网络空间作为一种公共领域的可能性分析

Possibility Analysis of Cyberspace as a Public Sphere in Contemporary China

自哈贝马斯提出公共领域这一概念以来,此一术语已成为中西方学者研究中国社会的一种重要理论架构。对哈氏这一概念的运用,尽管可超越这一概念所产生的历史条件的限制,但不能脱离其核心内涵,即公共领域构成的四个"要件":必须以市民社会的形成为其存在条件;必须有一定规模的、关心普遍利益的公众;必须形成具有批判性的公共舆论;必须具有公共媒介和公共场所。根据这一标准,将"公共领域"这一概念用于对当代中国网络空间的分析时,可认为网络空间并不是完全意义上的"公共领域",只是一种"准公共领域"。从"准公共领域"迈向"公共领域"还有一段较长的路要走,同时也将推动我国社会主义政治的民主化进程与市民社会的建设。

Since Habermas put forward the concept of the public sphere , it has become an important theoretical framework used to research China ’ s society by Chinese and western scholars.Although the limitation of historical conditions in which the public sphere formed can be transcended when using this concept , its core connotation, that is, four formation conditions of the public sphere cannot be neglected.It must be based on the civil society, have a certain amount of the public who are concerned about the general interests , form some critical public opinions , and have public media and public places.According to this standard , when this concept is used to analyze the cyberspace in contemporary China , it can be concluded that cyberspace is not a public sphere in the full sense , but a “quasi-public sphere” .There is still a long way to go from the “quasi-public sphere” to the public sphere , and the process will promote the democratization process in China ’ s socialist politics and the construction of civil society.