奥林匹克运动的政治动因

The Political Factors of the Olympic Games

古代奥运会基本上是随着希腊城邦制度同步诞生、发展、兴盛和衰亡的,而希腊城邦制度中所具有的人人平等的公民权利为这种竞技性的体育运动提供了公平竞争的政治环境。与之不同的是,从横向的对比来看,在埃及、巴比伦、中国、印度等“四大文明古国”中,既未出现过希腊式的民主政治,也未曾有过“公民”“平等”之类的政治观念,其君主专制政体所带来的“等级制度”或“种姓制度”在客观上不利于平等竞争的竞技运动,因而也就不可能孕育出奥林匹克运动。从纵向的发展来看,在希腊城邦制度建立之前,由于克里特、迈锡尼王朝推行着类似于东方的集权统治和等级制度,因而未曾孕育出奥林匹克运动;在希腊城邦制度消亡之后,由于罗马帝国抛弃了希腊的民主制度,否定了“公民”“平等”之类的政治观念,又使得延续了上千年的奥林匹克运动戛然而止、销声匿迹;到了近代,随着文艺复兴、启蒙运动,以及资产阶级民主制度在西方的确立,平等观念再次深入人心,终于又使得奥林匹克运动重焕新生。如此说来,奥林匹克运动不仅是一种体育运动的赛事,而且是一种政治运动的结果,其所伴随的“自由”“平等”的价值观念值得我们加以深思。

The ancient Olympic Games developed, prospered and declined by accompanying with the development of the city-state system in Greek since the city- state system provided a fair competition political circumstance, in which all people were equal, for the Olympic games. On one hand, it is impossible for other ancient civilized countries, such as Egypt, Babylon, China and India to gestate the Olympic Games since the absolute monarchy and the hereditary system did harm to the fair competition. On the other hand, neither the Crete and Mycenaean dynasties before the Greek nor the Rome Empire after the Greek hold the Olympic Games since the city - state system had been abolished. After the Capitalism system had been set up in the West in modern period, the equality value had been accepted, the modem Olympic Games restarted. Therefore, the Olympic Games are not only a sports game but also a political movement with the idea of liberty and equality.