賦權與責任：民主的意義

Empowerment and Responsibility: The Meaning of Democracy

民主是以人民的意志為基礎，它是達成個人自由的手段。其重要的元素就是參與，而且是要直接參與。民主，最狹義的概念，乃是將民主認定是一種由人民統治的政府型式，將民主做為一種特定型態的政治制度。從最廣義的概念而言，民主不僅是一種政治制度，而且更包括社會和經濟體制在內。要實現此理想，則人民的權利應該從制度上加以保障。

If democracy is to be not simply an empowerment, but also a challenge for the people, then the people and their chosen leaders need education in order to prepared to rise to that challenge. This article is to examinate the meaning of democracy. It is indeed useful to begin to understand the meaning of democracy and its implication for education. Also, it can make us both more self-critical and more capable of defending democracy. Self-defense may depend upon self-criticism in that a clear understanding of the limitations, weaknesses, or dangerous propensities of democracy may be a prerequisite for the preservation as well as for the improvement of our own democracy and for an education conducive to those purpose.