顯學視域下的荀子經濟論述――墨家節用思想之批判與反思

The Economic Discourse of Xunzi in the Perspective of Manifest Learning: Critique and Reflection on Mohist Frugality Thought

荀子以〈富國〉為核心的經濟論述，事實上是在作為顯學的儒墨交涉場域中所建構。亦即藉由〈非十二子〉中儒學意識型態對他者與內在他者的批判，可以梳理出荀子典範與其他學派上根本的差異。那麼可以發現，荀子對於墨子的批判是為「上功用，大儉約，而僈差等」，以經濟思維的批判作為墨學的概括，而非道德論實踐上的兼愛理論。而檢視荀子的經濟思想便可以發現，其多為針對〈非十二子〉中墨子批判的三個向度而發。由此更可進一步理解到，荀子在作為儒家的自我認同中，與墨家的根本區別不在於「利」與「義」的對立，而是「節用」與「節用以禮」、「節用裕民」的差異。如以經濟學脈絡而論，可說墨子在自苦中「以節流作為開源」，而荀子則是在禮儀繁飾中「以開源作為節流」。也就是說，荀子在經濟論述中仍以禮作為終極價值去涉入，那是一種「裕民以政」的政治經濟系統。在以禮為核心的經濟論述中，荀子不僅梳理物質經濟，更強調物質文明，他認為經濟論述上的富足並不只是物質上的富足，還須涉入心靈上的富足。只要能夠以富養民，而不僅是如墨子賦予天子以至庶民自苦儉約的義務，那麼便能夠充滿生命驅力去裁萬物而使資源源源不竭，在開源中富足，也就沒有所謂「憂天下之不足」的問題。

Xunzi’s economic discourse centered around“Enriching the State”is constructed within the framework of the intellectual exchange between Confucianism and Mohism as manifestations of prominent learning. By critiquing the Confucian ideological consciousness of“Non-Twelve Sons”towards others and internal others, we can delineate the fundamental differences between Xunzi’s paradigm and other schools of thought. It can be observed that Xunzi’s criticism of Mozi focuses on“emphasizing functionality, great frugality, and minimizing discrepancies,”summarizing Mohist thought through economic critique rather than the altruistic theory of moral practice. Examining Xunzi’s economic thought reveals that it primarily addresses three dimensions of Mozi’s critique in“Non-Twelve Sons.”Furthermore, it can be understood that in Xunzi’s self-identification as a Confucian, the fundamental distinction from Mohism lies not in the opposition between“benefit”and“righteousness,”but in the difference between“frugality”and“frugality through ritual”and“frugality to benefit the people.”In the context of economics, it can be said that Mozi“uses frugality as a means to expand resources”through self-imposed austerity, while Xunzi“expands resources as a means to practice frugality”amidst ceremonial extravagance. In other words, in his economic discourse, Xunzi still incorporates ritual as the ultimate value. This constitutes a political-economic system of“enriching the people through governance.”In an economic discourse centered around ritual, Xunzi not only addresses material wealth but also emphasizes material civilization. He believes that prosperity in economic discourse is not only material but also involves spiritual abundance. As long as one can enrich and support the people, rather than simply imposing the duty of self-imposed austerity and frugality on the emperor and common people, then there will be an inexhaustible source of life force to harness all things, ensuring an abundance of resources through expansion, and thus, there will be no issue of“worrying about the insufficiency of the world.”