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Table of Content

    20 November 2016, Volume 36 Issue 6
    When Society Becomes Unnaturai: A Critique of Natural Society: Natural Law and the Formation of Modern Moral World
    ZHENG Ge
    2016, 36(6):  1-31. 
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    The change from natural law to natural rights is a transformative event in the early history of modern political philosophy. It alters the way that a modern man understands his relationship with the society as well as the ethical foundation of political authority. The idea that political society was natural because it suited human nature was firmly rejected by the early modern political philosophy. Leading philosophers at the time began to see political society as an unnatural man-created entity of social contracts. Li Meng's Natural Society offers a methodical discussion of this paramount shift in the history of Western political philosophy. Like his previous works, Natural Society is a creative work of synthesis. This review recognizes Li's important contribution in the filed but also points out some significant omissions in his book. For instances, Li intentionally leaves out the crucial role of Christianity in denaturalizing natural law. In so doing, it hampers the reader's understanding of the transformation from classical natural law to modern natural rights. Li's uncritical adoption of Michel Villey's viewpoint, which has been decisively challenged by later studies, also prevents him to explore the concepts of "freedom" and "subjective rights" in Roman law and how equality, not rights, influences the formation of modern ideas.

    The Common Life of Solitary Individuals: What is the Natural Society?
    ZHANG Guowang
    2016, 36(6):  32-54. 
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    LI Meng's Natural Society is a landmark work on the modern political order of the Chinese academia in recent years. Here the so-called "political" includes not only the general political sense, but also the orders of human nature, morals, society and laws. This paper argues that the core of the Natural Society is to explore the relationship between "individual" and "society" which is a classic theme in the modern thoughts, that is to explore how is the common life constituted by modern solitary individuals, how to understand the reality and the tensions of common life forms including modern family, society, morality and state. On this basis, the paper attempts to discuss the following four subjects: first, Robinson solitary is not equivalent to "lonely", but also involves a new possibility of social life; and second, regarding the doctrine of modern natural law, it contains a variety of solitary individuals described by Grotius, Pufendorf and Hobbes, whose subtle differences is indispensable for understanding the order of modern minds; third, regarding the individual image described by Hobbes, its modern temperament not only contain its breaking with the traditional world, but also point to a new kind of expanding the modern human nature; fourth, regarding Hobbes' theory on the state, the laws of nature itself is not the moral foundation of modern states, but the human nature shaped by the laws of nature indeed provide a kind of moral cause. Thus, the paper argues that the development of modern spirit has not yet exhausted itself, and we can more confidently grasp our own situation and fate only if more fully understand its inherent richness and openness.

    The Moral Implication of the State of Nature: Relocating the Beginning of Modern Morality
    CHEN Tao
    2016, 36(6):  55-77. 
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    The doctrine of the state of nature, especially that of Hobbes's, is one of the most essential components in modern political philosophy, moral philosophy and social theory. It is the natural man and the state of nature, and their relationship that constitute the basis of modern thoughts. The doctrine of the state of nature puts an end to the classical understanding of human nature but it does not do away with normality, only it is now somewhat obscure and indescribable. In response to Li's discussion on the state of nature, this paper tries to demonstrate that Hobbes's state of nature is not just a battle ground of human natures or a paradoxical state of human rights, but in fact, it contains certain positive moral implication. That is to say that Hobbes's natural rights are not just subjective rights but also bear the traditional meaning of objective right It is the natural right, not the original contract that constitutes the normal basis of Hobbes's political philosophy.On one hand, the existence of individual "natural rights" depends on sovereign power. That is the objective rightness side of natural rights. On the other hand, natural rights cannot be artificially created by the state. They are dictated by human nature for it is not just "matter" that can be reformed or transformed arbitrarily. Human nature has its own "form" and participates in its own right in constructing political life.

    Unfinished “Natural Sociability”: Human Nature and Normativity of the Modern Society
    LI Meng
    2016, 36(6):  78-96. 
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    Natural Society intends to investigate the doctrine of human nature and normativity articulated by Thomas Hobbes and other members of the modern natural law school concerning the constitution of modern moral world. The state of Nature, natural rights or natural law, and social contract are three decisive moments of modern moral order. The theory of natural state advanced by Hobbes and Grotius, synthesized the apparent opposite self-love and sociability and thus provided a starting point for modern moral philosophy. The state of nature, as moral space, should not be understood a normative order with the natural or objective measure beyond subjective natural rights. In the modern world, normativity is made simultaneously with the social contract which constitutes the Leviathan.

    Sociological Imagination and Imaginary Sociology: An Outline on the Comparison between Parsons' and Mills' Sociological Approaches
    ZHAO Liwei
    2016, 36(6):  97-125. 
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    Talcott Parsons' social theory and C. Wright Mills' social research represent two important and distinctive approaches in American sociology after World War II. This paper begins with a discussion of the differences between Parsons and Mills in the 1950s in order to make an in-depth investigation into the research orientation of these two sociologists. Parsons' grand theory of social science,referred by himself as his research approach,focuses on the dynamics of reciprocity between theory and experience,attempting to provide social science research with a mutual theoretical base and a common language and thus to promote an accumulative development of social science. However,building a unified social science,much like building an academic Tower of Babel,is an unachievable goal. Meanwhile,Mills' sociological imagination is a different research approach that is guided by political imagination. Inevitably,it introduces a dilemma of double sociological and political imaginations. The two research approaches understandably have resulted in very different conclusions about American society. Parsons insists on a liberal pluralistic interpretation of society and puts forward a comprehensive analysis of an interconnected common American society. In contrast,Mills is a fierce critic of American society,a power concentrated elitist society in his eyes. Nevertheless,his disenchantment never stops Mills' hope for a political "public" that would remake history. The difference in their research approaches reflects the deep political division between Parsons and Mills. As a political liberal,Parsons' views on modernity represent a type of moderate and rational optimism,while Mills' political position can only be described as a peculiar mixture of radical utopianism and nostalgic romanticism.

