论学术自由的政治价值

A Discussion concerning the Political Value of Academic Freedom

学术自由是民主政治有效运作的必要前提,它使不同意见自由表达和深入讨论,促进社会共识的形成,确保多数决原则之实现,从而成为民主程序之重要环节。学术自由不仅为政治决策提供科学依据和备选方案,而且对政府权力的行使发挥着重要的舆论监督功能,从而促进政治决策的科学化。学术自由是政治文明的重要体现,并为政治文明的发展提供物质动力、精神动力、技术手段和文化基础,纠正民主运行中的偏差,阻滞"多数人暴政"的形成。

Academic freedom is a prerequisite to effective operation of democratic politics. It protects free expression and substantial discussion of different ideas, promote public consensus, and safeguards the rule of the majority. It not only enables the production of scientific evidence and multiple political choices, but also monitors public opinion in the process of executing government power. It is an important embodiment of political civilisation, moreover, it offers physical and spiritual drives, techniques and cultural foundation for the development of political civilisation, rectifies errors during the operational process of democracy, and checks the trend towards ＂majority tyranny＂.