7 h6 f, a( i/ F% T8 i$ {5.39.217.76學者Davenport回顧過去40多年不同時段、地區、量度及研究方法的研究結果,得出許多學者一個共同結論:民主政制明顯可以減少執政者侵害公民自由及權利。學者一般提出3個解釋: 0 a p; _8 j) E+ E. q5.39.217.765.39.217.761 \ t2 L' D% ^2 P m
, o4 P( x* C0 U6 X; i5.39.217.76一、民主政制容許人民有權投票選擇執政者,增加執政者侵害公民自由及權利的成本;tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb' ]- G n! E, ^
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二、民主政制國家的公民一般較為崇尚自我制約、寬容、溝通及建立共識等價值,而這些價值有效制約侵害公民自由及權利的行為;" K( U& u" a4 J" j' Z( ^
$ R& y/ O$ e/ C$ e! t+ s& H" K1 W% z公仔箱論壇 6 K+ ^1 D5 x' S, G9 Qtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb這邊廂,前政務司司長陳方安生和民主黨創黨主席李柱銘與美國副總統拜登會面,拜登重申美國長期支持香港的民主。那邊廂,美國的《紐約時報》亦發表題為〈捍衞香港自治〉(Protecting Hong Kong’s Autonomy)的社評,評論香港普選行政長官及新聞自由受到威脅的關注。 4 l. D' `+ |) U" A% [5.39.217.76 & ~$ u+ x3 r0 w& H, D5.39.217.76內文指出,香港在1997年回歸時,時任美國國務卿奧爾布賴特(Madeleine Albright)曾經說過,將會密切注視(watching it very closely)香港能否維護其法治和自由市場角色。而當香港回歸17年過去,有關香港的新聞自由和中國干預香港內部事務的憂慮增加之時,這種監察尤其重要。而簽署聯合聲明的英國有責任對這種趨勢出聲,美國亦曾承諾促進香港的自治, 8 h+ G0 w2 v/ F% Dtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb) q. f, ^ L$ D2 k
另外,社評分別提到對香港現狀的兩個關注。第一,是下一任行政長官的選舉。社評提到,雖然中央政府已承諾2017年的行政長官能經直選選出,但他們亦表明了會透過保留現有提名委員會制度,對參選人作出限制。評論又指,提委會成員多為親北京人士,此舉令到只有獲得中央政府允許的人才能參選,是削弱民意之舉。 ' D; q2 L9 Q7 G5 ?$ i7 R5 s0 x公仔箱論壇 ! T4 f( |$ D9 gtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb第二個關注,就是新聞自由。社評引述保護記者委員會今年2月發表的報告指,中國政府有時會向香港新聞媒體作出直接施壓,而有時則是香港傳媒因為怕得罪北京或怕被抽廣告而作的自我審查。社評亦舉出日前《晨報》兩名高層人員被襲及《明報》前總編輯劉進圖被斬的事件作為例子,指出香港多宗針對傳媒的襲擊案件至今仍未偵破。 Q$ B4 s, U) f9 m
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最後,社評意有所指般表示,香港之所以成為一個有文化影響力及自由經濟中心,是因為他是一個擁有新聞自由及其他權利的中國城市。確保香港能維持現今的狀況,皆是中國、商界及西方國家的利益所在。(Ensuring it stays that way is in the interest of China, the business community and the West.) , {4 E* B4 t" J9 Z ^TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。9 a: t, p6 ^6 P. v2 f# H+ h
0 K& l4 m0 z1 U+ H+ f; y/ a T% V2 Q5 z4 |( _6 M7 z% E4 ^2 O6 X& tThe New York Times Editorial: Protecting Hong Kong’s Autonomy ; q z% {3 \! u, L | g, tAPRIL 4, 2014tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb; o# K# W$ p" l' n' G6 R
R: K' t+ |- H' R1 nTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。 ) f( g, O$ V$ w/ n/ _5 ]tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbIn 1997, when Britain returned Hong Kong to China, the United States stressed the need to ensure that the semiautonomous city would maintain a vigorous rule of law and a free market. “We will be watching it very closely,” Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said then.Some 17 years later, such vigilance is as important as ever given growing concerns about press freedoms as well as interference from China in Hong Kong’s internal affairs.5.39.217.76- A& ^) R# O$ T
7 O! @% K8 m+ O0 c3 x- ttvb now,tvbnow,bttvbThe responsibility to speak out against these trends falls mostly on Britain, which signed a joint agreement with China outlining a formula of “one country, two systems” that let Hong Kong keep its free-market economy, legal system and other rights alongside the mainland’s repressive Communist system. The United States has also promised to promote the city’s autonomy.公仔箱論壇- l+ g n, c* A4 B
