“选举社会”的概念——秦汉至晚清社会形态命名初探

发布时间：2018-08-18 17:49

【摘要】：有别于现代民主选举制度的中国古代选举制度,经历了从西汉到晚清、从察举到科举两千多年的发展。这一发展趋势使政治权力、经济财富和社会地位与名望这些在传统社会中结为一体的主要社会资源的分配,基本上是通过选拔来实现,终于使中国的社会形态从西周至春秋的"世袭社会"转变为一种"选举社会",亦即从一种封闭的等级制社会转变为一种流动的等级制社会。尤其在宋以后,"士大夫多出草野",统治阶级的再生产发生了一种根本的转变,这种转变也深刻影响到整个社会的观瞻,以及个人和家族想要上升的途径选择。正是基于此,用"选举社会"的概念来解释从秦汉到晚清的社会结构的演变看来是有相当多证据支持的,比较符合历史的真相和历史上的人们对自身所处社会的理解。另外,比较起其他解释这一历史时期的概念,--例如侧重经济社会的"封建社会"概念和侧重政治上层的"官僚帝国社会"的概念,这一概念看来也更有说服力,因为它从主要社会资源的分配决定着社会结构的观察角度,沟通了政治与社会、上层与下层。同时,"选举社会"这个概念还是一个最能显示中国历史文明所独具的特色的一个解释性概念。
[Abstract]:Different from the modern democratic election system, the ancient Chinese electoral system experienced the development from the Western Han Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, from the examination to the imperial examination for more than two thousand years. This trend has led to the distribution of the main social resources, political power, economic wealth and social status and prestige, which are integrated in traditional societies, basically through selection, Finally, the social form of China changed from "hereditary society" to "election society" from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn period, that is, from a closed hierarchical society to a mobile hierarchical society. Especially after Song Dynasty, the reproduction of the ruling class took place a kind of fundamental change, which also deeply affected the outlook of the whole society and the way that individuals and families wanted to rise. Based on this, the concept of "election society" is used to explain the evolution of social structure from the Qin and Han dynasties to the late Qing Dynasty, which is supported by quite a lot of evidences and accords with the historical truth and people's understanding of their own society. In addition, it seems more convincing to compare other concepts that explain this historical period for example, the concept of "feudal society", which focuses on economic and social life, and the concept of "bureaucratic empire", which focuses on the political upper echelons, Because it determines the social structure from the perspective of the allocation of the main social resources, it communicates politics with society, upper and lower levels. At the same time, the concept of "election society" is also an explanatory concept which can best show the unique characteristics of Chinese historical civilization.
【作者单位】：北京大学哲学系;
【分类号】：K207

【共引文献】