政治极化与西方民主困境  

Political Polarization and Its Challenge for Western Democracies

作　　者：祁玲玲[1,2] Qi Lingling(School of Government&the Hopkings-Nanjing Center,Nanjing University)

机构地区：[1]南京大学政府管理学院 [2]南京大学-霍普金斯大学中美文化研究中心

出　　处：《开放时代》2022年第3期159-171,M0007,共14页Open Times

基　　金：教育部2018年度人文社会科学研究青年基金项目“衡量美国选举制度的民主性及其局限”(项目批号:18YJC810007);2020年度国家社会科学基金项目“2016年以来美国政治极化现象追踪研究”(项目批号:20BZZ092)阶段成果。

摘　　要：政治极化已成为窥视西方民主运行困境不可或缺的视角,是当前政治学研究的热点之一。政治极化现象弥散到西方民主体制的方方面面,表现复杂。研究表明,政治极化背后的驱动因素包含社会经济不平等、人口结构变迁、种族文化冲突、媒体影响等带来意识形态分化以及政党认同的结构性变迁,同时受制于一国选举制度的设计,然而相关结论在美国之外的其他西方国家仍不甚明晰。政治极化既可能带来强政党以及政治精英更明确的政治立场,从而激发民主参与,形成更有力的反对派,使民主更好地运转,也有可能撕裂多元力量之间的民主共识,破坏政治妥协,进而形成政治僵局降低政府效率,甚至导致民主倒退与崩溃。然而,究竟怎样的条件可以激发政治极化带给民主的积极效应并遏制负面效应仍是未知的议题。这给美国政治之外的比较政治学研究提出了理论与系统实证研究的双重挑战。Political polarization has become increasingly notable in western democracies. Studies show that political polarization in American democracy is influenced by the ideological distance and party sorting resulting from economic inequality, demographic changes, racial conflicts, and media bias, etc. The electoral system also plays an important role in the process. The impacts of political polarization on democracy are complicated: on the one hand, political polarization may improve democratic development by clarifying different policy positions, boosting political participation, and forming stronger political oppositions;on the other hand, it may tear up the consensus reached among various political forces, sabotage political compromise, and produce political gridlock that can lead to inefficient government and even the collapse of democracy. More academic studies are required on the conditions under which we can avoid pernicious democracies. In particular, we should widen our scope of comparative political study to include countries and areas other than the USA.

关 键 词：政治极化 民主 政党 意识形态 

分 类 号：D082[政治法律—政治学] D033.3