论公共领域与私人领域的均衡态势

On the Balance between the Public Domain and the Private Domain

在现代政治理论的论述中,公共与私人既是政治空间的概念,又是政治价值的辞藻。在公共领域与私人领域的划分中,人们常常看重公共领域的结构与功能。其实,维持公共领域与私人领域巧妙的均势状态,才是现代政治社会支撑起公共空间最重要的事务。公共化的危险在于,私密空间的彻底公共化,将公共的价值作为侵入私人生活的理由,从而使公共变异为专制的手段;私密化的危害在于,沉浸在私密空间中的人,彻底拒绝担当公共责任,从而使政治社会丧失了存在依据,也会因此有利于个人专断。只有维护公共领域与私人领域的均衡态势,才足以有效捍卫公正公平的民主宪政状态,进而有力地保护公共利益和私人生活。

In modem political theories, the public and the private domains are concepts about political space as well as political value. The structure and function of the public domain are usually valued more in dividing the public and the private domains. Actually, to maintain a balanced situation between the two domains is the most im- portant issue for a modem political society to support the public domain. The risk of making everything public is that the public values would be made as an excuse to invade private life, rendering going public a means of despot- ism. The risk of making everything private is that people who immerse themselves into private space would refuse to undertake public responsibility, undermining the basis of a political society and leading to dictatorship. Only when a balance between the public and the private domains is achieved will a just and fair constitutional democracy be safeguarded and further the public interests and private life be effectively protected.