美国政治极化的文化与意识形态根源

The Cultural and Ideological Roots of American Political Polarization

政治极化作为当代美国政治最突出的问题已成为美国国内政治研究的热点。对于美国政治极化及其程度的确定既可采用政治“观测值的双峰分布”和“离散分布”等经验描述方式,也可以采用量化的统计分析方式。对于美国政治极化原因的解释,经济上的阶层分析和政治。上的制度分析具有解释力,但对于种族与身份政治、生育与性别权利等领域的解释则力不从心。当种族、民族和宗教团体取代阶级力量而成为美国政治变化的社会基础时,文化与意识形态分析更具有现实有效性。宗教保守派和宗教自由派之间的矛盾、少数族群基于群体身份而提出的文化多元主义与以个人自由和民主为核心的盎格鲁-撒克逊式的美国传统共识价值之间的冲突成为美国政治极化的文化根源。现代自由主义与新保守主义之间的对抗则是美国政治极化的意识形态根源。政治极化固然激发了选民的活力和政治参与积极性,但它因损害美国的自由与民主精神,削弱立法与决策能力而使美国政治陷入困境。

As the most prominent issue in contemporary American politics,political polarization has become a popular topic in the American domestic political research.For the determination of American political polarization and its degree,we can not only use the empirical description methods such as the political "bimodal distribution of observations" and "discrete distribution",but also use the quantitative statistical analysis method.Regarding the causes of American political polarization,the economic stratum analysis and political system analysis can explain them,but they are not enough for the explanation of race and identity politics,and fertility and gender rights.When racial,ethnic and religious groups replace class forces and become the social basis of American political change,cultural and ideological analysis is more realistic and effective.The contradiction between religious conservatives and religious liberals,as well as the conflict between the cultural pluralism put forward by ethnic minorities based on group identity and the Anglo-Saxon traditional consensus value with individual freedom and democracy as the core,have become the cultural roots of American political polarization.The confrontation between modern liberalism and Neoconservatism is the ideological root of American political polarization.Although political polarization has stimulated the vitality of voters and the enthusiasm of political participation,it has put American politics in trouble because it damages the spirit of freedom and democracy and weakens the ability of legislation and decision-making.