反思民主,探寻民主

Reflecting on and Probing for Democracy

民主在过去四分之一世纪一览众山小,以致当今世界上大多数国家都声称自己是民主国家。然而,辉煌转瞬即逝,也正是在这四分之一世纪中,西式民主在实践上陷入了难以摆脱的泥沼,在理论上遭遇了前所未有的质疑。民主这个偶像似乎正在步入黄昏,对于民主危机的性质的判断越来越悲观,民主理论家们开始反思代议制民主的内在缺陷,反思选举式民主,并探寻通过各种容纳普罗大众参与的制度机制,回归真正的民主。

In the past quarter of the century,democracy has won the day,with most countries in the world claiming themselves to be democracies. However,the glory is fleeting. In exactly the same period of time,the advancing step of western democracy starts faltering,and its theory is being challenged in an unprecedented way. The idol of democracy is entering into twilight,surrounded by more and more pessimistic views. Theorists of democracy have now started to reflect on the inherent deficiencies of representational democracy,rethink electoral democracy,and seek to return to real democracy by exploring various institutions that can involve the participation of the populace.