Abstract: The concepts of awareness of potential dangers and dim consciousness look quite alike，but they have huge difference in essence. They are different in the understanding of human nature and the pursuit of the democratic politics. The awareness of potential dangers advocates that human nature is good，and appeals for radical democracy. The dim consciousness considers that there is a dark side of human nature，which needs to be kept under close watch，so it advocates to rational democracy. Seen from the development of constitutionalism in China，it is very important to the construction of the democratic politics in transformational China to cultivate dim consciousness，keeping a watchful eye on the dark side of the human nature and to strengthen the construction of the institution and the constitutional practice.

Key words: awareness of potential dangers, dim consciousness, theory of human nature, constitutionalism, Xu Fuguan, Zhang Hao