名词、概念与理论――西方政治思想中的“国家”
段德敏
【摘 要】 国家是现代世界中最为重要的统治机构，其作用和影响在人们的生活中处处体现，然而尽管如此，我们对它的了解却并不算充分，尚有很多基础性的问题需要澄清。本文从宏观综合的角度讨论了三个问题：西方政治思想史中“state”作为“国家”一词的由来和演变；近代以来西方国家理论中的重大分歧及发展方向；从斯考切波和托克维尔对革命与国家问题的分析中辨析现代国家研究的两重路径。通过对有关国家的名词、概念和理论问题的盘点，本文提出，对作为统治机构的国家的关注离不开对更广义的“政治”的关注，国家的相对独立性的背后其实是政治在人的生活中的无处不在。
【关键词】 国家 政治 统治 非人格性 现代社会
Abstract: State is the most important ruling institution in modern world, its function and influence on people’s lives today are ubiquitous. However, our understanding of state seems to fall short of its importance. There are still plenty of basic questions to be clarified in this regard. This article mainly covers the following three issues: 1）the evolution of the term “state” in western political thought; 2）major theoretical disputes revolving around the nature and role of state in modern times; 3）alternatives in researches on state. By taking stock of these issues, the article argues that, by paying attention to state, it is indispensable to retrace the importance of politics itself.
Key Words: State, Politics, Rule, Impersonality, Modern Society