本文主要說明「五四之子」殷海光對於西方自由主義的珍視和嚮往，以及海耶克（Freidrich Hayek, 1899-1992）、希爾斯（Edward Shils, 1910-1995）、波拉尼（Michael Polanyi, 1891-1976）等批判中央計畫和意識形態極權政治等西方自由主義者，如何共同影響林毓生的政治關懷與對於五四運動的研究。林毓生深受殷海光問學的啟發與道德熱情的鼓舞，並奠基於海耶克、希爾斯、波拉尼等西方學人的思想和立場上，結合西方社會科學理論、概念與中國歷史，說明五四時期全盤性反傳統主義意識形態思潮的形成和影響。林毓生的關懷與研究，不僅對中國內部重大的歷史與思想演變提出創新解釋，並且將中國歷史問題連結至世界政治思潮的分歧與爭論，呈現中國歷史如何受到世界政局與思潮變化的牽動與影響。

This essay examines Lin Yü-sheng’s research into the radical antitraditionalism of the May Fourth era and his political concern, which has been influenced by Yin Hai-Kuang and Freidrich Hayek、Edward Shils、 Michael Polanyi. Yin appreciated western liberalism, and Hayek, Shils and Polanyi criticised central planning and ideological totalitarism during WWI and the Cold War. Lin has been influenced by them and made use of their theories and concepts in his anaylsis of Chinese modern history. Lin diagnoses out the causes which made China unable to develop liberalism in the 20th century , and indicates that totalistic antitraditionalism in the May Fourth era was the kernel. Lin provides original interpretations of modern Chinese history and political development, and connects modern Chinese history with political trends and debates in the 20th century worldwide.