非洲民主政治发展评析——兼评西方学界关于非洲民主衰退的论断

Assessing the Development of African Democratic Politics:A Critique of the African Democratic Recession Argument

自20世纪90年代以来,非洲政治民主化已经取得丰硕的成果,主要表现为权力更替方式发生重大转变和民主质量得到显著提高。非洲民主巩固的条件也取得了重大进展,尤其是经济发展水平显著提升,政治竞争环境越来越公平,民主政治观念已深入人心。但是,非洲国家在民主化进程中仍然还存在腐败问题、族群政治、社会与安全问题和殖民遗产等制约因素,有效应对和解决这些制约因素有助于非洲未来民主政治的良性与可持续发展。评价非洲民主政治发展,不能脱离当前大多数非洲国家社会经济仍然欠发达的国情。民主政治发展不是一蹴而就,不能将民主道德化乃至神化甚至唯西式民主为尊。自主意识的增强为非洲国家构建具有非洲特色的民主政治制度奠定了良好的基础。

Since the 1990s,African countries have achieved remarkable progress in the development of democratic politics,including the institutionalization of multi-party elections,major changes in power transitions,and the improved quality of democracy.The conditions for democratic consolidation in Africa have also improved significantly.In particular,African countries’economic growth has increased steadily;more efforts have been made to level the playing field for political competition;and the concept of democratic politics has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.In the process of democratization,African countries still have various constraints such as corruption,ethnic politics,social and security issues,and colonial heritage.To promote a benign and sustainable development of their democratic politics in the future,such constraints need to be effectively addressed.This article suggests that a sound evaluation of the development of democratic politics in Africa should consider the following three perspectives.First,most African countries are still underdeveloped in socioeconomic terms.Second,the development of democratic politics is a long-term process and cannot be accomplished overnight.Third,democracy as a political system should not be moralized or deified;neither should western democracy be regarded as the only pattern of democracy.A heightened sense of autonomy among African countries has laid a good foundation for the continent to build democratic political institutions with African characteristics.