重讀古德諾

Rediscovering Goodnow: A perspective of his time during Yuan’s reign

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

作爲袁世凱憲法顧問的古德諾博士，因其供袁氏參考之備忘録《共和與君主論》的發表而在中國近代史上留下了不光彩的一筆。後世史家每每提及袁氏稱帝一事，總要連帶抨擊古德諾和他的《共和與君主論》，認爲古氏實爲帝制擁躉，《共和與君主論》則是一篇阿諛迎奉、爲袁氏登基强行尋求合理性的千古謬論。然而筆者通過考察古德諾1915年前後的在華活動並且通過研讀《共和與君主論》，認爲對於古德諾及其思想做出這樣的歷史評價未免過於武斷。古氏對於中國國情的認識及其對於民主先決條件的思考，至今仍有其特殊的現實意義與參考價值。

Dr. Goodnow, Yuan Shikai’s legislation consultant, was considered to be a humiliating figure in modem Chinese history due to his <A Comparison between Republic and Monarchy>, a private memo for Yuan. Most of the Chinese scholars criticized Goodnow for his viewpoints in the memo. However, a different conclusion was deduced after the author carefully examined Goodnow’s work and actions during Yuan’s reign. His statements about the preconditions of democracy and the gradualism of China’s reform may still be inspiring today.