Abstract:

As a political theory, nationalism views nation as the highest human group, which is different from cosmopolitanism advocating the "universal harmony in the world" and also from liberal individualism. It insists that the unification of a nation should be superior to democracy and liberty, and therefore, the individual should devote himself to his nation without any additional preconditions. All this is shown in LIANG Qi-chao's "Theory of New People". First, in IIANG's theory the "world group" is turned into the "nation group"; in other words, the relationship between group and individual in political ethics is virtually the one between public and individual. Second, his so - called liberty raises national liberty and meanwhile suppresses individual rights and personality. Through this case we can realize why Chinese nationalism, in the sense of feelings instead of politics, is short of the content of nationalism.

Key words: theory of new people, nationalism, great harmony, liberty