美国犹太自由主义的成因:构建与受益——兼评美国犹太例外论

The Causes of the Liberalism among the American Jewry: Also on Their Exceptionalism

作为以中产阶级为主体的族群,美国犹太人并未自动归属保守主义阵营,而是一以贯之地表现出独特的自由主义倾向。学界对此解读甚多,但"美国犹太例外论"具有较高解释力。犹太自由主义是作为少数族裔的美国犹太人在基督教占实质主导地位的北美构建自我保护机制的选择,也是犹太人争取平等生存权利的产物。美式自由民主思想客观上为美国犹太自由主义的生长提供了有益的土壤,而后者反之又推动并丰富了前者。

As an ethnic group mainly consisting of middle class, American Jews don＇ t certainly belong to the conservative political camp as many researchers and politicians have imaged . Both Jewish grassroots and Jewish elites have shown their constantly inclination toward liberalism. Scholars have made a lot of explanations to it, but among these American Jewish Exceptionalism is the most profound. Jewish liberalism is a protective way for American Jews, as a minority group, to survive in North America, where Christianity is the mainstream religion. It＇s also a natural result of American Jews＇ fighting for the equal rights of subsistence and development. The liberal - democratic thoughts of America offer a fertile soil for the American Jewish liberalism, which conversely enriches the former too.