服從權威是邪惡的根源嗎?

Is Evil Banal? Problems of Obedience to Authority

對加害者做法律的起訴或道德的控訴，是轉型正義的主要任務之一。這項任務的前置工作是對加害者及加害行為做完盤和深入的理解。每一個國家的成權歷史和威權情境都不盡相同，對加害者的態度因此也必然有所差異。不論台灣是否對加害者做法律或道德的追訴，對邪惡行為的反省都是必要的工作。這項反省是建立民主文化的基礎工作之一。雖然民主化已超過二十年，可是台灣在這方面的工作卻尚未開始。本文討論鄂蘭「邪惡庸常化」的概念：納粹領導人乃是一般的正常人，其邪惡行為主要來自對政治權威的無條件服從。都蘭的理論在過去三十多年產生巨大的影響，是政治哲學討論邪惡的起點。本文指出，鄂蘭對納粹領導人的理解是錯誤的，她對邪惡的解釋也非常片面。艾緒曼事實上是一個強烈的反猶太主義者。然而，都蘭卻指出了一個政治哲學中恆久的議題，以及所有政治體制中的公民所面對的普通課題：我們應該如何面對不義的權威？

Prosecuting the perpetrators of the previous repressive regime is one of the main tasks of transitional justice. As every country varies in its situation of political repression and configuration of political forces in the new democratic stage, the approach to this work also varies. Whatever the approach is, a no less important work is to understand the perpetrators and also the origins of their evil behaviors. This understanding, and also the reflection and lessons which follow, may serve as important foundations for a democratic culture. This paper discusses Hannah Arendt's concept of ”banality of evil” as a starting point. It points out that Arendt is wrong in her understanding of her subject, Adolf Eichmann, as an ordinary person and that the latter had committed the crime simply out of obeying the order. The latter in fact was a strong anti-Semitist, as we now know. Hence her explanation of radical evil in terms of blind obedience to authority is also wrong. She however contributes greatly to democratic culture in raising the issue and challenging the ordinary citizens to face an unjust authority with self reflection and even resitance.