儒家的單元體系與民主制衡的觀念

Unitary Political Authority Under Confucianism and It Conflict with Democratic Principles

本文將民主定義為「一般人民有能力對其領袖行使有效控制的過程」，而要使「控制」得以有效，政治體內便須存在多元權威，使得政治菁英不敢為所欲為。然而，許多政治思想家認為，人類具有追求穩定的傾向，故一元化的權威體系最能回應人類本性的選擇。換言之，多元權威的存在，乃至於其後所發展成功的民主類型，係為人類歷史發展的成果，而非依據本性所建構的體制。這樣一個「人為體制」要能穩定運作，實有賴民眾社群文化的支持，故學者有云：「民主是文化的一種呈現」。
東方的中國並沒有造成多元權威的文化底蘊，故而中國的政治思想家幾乎很少例外地均主張政治權威並須「定於一」，社會才可能維持安定。缺乏西方社會支持多元權威的文化傳承，中國人自然無法想像人民可以有能力對其領袖行駛有效的控制。這是為何華人社會模仿西方的民主體制時，總是著重於領袖的產生方式，但對領袖產生後的制衡，卻往往蒼白而無力。
本文將分析西方社會形成多元權威的歷史背景與文化因素，並比較東方社會在這些文化要素上的缺乏，並以此解釋為何中國人的民主充其量也只是「選舉式民主」，或類似古雅典的民粹式民主，無法對政治權力產生有效的控制。

This article defines democracy as“the process that regular people are capable of controlling their leaders effectively.”To realize the control, the political system must exists pluralistic authorities which prevent political elites from wielding power without restrictions. Yet, many political thinker believe that men by nature tend to pursue stability, which ends up to support a unitary political power. In other words, the realization of pluralistic authorities, and the development of democracy on this foundation, is the result of peculiar historical events, instead of the natural reactions of human nature. To support the successful operation of the“artificial system,”the society must develop consensus on the various elements constituting the system. Some scholars thus maintain,“Democracy manifests itself in culture.”
Similar culture supporting pluralistic authority cannot be seen in Oriental China. As a result, almost all Chinese political philosophers unexceptionally argued that political power must be controlled in one single hand; otherwise, the society would not be able to maintain stable. It is thus unthinkable for Chinese people that they can realize effective control against their political leaders. This explains that when Chinese communities work hard to copy Western democracy, they mostly focus on the election of leaders, overlook the importance of checking leader’s power.
This article analyzes the Western historical background and cultural elements that helped the constitution of pluralistic authorities. Based on the observation of Western societies, the absence of similar cultural factors in Oriental societies appear significant. This explains that the value of democracy has been simplified as electoral democracy or Athenian populism after its introduction to Oriental societies. The effective check on the power holders has been treated less important, if not the least.