自由主義觀點下的肯認政治

自九Ｏ年代開始，差異政治與多元文化主義開始標舉肯認的理念，批評自由主義傳統長期漠視差異，甚至否定差異，而自由主義的中立性原則更往往成為維持壓迫現狀的幫兇。然而，自由主義真的如批評者所言的無視差異、抗拒變革嗎？本文試圖從自由主義的傳統裡，挖掘出其內蘊的肯認政治的可能。本文首先分析了寬容、尊重與肯認的概念，並進一步闡釋自由主義的中立性原則，指出自由主義與差異政治的相近性與個殊性，並勾勒了自由主義的肯認政治的初步樣貌。

關鍵字

國家中立性；寬容；尊重；差異政治；多元文化主義

並列摘要

In the turn of the last century, supporters of the politics of difference and multiculturalism help promulgate the idea of recognition. They argue that the liberal tradition has long been blind to all kinds of social and cultural differences and even deny the idea of difference. They further argue that the liberal principle of neutrality helps sustain the unjust status quo. However, is liberalism guilty as charged? I argue that it is not the case, for the concern of recognition and respect is already immanent in the liberal tradition. In this paper, I first analyze the concepts of toleration, respect and recognition in order to bring our their often neglected affinity; and I further elaborate on the principle of neutrality to manifest the possibility of the collaboration between liberalism and the so-called politics of recognition.