张旭
摘 要：在追溯其自身的学科传统时，比较政治学通常会提及孟德斯鸠，但并未给予足够重视。与此同时，思想史的学者则更多关注孟德斯鸠的思想内容，而较少讨论他的方法论贡献。本文认为，就像被推崇为社会学的奠基人一样，孟德斯鸠也理应被视作现代比较政治学的最早开拓者。原因在于，当他考察经验世界，探究政治现象之间的因果关系，并以此为基础展开对良善政治的普遍思考时，所采用的比较研究方法具有现代意义上的科学性。在此过程中，政体类型为比较研究提供了框架，历史和现实中的国家都被置于其中。而通过对东西方的统治方式进行平等的比较，孟德斯鸠也使曾经“非政治”的东方统治获得了比较研究的“合法性”。此外，他尤其关注个体的情感和群体的精神与制度之间的互动关系，这为当今比较政治学的制度研究提供了启示。
关键词：孟德斯鸠；比较政治学；政体类型；自由
【作者】张旭，对外经济贸易大学国际关系学院师资博士后。
【Title】Montesquieu’s Comparative Politics: Vision, Method and Issues
Abstract: When tracing its own tradition, comparative politics often mentions Montesquieu, but does not pay enough attention. At the same time, scholars of the history of political thought tend to focus on the content of Montesquieu’s thought rather than his methodological contributions. In this article, we argue that Montesquieu should be considered as the pioneer of modern comparative politics, just as he has been revered as the founder of sociology. The reason is that when he examines the empirical world, explores the causal relationships among political phenomena, and achieves general thinking on good politics, the comparative method he adopts is scientific in the modern sense. In doing so, the types of government provide a framework for his comparative studies, in which countries in the history and his contemporary times are placed. Furthermore, through the worldwide comparisons between the East and the West, the Oriental rule which was “apolitical” in the past gained “legitimacy” in comparative research. In addition, the interactions between emotions/spirit and institutions/laws are emphasized by Montesquieu, which can be an inspiration for the institutional study of today’s comparative politics.
Key words: Montesquieu, comparative politics, types of government, liberty