Page 175 - 国际安全研究2019年第5期

Journal of International Security Studies

Abstracts

3 A Brief Review of National Security Thoughts in the Pre-Qin Period

LIU Wei
[Abstract] Although there was no such a term as “national security” in the pre-Qin
period, with the gradual formation and perfection of China’s early state structure and
the “Land under Heaven” (Tianxia) social order, national security thoughts began to
take shape in the pre-Qin period. The thoughts on political security can be
summarized as being prepared for danger in times of peace, showing respect for
Heaven and protecting the people with advocacy of bright virtue and practice of
cautious punishment, upholding the law and “rectifying the names” to make words
correspond to reality, managing external affairs properly with domestic stability and
security as a prerequisite. The thoughts on economic security can be summarized as
enriching and benefiting the people, stabilizing the country by granting the people a
certain livelihood, focusing more on agriculture than on commerce to better serve
the interests of the country, increasing revenues and reducing expenses to make
people live in a country of prosperity and affluence. The thoughts on military
security can be summarized as attaching paramount importance to national defense
and strengthening armaments, employing military forces wisely and winning
victories through smart strategies, putting equal weight on the power of pen and
sword and strengthening the army by observing law and discipline. The thoughts on
social security can be summarized as regarding the people as the foundation of the
nation, promoting enlightenment to achieve a harmonious unity of family and nation,
storing up food for the famine years to ensure social stability. The thoughts on
national security in the pre-Qin period have not only reflected the true conditions of
that period but also demonstrated distinctive Chinese features, which incorporate
such ideas as achieving unity of man and heaven, showing respect for both heaven
and the people, laying equal stress on home and nation, attaching great value to
virtue and harmony, regarding war as evil and advocating wise strategies as an
invincible weapon. Given that the thoughts on national security in the pre-Qin
period have set the tone for China’s overall outlook on national security in the past
two thousand years, its immeasurable value has survived time and space and thus
conveys practical significance in further enriching and improving the connotations
of China’s overall concept of national security in the new era and will help construct
a theoretical system of national security with Chinese characteristics.
[Keywords] thoughts on national security in the pre-Qin period, political security,
economic security, military security, social security
[Author] LIU Wei, Professor, School of History and Culture, Qufu Normal
University; Research Fellow, Center for Diplomatic Heritage Studies of China (Qufu,
273165).

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