美国的政治极化与美国民主  

Political Polarization and American Democracy

作　　者：节大磊[1] 

机构地区：[1]北京大学国际关系学院

出　　处：《美国研究》2016年第2期61-74,6-7,共14页The Chinese Journal of American Studies

摘　　要：政治极化是美国政治在近几十年的最显著变化之一。尽管政治极化在美国内战前后、进步主义时代及大萧条时期不乏先例,但是当前的极化程度的确是20世纪以来最高的。20世纪60年代的民权运动及其所带来的政党重组,以及70年代以来不断攀升的贫富分化是政治极化加剧的政治经济大背景。另一方面,政党初选、选区划分和国会规则等方面的制度变迁也直接或间接导致了政治极化现象。尽管政治极化对于美国民主政治有一定的积极作用,但是其与美国分权制衡体系的结合造成了福山所担忧的"否决政治"。制度改革可能是缓解政治极化和"否决政治"的可行途径。Political polarization is one of the most prominent phenomena in American politics in recent decades. Although political polarization had its historical precedents before the Civil War and during the Progressive Era and the Great Depression,the polarization has gone wild since the beginning of the20 th century. On the one hand,the civil rights movement during the 1960 s with the subsequent party realignment and the increasing economic inequality since the 1970 s together constituted the political and economic background of increasing polarization. On the other hand,institutional factors such as party primary,redistricting and Congressional internal rules have also played an important role in driving political polarization. Political polarization does have a few positive consequences,but its combination withthe American checks and balance system has resulted in what Francis Fukuyama called 'vetocracy'. Institutional reform is a reasonable way of mitigating political polarization and 'vetocracy'.

关 键 词：美国政治 极化 两党制 否决政治 美国民主 初选 

分 类 号：D771.2[政治法律—政治学]