美国平民主义运动的核心诉求与大众民主体制的发展

19世纪末,在美国中西部地区发生了一场由农场主为主要参与力量的平民主义运动,其核心诉求在于通过扩大政府权力,为当时处于社会政治、经济边缘地位的农场主等＂劳动者阶层＂争取利益,以最终结束压迫、不公道和贫穷的社会现象。文章认为,该核心诉求带有强烈的以人民主权为基础的大众民主色彩,而这种大众民主思想在美国的产生、发展与普及是美国民主制度的一个重要特点。可以说,平民主义运动的产生与美国大众民主制度的发展息息相关。

The Central Demands of the American Populist Movement and the Development of the American Popular Democratic System

The end of the 19th century witnessed the outbreak of a great social movement——the Populist Movement,whose main participants were farmers who had been marginalized both in the political and economic arena at that time.The central demands of the movement were aimed at the expansion of the power of the government,hence providing some aid to the farmers and the ＂producing mass＂ as a whole.Ultimately,the rampant social oppression,unjustness and poverty would be eradicated.This paper holds that the above-mentioned demands are closely related to the development of the popular democratic system of the U.S.characterized by the cherishment of the rights of people.