The Occurrence,Dilemma And Treatment Of Modernity Countries

Gulliver’s Travels is not only an imaginative literary work,but also a book of political philosophy.From the perspective of legal philosophy,Gulliver’s Travels can be regarded as Swift’s answer to the question of the modernity countries,the content of this book is mainly developed from the occurrence,dilemma and treatment of the countries of modernity.Lilliput and Brobdingnag answer the question of the emergence of the modernity state.Lilliput corresponds to the actual parliamentary party state in Britain,while Brobdingnag symbolizes Swift’s ideal monarch of mixed balanced constitution.But whether it is Lilliput and Brobdingnag,it is only a state of premodernity that is dominated by chance.The possibility of the mutual conversion of the Lilliput and the Brobdingnag fully reflects the opportunistic characteristics of the two: if a "superior monarch" re-injects the spirit of the traditional mixed and balanced constitution into the old system,then Lilliput will return to the original good government;once the balance of power among monarchs,aristocrats,and civilians in the country is broken,disputes and civil wars are also likely to re-ignite in Brobdingnag.Not only that,the randomness of Gulliver’s body and strength also hints at the decisive role of chance in the country and political situation: based on the difference between body and strength,Gulliver has different political situation in different countries.Lilliput and Brobdingnag are not the end.Gulliver is "destined to continue sailing",and the only constant rationality in the transformation of the Lilliput and Brobdingnag will become the basis for continued navigation.Swift is keenly aware that the desire to build a secular heaven based on modern rationality as a human means will become the most prominent feature of a modernity state.Laputa and Houyhnhnms show the plight of modernity nations.Laputa and Houyhnhnms are both based on the construction of modern pure reason,but they each correspond to a utopian tradition.Laputa corresponds to a modern country dominated by technological rationality.The most typical manifestation of such a country with technological rationality is the loss of the classical division between science and art.As a result,the pursuit of deterministic knowledge which belongs to the scientific field has been transplanted into specific matters that should be under the jurisdiction of technology.The advancement ofscience in technology has made modern people lose their ability to deal with "political reality",and at the same time lost their understanding of great things and noble things because of their quantification and homogenization.Houyhnhnms symbolizes the modernity state led by moral reason.Its main manifestation is the suppression of passion by moral reason.Houyhnhnms’ moral rationality is dogmatic,relying on a closed community,and the homogeneity of the community is the main logic of Houyhnhnms’ action.Therefore,Houyhnhnms’ rule has no emotional support and is based on the brutal rule of reason.Therefore,it is highly similar to the behavior of Nazi Germany during World War II.Laputa and Houyhnhnms are not two different states,but two faces of a modernity state.Both Laputa and Houyhnhnms are models of modern rationality.They lack the understanding of the intermediate state of humans and the dialectical ability of classical rationality.They both artificially conceal the true reality,and therefore have a tendency towards totalitarianism.Swift’s writing method is indirect,so the hidden positive points in his work can only be revealed through clues.Modern reason has deprived man of his real life,but this does not mean that the return to it is no longer possible.Combining A Tale of a Tub and related sermons,we find that Swift’s teachings are aimed at people with two different characteristics,curious and credulous.For those who are curious,Swift advocates returning to classical philosopher-type education,but this kind of education is easy to be distorted because of modern people’s dedication to their beasts and peculiar pride.The education of Gulliver by her master is an example of failure.For those who are credulous,Swift advocates the role of religious traditions.The cloak of religious traditions hides cruel truths and maintains morality,goodness,and ordinary happiness.So Swift’s more secure approach is the second.Excluding the introduction and the conclusion,the body is divided into four parts:The first part outlines the background of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.From the development of business society and the formation of party politics,to the role of progressive ideas and the debate between ancient and modern times,to the rationalist trends behind it and the impact of the scientific revolution,Swift has deep involved in core issues of his era.But Swift is a rebel of the times,and is a typical example of intellectuals who have been alienated from any authority by Sayed.Gulliver’s Travels also carries Swift’s annoying character.The second part expounds the theory of occurrence of the modern state,which corresponds to Gulliver’s travel experience in the Lilliput and the Brobdingnag.Lilliput and Brobdingnag are not simply ancient and modern confrontations.The corruption in Lilliputcomes from the loss of public sprit,and public sprit is guaranteed in Brobdingnag mainly through "superior monarchs" and mixed and balanced constitution.Both Lilliput and Brobdingnag are deeply affected by fortune.The relative transformation of Gulliver’s body in Lilliput and Brobdingnag should also demonstrate the power of fortune.Reason is the human means of controlling fortune.The intent of the first two parts of Gulliver’s Travels is similar to Machiavelli.The third part focuses on the dilemma of the modernity state pointed out by Swift.This part corresponds to the two parts of the novel,the Laputa and Houyhnhnms.The upper and lower bounds of the island nation are the distinction between classical science and modern science.Modern science has transcended the boundaries of classical science and invaded the field of technology.This invasion has caused modern research programs to cut the rich connotation of reality,thereby Lost understanding of true reality.In Swift’s view,only empirical politics represented by Munodi can grasp the political reality.Houyhnhnms is a model of moral reason’s suppression of passion.The opposition between Houyhnhnm and Yahoo symbolize the loss of man’s intermediate state.It is also in this loss that morality becomes purely abstract dogma and brutal rationality serves the closed community.The fourth part discusses the way to treat the plight of modernity in Gulliver’s Travels.This part of the analysis is mainly based on the Houyhnhnms master and Captain Pedro as clues.Swift distinguishes between curious and credulous education,one is classically philosophical and the other depends on religious traditions.Swift believes that the former education can easily be distorted,and the second is more secure.Behind imagination and irony,Swift is still writing as a clergyman.