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One major concern involves the election of the city’s next leader. Although China promised to allow direct elections for the first time in 2017, it has indicated that it will limit the names on the ballot by retaining some version of Hong Kong’s existing nominating committee.The panel is dominated by Beijing loyalists, and it is virtually certain that whatever replaces it would undermine popular will by ensuring only China-approved candidates. To its credit, the Obama administration has endorsed“progress toward genuine universal suffrage” as laid out in the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s de facto constitution. But Britain lamentably has been less inclined to speak out.公仔箱論壇' h0 B, a' f5 F4 X' x2 ?! ?/ e8 M
; J+ O. Y# W0 B- RThe other concern involves press freedoms. In February, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that China sometimes puts direct pressure on Hong Kong news media, while in other cases, journalists engage in self-censorship by curtailing reporting they fear would anger the government or prompt businesses to pull advertising. Recent attacks on media executives have raised alarms about the safety of journalists. Last month, two executives planning to launch a newspaper later this year were attacked by men with iron bars; in February, the former chief editor of the newspaper Ming Pao was critically wounded by knife-wielding assailants. Although police said they arrested two suspects in the February attack, most assaults on journalists have gone unsolved. ) Z7 c8 M; m5 K R; D* A , l1 s7 [& t* [$ i p- I8 zHong Kong’s position as a Chinese city with a free press and other rights has been central to its cultural vitality and success as a free-market economy. Ensuring it stays that way is in the interest of China, the business community and the West.' W% J: r# Q% D, k! _( G W
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正在訪問美國的前政務司司長陳方安生和民主黨創黨主席李柱銘,繼早前會見了美國眾議院少數黨領袖佩洛西等資深議員,以及美國副國務卿伯恩斯後。今日,美國白宮發布消息,宣佈美國副總統拜登,曾在白宮會見兩人。白宮表示,拜登與兩人的會面,並非預先安排。 8 d! a+ ]! I9 {! h% I2 J5.39.217.76. {$ G: C( b, ~0 _9 N" c% c0 P P; B
根據白宮的聲明,拜登在會面中重申美國長期支持香港的民主,以及在一國兩制的框架下實行高度自治。必須指出,雖然李柱銘以往曾出席美國國會香港民主狀況聽證會,亦曾於美國前總統克林頓、小布殊時期的副總統切尼等美國高官會面。然而,自從奧巴馬上任後,便鮮見美國高級官員與香港民主派會面。2008年後,美國國會也再未就《香港關係法》,為香港的人權狀況及一國兩制實踐情況提供報告。 ! j4 r0 ~: F1 R1 i- itvb now,tvbnow,bttvb2 T& C q7 @* s8 t" p" j
李柱銘在早年亦不諱言,他堅持到美國會見政界人物,以致出席聽證會,是要將香港沒有民主的問題成為國際議題,即使身負「漢奸」罵名,亦無畏懼。據悉,李柱銘及陳方安生此行其中一個要旨,就是希望美國國會重新執行《香港關係法》,更關注香港沒有真正普選的問題。; Y$ d; h. Z% B2 f7 g
" O0 G4 k6 ^; ?$ J: c5.39.217.76雖然,美國的書面國策是推廣民主。然而在國際社會,利益行先才是永恆的道理。美國重新高規格接待李柱銘,或者是切實執行「圍堵中國」的訊號。然而,美國自然樂於香港成為民主社會。然而,貿易利益當前,美國政府恐怕犯不著為了香港市民的普選權,與中國政府交惡。美國今次的動作,大抵僅能視為一種姿態顯示。 5 l- B' P' l: f! c* g f- j0 a, ~, U% b8 c
當然,與特首梁振英上年到訪美國時,只能短暫與紐約市長彭博,甚至過華府門而不入相比。美國這次的姿態顯示,還是非常明確的。tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb( k5 y! J4 p# P$ G T