摘要
本文旨在通過細緻的文本與脈絡分析，為孟子的經濟思想提供一份新的解釋。文章認為，孟子對「利」的若干負面觀點，其實是特定脈絡下的論述，反映戰國中期的政治與文化環境。孟子經濟思想的核心關懷，是同時關照物質利益與道德。這一特徵已見於《論語》，孟子則更進一步透過道德情感的理論，說明倫理與經濟生活的關係。在此基礎上，歷史也成為知識資源，幫助闡發「仁政」的經濟與道德內涵。要言之，周全地考慮經濟與道德的關係，是孟子學說的重要元素；孟子的經濟論述，既是其政治哲學中不可或缺的一環，也有助學界進一步理解先秦思想史。
This article aims to offer a new interpretation of the economic thought in the Mengzi. Through careful textual and contextual analyses, it argues that Mencius’ seeming suspicion concerning “benefit” is actually a discourse in response to the contemporary political and cultural milieu. The seminal concern of Mencius’ economic thought entails appropriate consideration of both material benefits and morality. While this feature has already been seen in the Analects, Mencius further develops a theory of moral sense to elucidate the relationship between ethics and economic life, and employs history as an intellectual resource to illuminate the economic blueprint as well as the moral character of benevolent governance. In a nutshell, attending to the interplay between economic life and morality is a critical component in Mencius’ teachings; furthermore, Mencius’ economic discourse not only constitutes an indispensable part of his political philosophy, but also sheds light on the intellectual history of pre-imperial China.
關鍵詞
孟子 經濟思想 利 道德情感 先秦思想史
Mengzi (Mencius), economic thought, benefit, moral sense, intellectual history of pre-imperial China
