Page 99 - 《社会》2025年第3期

社会·2025·3

the theory of natural rights and the social contract theory， British conservatism
resorted to historical traditions， and emphasized the role of the constitution in
maintaining the integrity of society. Walter Bagehot reintroduced the principle of
dignity in the political system， arguing that the Queen was the head of society， and
that the principle of society was another foundation independent of the principle of
government efficiency. As the representative of society， the Queen highlights the
wholeness of society. Upon this foundation， James Frazer established a social
theoretical basis for constitutional monarchy. He broke away from the dualistic
Christian division of sacred and secular political theory and examined the historical
forms of kingship and the relationship between royal and divine authority. He argued
that the sanctity of the king came from his social responsibilities， and the king
became the head of society by creating a customary and cultural community
centered around himself through sacrificial rites. In British history， the
constitutional tradition of "the King in the council in the Parliament" is the
embodiment of the totality of society centered on the king. However， it was
established in an early institutionalized form and became the main content of the
British political system. By exploring the social significance of the monarchy in
constitutional monarchy and re鄄emphasizing the integrity of society， conservatives
helped to maintain the social order amidst the changes of the times， and reshaped
the traditional cultural values， and cultivated the social sentiments of the citizens.
Keywords：divine right of king，the integrity of British society，constitutional
monarchy， James Frazer

恩格斯（1956：661-662）在论述英国社会的特点时曾说：“只有英国
才有社会的历史。 只有在英国，纯粹作为个人、有意识地不代表普遍原
则的人们才促进了民族的发展，并且使之接近完成。 只有在这里，群众
才是为自己的私人利益进行活动的群众；只有在这里，原则要对历史有
所影响必须先转化为利益。 ……在（欧洲）大陆上，社会的因素还完全被
掩藏在政治的因素之下，还丝毫没有和后者分离开；而在英国，政治的
因素已逐渐被社会的因素战胜，并且为后者所驱使。 ”他还总结说：“英
国全部政治的基础是社会性的。 ”与欧洲大陆的其他国家相比，英国的
社会发育更为完整，社会与政治的关系相对紧密。 但在恩格斯看来，英

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