The Journey of Democracy

Author: John Donne
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-12-01
Features: In the 6th century BC, democracy was merely an emergency measure to address local issues in Athens. However, as it evolved, democracy became the legitimate foundation upon which all political systems were built. This book selects significant events from world history to reveal the development of democracy and explores its relationship with other ideological movements. The authors of this book are renowned scholars in their respective fields, and their works represent the latest achievements of the Anglo-American academic community in understanding the political and social development of Western societies and the evolution of their thought. This book serves as an important reference for comprehending the development of Western political society and the transformation of its intellectual trends.
[Preface] General Preface: China is an ancient civilization, and the humanistic spirit has been particularly prominent within it. The "Zhou culture" is already impressive, and the pre-Qin philosophers such as Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi have broadly shaped the fundamental framework of Chinese cultural development for the following two thousand years, with occasional bursts of extraordinary brilliance. However, since the modern era, China has faced strong winds and rains from the West, leading to a decline in its flowers and fruits. The reasons for this decline include both the overwhelming influence of foreign civilizations and the lack of successors within China itself. Today, the world is interconnected, and no culture can develop or survive in isolation. The ancient Chinese culture has an urgent need to draw nourishment from various sources beyond its borders. Over the past century, many Chinese translations have been published. Now, without pretending to be modest, I have also established this "Humanistic Translation Series." The name may seem grand, but it aims to include as many valuable translations as possible, with the hope of contributing a small effort to the revival of Chinese humanism. The selection of materials and themes for the series is not overly restrictive, and we strive for relative focus. Currently, we have compiled several thematic albums:
1. Western Classical Thought and Figures, with special emphasis on ancient Greece.
2. Western Political Theory and Practice, with particular focus on the development of liberal democracy as the mainstream of Western thought and institutions since the modern era.
3. Intellectuals and the Free Market, as globalization has involved us all in the market economy, and the attitude of humanistic intellectuals toward this phenomenon is particularly noteworthy.
4. Christian Spirit and Humanism, as this transcendence may be what Chinese humanism needs to pay special attention to in a more realistic context.
5. Dostoevsky and Russian Thought, hoping to broaden the perspective of the Chinese people to appreciate the depth of the souls of our neighboring country.
6. "Academic and Intellectual Review," edited by He Junzhao and Tian, which includes both translations and critiques. The recent issues have particularly focused on the twists and turns of the intersection between Chinese and Western history as they extend into "modernity."
Over the past few years, we have achieved these initial results thanks to the strong support of Zhou Dianfu and Hu Weige, leaders of the Jilin publishing industry, as well as the dedicated efforts of the editorial team and numerous translators and proofreaders. "Ten years to grow trees, a hundred years to raise people," and the revival of humanism is not something that can be achieved overnight. We hope to make the "Humanistic Translation Series" a long-term endeavor. In addition to continuing to enrich the existing albums, we will also launch new ones and sincerely hope that this initiative continues to receive attention and support from all quarters.