自由主義式公民教育理念及其問題：以國家中立與多元文化論為分析焦點

Liberal Civic Education and Its Limits: A Critical Examination of State Neutrality and Multiculturalism

本文旨在梳理自由主義式公民教育之理念，並分析其可能蘊含之問題。就政治思想史的發展過程來看，自由主義式公民教育理念乃奠基於歐洲宗教改革以來無可通約的價值歧異之事實、以及對政治專制之省思；當代自由主義者所倡議之國家於各種倫理觀點保持中立，即是源自此一大傳統。自由主義嘗試在公民教育中培養某些非特定倫理立場之德性，以憲政制度、寬容、人權等等理念安置各種價值爭議。本文除了試圖釐清自由主義式公民教育理念之外，並將嘗試說明，此一奠基於宗教與政治問題所發展出之中立教育理念與模式，並無法妥善處理當代因族群政治運動所發展出之文化群體權爭議；因為自由主義對「政治性文化／非政治性文化」、「制度性文化／特定具體文化」所做的分類，忽略了工業化社會中作為知識平台的「標準化的高級文化」之特殊屬性與作用，從而也忽略了它的深遠影響。因此，自由主義勢必需要發展新的理論論述以回應此社會需求。本文認為，各文化群體針對教育內容作進一步的民主對話與協商，可能會是比較妥適的安置爭議之道。

This paper explores the concept of civic education in liberal thought and identifies problems inherent in this concept with respect to state neutrality and multiculturalism. A product of the history of Western political thought, the liberal philosophy of civic education reflects Europe’s struggle with sectarian conflict and monarchical despotism. Modern liberals’ advocacy of state neutrality with respect to moral and ethical norms is rooted in this struggle. Liberal civic education attempts to cultivate a type of morality that favors no particular normative position, emphasizing the concepts of constitutional government, tolerance and human rights to resolve value-based conflict. This paper argues that the liberal notion of state neutrality is incapable of meeting challenges posed by contemporary ethnic political movements, particularly those involving power inequality among ethnic groups. Liberalism’s categorization of political vs. non-political culture and institutional vs. ethnic/religion-specific culture neglects the important function a standardized high culture serves in industrial society. The paper suggests the need for a further democratic dialogue amongst various ethnic groups regarding the content of civic education.