A Study on the Formation and Transformation of the Concept of Political Party in Modern Britain: In the Perspective of History of Political Thought

本研究旨在揭示近代英国政党概念的历史形成和演变。首先，我回顾了政党理论的一般历史。然后，我试图阐明哈利法克斯侯爵和乔纳森·斯威夫特的政党概念。他们对政党本身怀有一些不信任和仇恨，尽管他们深度参与政党的活动。他们认为政党只不过是一个没有原则的派系。然而，这些关于政党的观念开始发生变化。我把注意力转向博林布罗克子爵的政党概念，他在与罗伯特波尔(robert〓pol)的政治斗争中提出了这一概念。在博林布罗克看来，必须将政党与派系区分开来，以便特别是反对派形式的政党被认为是自由政府不可或缺的。但博林布鲁克所认为的理想政党，不是别的政党，而是可以终结任何政党的无党派政党。他所推崇的理想政治不过是无党派政府，这将使任何政党都变得不必要。最后，我对埃德蒙·伯克的政党概念进行了反思。我认为，在伯克身上，政党的概念在含义上发生了根本的变化。他不仅从政治功利的角度，而且从伦理的角度，将政党理解为必不可少的。伯克的政党理论具有政党政治、两党制、多党制等重要概念。因此，他的政党理论注定要成为现代政党制度的前身。

This research aims at shedding light on the historical formation and transformation of the concept of political party in modem Britain.First of all, I looked at the general history of political party theory. Then I attempted to elucidate the concepts of political party of the Marquis of Halifax and Jonathan Swift. They entertained some distrust and hatred for political party as such, although they were deeply involved in the activities of parties. They thought that political party signified nothing else than a faction of no principle. These notions of political party, however, began to change. I turned close attention to Viscount Bolingbroke's notion of political party that he advanced in his political struggle with Robert〓pole. In the view of Bolingbroke political party had to be distinguished from a faction, so that the political party in the form of opposition in particular was considered to be indispensable for free government. But the political party which Bolingbroke had regarded as the ideal one was nothing else than the non-party party which would put an end to any party. The ideal politics that he had commended as well was no more than the non-party government which would make any political party unnecessary. Finally I took up and reflected on Edmund Burke's concept of political party. I argued that in Burke the notion of political party underwent a radical change in meaning. He understood political party as essential not simply from the viewpoint of political utility but also in the perspective of ethics. Burke's theory of political party turned out to possess such significant notions as party politics, two-party system, and multi-party system. Thus, his theory of political party was destined to become a predecessor for the modern system of political party.