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在当代西方政治哲学中,就国家或政府是否应当干预个人生活的问题,存在着自由主义与国家完善论之间的争论。自由主义者认为,不仅公民对于什么是好的生活方式存在着不同的看法,而且事实上也不存在一种适合于所有人的普遍的生活方式。由于各人的情况并不相同,对于一个人来说是好的生活方式,对于另一个人来说就不见得是好的。因此,除非一个人的生活方式会对他人的生活方式产生负面的影响,一个公正的国家或政府应该对公民的各种生活方式保持中立,既不偏袒某些生活方式,也不歧视另一些生活方式。国家完善论则认为,国家或政府具有完善其公民的生活方式的责任。其公民的各种生活方式,即使都不对他人的生活方式产生负面影响,也不是同等的。其中有些生活方式是真正好的、有价值的生活方式,而另一些则是不好的、没有价值的生活方式。因此,国家或政府的一个重要任务就是要将这两类生活方式区分开来,并鼓励和引导其公民过前一类生活,而避免后一类生活方式。在这样一场争论中,有不少学者指出,儒家属于国家完善论。本文认为国家完善论仍然存在一些问题,而且儒家似乎也没有办法帮助国家完善论解决这样的问题。但是,在自由主义和国家完善论的这场争论中还存在着一个盲点,而儒家恰好可以克服这个盲点。
In the contemporary western political philosophy, there is a debate between liberalism and national perfectionism on the question whether the state or government should intervene in personal life. Liberals believe there is not only a different perception of what a good life style citizens are, but there is in fact no universal life style that is right for all. Since each person’s situation is not the same, being a good lifestyle for one is not necessarily good for the other person. Therefore, unless one’s life style has a negative impact on the lifestyle of others, an equitable nation or government should be neutral about the various lifestyles of citizens, neither favoring certain lifestyles nor discriminating against others the way. The theory of state perfection holds that the state or government has the responsibility to improve the lifestyle of its citizens. The various lifestyles of their citizens are not the same, even if they have no negative impact on the lifestyle of others. Some of these ways of life are really good, valuable ways of life, while others are bad, worthless ways of life. Therefore, one of the important tasks for a country or government is to distinguish between these two types of lifestyles and to encourage and guide their citizens to live in the former type, while avoiding the latter type of life style. In such a debate, many scholars pointed out that Confucianism belongs to the national theory of perfection. This paper argues that there are still some problems with the theory of perfection in the country, and that there seems to be no way for the Confucianists to help countries improve their theories and solve such problems. However, there is still a blind spot in the debate on liberalism and national perfectionism, and Confucius happens to be able to overcome this blind spot.