| During the1950s and1960s Yin Haiguang was the most important liberalismthinker in Taiwan. His idea and speech affected countless young people at Taiwan ofhis time. It is like a lighted beacon under the dark sky of authoritarian rule. Eventoday, nearly44years after his death, his theory and action still build a model forChinese young people to pursue truth and freedom.In the paper, we will introduce some main political transitions happened in YinHaiguang’s life, and find out his relation with many other thinkers, such as Jin Yuelin,Hu shi, Betrand Russell, Hayek. In the paper,we will present the formation process ofYin Haiguang’s thinking. By studying on Yin Haiguang’s books and other materials,we try to explore the content, characteristic and limitation on Yin Haiguang’s idea.Atlast,we discuss Yin haiguang’s contributions and effects in Chinese ideologicalhistory.Yin Haiguang’s liberalism begins with inward freedom. Inward freedom impelspeople to struggle for political freedom, economic freedom, freedom of thought,ethical freedom. Yin haiguang particularly emphasized the freedom of thought. Heregarded that freedom of thought is most important freedom. The political practices ofliberalism are always failing in China and Taiwan. In face of adversity of taiwan’sliberalism Yin haiguang advocated to the rebuilding of spirit and morality. To achievethis goal,Yin haiguang hoped people develop their independent strength.Hebelieved that freedom and democracy will keep in the world for ever.Democracy in Yin haiguang’s idea is a kind of politics which ensure individualright.it is not only include voting right and decision0f majority. In democratic politicsindividual is not leader’s tool and leader is not inviolability. There should be some“common good†which base on same values in this kind of democratic politics.Although there is not most efficient government in democratic politics, there is mostcreative citizen in democratic politics.Nation should base on individual right in Yin haiguang’s idea. The aim of nationis protection citizen right. Nobody have right to force citizen to sacrifice for nation’sbenefit. If Nation’s benefit is not sum of all the citizen’s benefit, it is the leader’sbenefit. No matter all the citizen’s benefit or the leader’s benefit,it is not justice thatforcing any citizen to lost his individual right for it.Because Yin haiguang loved his motherland intensely, he could not treat politicsas impersonal. Even he proposed cognizing politics with scientific method, hispolitical thinking is not value free. Yin haiguang accepted experience evolution fromHayek. He claimed that improving politics gradually is better than rationalconstruction political structure completely. However he stand for freedom anddemocracy in china. Freedom and democracy don’t exist in Chinese tradition, sofreedom and democracy in china have to build with rational construction.Yin haiguang object to autocracy with liberal ideality. He resisted thatgovernment forbade intellectual to tell the truth. He criticized bureaucrats of the KMTfor their rotten political climate.Lei zheng,the editor in chief of free china, wasarrested because he prepared establishing a new political party. Yin haiguang wrotesome articles to rescue Lei zheng. After 《free china》was closed, Yin haiguang lost his speech platform. He turnedto research Chinese culture. On1965he published his most important book《Reappraisal of Culture Change in Modern China》.0n1966he was forced to leaveTaiwan university by government. He died at three years after. His students Li Ao﹑Lin Yusheng﹑Zhang hao﹑Cheng guyin inherit his ideality,and promoteliberalism of Taiwan into a new period. |
