徐復觀於1942-1966之間發表了數篇論及儒家政治思想的批判性文章，其中有關現實政治中修己與治人之分、權源轉化的反思性見解富有重要意義，值得進一步研究。對此，本文將論證：（1）儒家要求統治者以人民的好惡為好惡的思想，涉及了政治理念與現實中的二重主體性（權源）之消融與挺立，此蘊含了民主政治的精神；（2）德治格局的弔詭性：理論上是理性啟蒙，但卻在發展上阻礙啟蒙；（3）儒學中修己與治人之分及其對應的學術與政治之分，對於民主與極權的劃分有其必要性；（4）若沒有道德自覺與缺乏個人權利意識之政治自覺，以及上位者若未把握到修己與治人的分際，則容易不自覺演變成權力支配的無限擴張，以及思想殺人的悲劇。

Xu Fu-Kuan published many critical articles which discussed Confucian political thoughts during 1942-1966. Among them, the reflective insights about the transformation of the source of authority, the distinction between Xiuji and Zhiren (self-cultivation and ruling) in real politics are of significance. I believe they are worthy of further study, and therefore coming the following arguments. (1) Confucianism, which requires rulers to take public opinions into consideration involves the subjectivities’ self-negation and self-consciousness in political ideal and reality. This implies the spirit of democracy. (2) The paradox of the rule of virtue is that its ideal purpose is to promote rational enlightenment, but consequentially hinder people from enlightening. (3) The distinction between Xiuji and Zhiren which is equivalent to the distinction between academics and politics possesses the necessity to distinguish democracy from totalitarianism. (4) Without moral self-consciousness and political consciousness of individual rights, and if the ruler does not understand the distinction between Xiuji and Zhiren, it may easily lead to the infinite expansion of power domination due to the ruler’s alienation, and to the tragedy of ideological killing.