초록 열기/닫기 버튼
In the twenty-first century, a growing number of “traditionalist Confucians” in Mainland China have been using Confucianism to justify authoritarian political arrangements as alternatives to constitutional democracy. In the face of this challenge, “progressive Confucians” argue that they can provide authentic Confucian justifications for constitutional democracy, and can counter traditionalist Confucians purely on Confucian terms by providing better interpretations of the Confucian tradition. This article argues that progressive Confucians may not be able to win the debate with their traditionalist rivals because they cannot defend their interpretations of Confucian texts as superior to rival interpretations, and because an endless debate on Confucian interpretation unwittingly diverts social critics’ attention from more urgent political issues in China, most notably political oppression. A better strategy, I argue, is for progressive Confucians to step out of the interpretive debate with the traditionalists and provide extra- Confucian reasons about the need to establish a constitutional democracy in the Chinese context.
