之间的权界,强调“小己自由”权利高于国家权力,非他人和治国者所可过问。他不是像有些学者所论断的那样主张“己轻国重”,将个人自由作为服务国家目的的手段;而是区分了两种国家(对内的统治主体和对外的国际法的主体)和两种不同性质的自由(国家对外独立自主和个人私域的自由),主张在对外面临异族侵略时要以“国群自由”为重;而对内则要反抗专制的国家暴力统治,力争“小己自由”,总体上主张自由为本,“人人皆有行己之自由”。所以严复早期的自由主义思想并非以儒家伦理和以国家权力为本位,而是以个体权利为本位,兼顾“国群”。他提出的“自由为本,民主为用”的思想,具有深刻的现实的重要意义。
Yan Fu considered that ＂freedom is a self- evident truth＂ and the difference between Eastern and Western cultures was ＂free or not free＂. He translated the term ＂freedom＂ into Chinese as ＂the boundary between public and individual＂ to differentiated public sphere and private sphere and the boundary between state＇s public authority and individual rights. He claimed that ＂public freedom should prevail when faced with align invasion and individual freedom should prevail otherwise.＂ His early idea of freedom emphasizes individual rights and has long- reaching practical implications.
出处
《中国法学》
CSSCI
北大核心
2006年第6期3-13,共11页
China Legal Science