    Craftsmanship and the Art of Sociological Poetry: A Revaluation of C.Wright Mills' Legacy
    WEN Xiang
    2016, 36(6):  126-154. 
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    On the occasion of the centennial of C. Wright Mills' birth, this paper is intended to offer a reassessment of the great sociologist's contribution in sociology. From the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, the United States had undergone fundamental changes, to which American intellectual tradition attempted to respond. The social and intellectual transformation of Mills' time was responsible for the unique historical and cultural context of his works. As an intellectual craftsman, Mills devoted his entire life to reveal the making of these fundamental shifts and the crisis of American democracy both internally and externally. From within, the paper looks into the disagreement between Mills and his contemporary critics such as Talcot Parsons and Daniel Bell over the structure and dynamics of American society, and tries to explain the essential difference between them. From outside, the paper examines Mills' writings on the Cuban Revolution as a critique to American democracy, and his interpretation of its causes and consequences. Aside from being a great sociologist, Mills is a powerful and poetic writer. Mills' attention to the aesthetic style of sociological writing, "the poetry of sociology" in his words, is another important sociological legacy of his, reflecting the humanistic tradition of social science. Finally, the paper explores what kind of inspiration Mills' sociological insights can offer to the Chinese world.

    A Study on the Impact of Hopelessness on Behavioral Inclination
    WENG Dingjun, HUA Hongqin
    2016, 36(6):  155-179. 
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    Following an explanatory logic of "social structural factor → psychological factors in everyday life →hopelessness →behavioral inclination", this quantitative research explores the impact of individual hopelessness on behavioral inclination of aggression and silence. Hopelessness in this study refers to a state of mind when an individual loses confidence in life and hope for the future. Behavioral inclination refers to the psychological disposition towards certain behavioral directions excluding specific situations and events. Our statistical analysis of the data shows that:a) Feeling hopelessness has effects on behavioral inclination. When a person's sense of hopelessness increases,his/her tendency towards aggression or withdrawal rises correspondently;b) Social structural factors (mainly refer to socio-economic statuses) and psychological factors of everyday life have direct effects on individuals' sense of wellbeing but only have indirect influences on behavioral inclination;3) Hopelessness affects aggressive inclination the same way as it does to silence inclination.For some,the impact is manifested in aggression tendency while for others in silence. Our study concludes that a sense of hopelessness plays a key role in generating both aggressive and silence behavioral inclination. Social structural and psychological factors only become relevant when they are the cause of hopelessness. Aggression and withdrawal are an isomorphic pair,rising from dissatisfaction. Long-term dissatisfaction in life can progress to hopelessness, which in turn causes an increasing number of people with aggressive and silence tendencies. Aggressive inclination constitutes psychological readiness for aggression while silence inclination offers psychological acceptance for social devastation. The social mechanism of hopelessness lies in the solidified structure of social strata that prevents social upward mobility. Therefore,any preventive measures for aggressive or silence inclination should begin with an effort to tackle hopelessness.

    Does Higher Education Expansion Promote Intergenerational Mobility?
    YANG Zhongchao
    2016, 36(6):  180-208. 
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    Education is an important path for upward intergenerational mobility. Higher education expansion in China has brought an ever increasing number of people to colleges and universities with a hope to improve their socio-economic status. Based on the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) of 2005,2006, and 2008, this study focuses on the impact of higher education expansion on intergenerational mobility among the college graduates who entered the job market during the post-economic reform period. No substantial evidences are found in this study to indicate a correlation between higher education expansion and intergenerational mobility. Although university education remains a key factor determining individuals' socio-economic status,the higher education expansion in China has not equalized the existing inequality of educational opportunity,nor has it changed the disparity in family background. Family socio-economic status continues to be a significant determinant for college graduates in the Chinese job market.Therefore,the expansion has increased the percentage of college graduates in the total population but it does not alter the intergenerational mobility structure in society. This study also finds that higher education has a dual function of status circulation and status reproduction. The increase of college graduates has diminished the social and economic return of a college degree and thus has an adverse effect on status circulation. The study concludes that higher education expansion for more educational distribution alone will not promote intergenerational mobility. An effort to improve job market and equal employment opportunity is equally important.

    Gender Differences in the SES and Health Gradient in China: A Life Course Longitudinal Study
    ZHENG Li, ZENG Xuhui
    2016, 36(6):  209-237. 
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    This paper is a longitudinal study of the relationship between gender,SES and health among Chinese men and women. The study draws its data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) over a period of sixteen years and applies the growth curve model analysis in an attempt to address two concerns:Are there any gender differences in health dividend returns due to education and income? Does the SES-health gradient among men and women diverge or converge with aging? We attempt to test two competing theoretical propositions of life course health stratification in a gendered Chinese society:cumulative advantage/disadvantage vs. age-as-leveler. Results show that the SES-health gradient is smaller in China than in the West. Chinese women experience significantly poorer health than Chinese men at all age groups. This disparity can be explained solely by the low health returns received by women from education and income. Although as a whole,the Chinese gain less health reruns from education and income than their Western counterparts,Chinese men benefit more in health returns than Chinese women from their education and income. The study finds that the SES-health gradient for men stays consistent throughout life course while for women it converges with aging,a conclusion that supports the age-as-leveler hypothesis. In addition,we explore the effects of the customary unhealthy lifestyle of Chinese intellectuals as well as the impact of the rapidly changing Chinese society on gender inequality in health.