公共领域与人的自由--汉娜·阿伦特的积极公民观及其启示

本文透过阿伦特所描述的政治图景,揭示这种政治图景背后的文化底蕴——公民文化。可以说,她的共和主义政治图景是建立在“积极参与”这一公民文化基础上的。阿伦特是一位重视“积极自由”甚于“消极自由”的理论家,她认为公共领域是人获得真正自由的发源地,公民应该积极参与政治,做一个积极主动的公民。她认为政治行为的价值不在于达成实用性的协定,而在于它能实现每个参与者公民的主体性,锻炼他的判断辨识能力,并在与他人的关系和共同行为中成为群体有效成员。现代自由国家公共生活的萎缩、公民观的薄弱从根本上动摇着民主制度赖以生存的一些基本价值和观念。阿伦特的公民文化观对仍受“巨民文化”困扰的中国政治建设具有启示作用。

public realm and human freedom Hannah Arendt's positive civics view and its inspiration

This article tries to reveal the culture details behind the Arendt's political view--civics culture. We can say that her republicanism political view is based on civic culture of positive participation. Arendt is a theorist who pays much more attention on positive freedom than negative freedom. The problem she concerns most is political participation and civics go-aheadism. She points out that the value about political behavior lies not in the arriving of a practical agreement, but in that it can realize every citizen's subjectivity. It can also exercise his ability of judgment and makes him an effective member of a group when he deals with personal relationship with others. The shrink of public activities in modem countries of liberty and the weakness of citizenship are wakening some basic values and perspectives that the democratic system survives on. Arendt's civics culture view has guidance function to China's political construction when the Chinese are still suffering from " be loyalty to your majesty" culture.