中国舆论观的近代转型及其困境

The Modern Transformation of Chinese Public Opinion and Its Dilemma

由于舆论关乎政治合法性、权力秩序和治乱之道,先秦即形成了多重面向的舆论观:民心至上的“民本主义舆论观”、民意可惧的“恐舆观”、民智不足的“轻舆观”。这些观念一直延展至明清,强调秩序优先、价值理性优先、教化德化优先,却终难跳脱“疏堵悖论”。清末民初舆论观发生现代转型,初步标划了以舆论进化促成国族进步的观念地图,却于历史实践中遭遇了舆论“暗面”的遮覆。这一问题常表现为话语竞争转向公共对话之困,舆论、公意与公共利益的错位等。此中最紧要者,乃古已有之的舆论理性品质及其导向共识的可能性问题。

If one takes public opinion to be related to political legitimacy,the ordering of power and bringing order to chaos,then a multi-faceted view of public opinion had taken shape as early as the pre-Qin era,in the“people-oriented view of public opinion”that exalted popular sentiment,the“view of public opinion as fearsome”that was alarmed by popular views,and the“making light of public opinion”that saw the population as ignorant.These concepts lasted into the Ming and Qing dynasties,when they emphasized giving priority to order,value rationality,and didactic moral transformation;ultimately,however,it was hard to avoid the“paradox of channeling or blocking”popular views.In the late Qing and early Republic,the views on public opinion changed.An initial conceptual map of public opinion took shape in which the progress of the nation was promoted through the evolution of public opinion,but in historical practice it met with a hidden“dark side”.This problem is often manifested in the dilemma that arises when discourse competition turns to public dialogue and public opinion,the public will and the public interest are misaligned.The most important of these factors is the age-old question of the rationality of public opinion and the possibility of guiding it toward a consensus.