民主政治、民众心理与两次世界大战间欧洲国际秩序的解体

Democratic Politics and Mass Psychology and the Disintegration of the European International Order in the Interwar Period

民主政治的核心原则是主权在民,即人民有权定期地、公开地投票决定重大事务或选举国家官员。在这一制度原则下,多数民众所持有的一致性的心理认识对民主国家的对内及对外政策具有极强的形塑作用。两次世界大战间的欧洲主要大国均是实行民主政治制度。在这段时期,英、法两国民众的和平主义情绪通过民主政治过程的作用,使两国的对德政策表现出”绥靖”的特征。而德国民众的复仇主义情绪则使希特勒在民主选举中成功当选,并使德国的对外政策向改变既有秩序的方向彻底转变。和平主义情绪和复仇主义情绪经过民主政治过程的相互作用,最终导致了两次世界大战间欧洲国际秩序的解体。

The core principle of the democratic politics indicates the people＇s sovereignty which can be interpreted as people have the right to decide important affairs and elect officials by publicly and periodically voting. With this principle, the public opinion held by the majority can sharply shape the domestic and foreign policies of democracies. The main European powers are all democracies in the interwar period during which the British and French people＇s desire for peace made their policies toward German characterize “appeasement” through the process of democratic politics. It was the German people＇ s desire for revenge that helped Hitler succeed in the democratic election and that changed the foreign policy of Germany towards the good order. As a result, through the process of democratic politics, the interaction of the desire for peace in Britain and France and the desire for revenge in Germany finally led to the disintegration of the European international order in the interwar period.