【作者】 张颖；

【导师】 范守义；

【作者基本信息】 外交学院 ， 专门用途英语， 2000， 硕士

【摘要】 二十世纪六十年代，美国不少城市爆发了大规模的黑人骚乱，黑人经济上的困境是造成骚乱的直接原因。为了平息当时日益激化的种族矛盾和冲突，林登·约翰逊总统经过权衡，出于实际的考虑，于1965年9月24日签署了第11246号行政命令，宣布实施肯定性行动计划。该计划旨在要求企业主通过广告或其他方式招募合格的参加求职的少数种族人员。企业主将不分肤色地对求职者进行平等的挑选。肯定性行动计划出台的初期，由于美国社会中对黑人的歧视比比皆是，黑人的境遇凄惨，这很容易使白人产生良心自责。基于此，肯定性行动计划在实施初期得到了大多数人的肯定。可以说，大多数公众是出于良心和道德感而对肯定性行动计划给予肯定。后来，尼克松政府为进一步提高肯定性行动计划的效果而颁布费城计划，该计划规定了黑人就业的具体比例和指标，这种做法遭到了一些人的反对。 随着时间的推移，民权运动进一步发展，各项平等政策出台，种族问题逐步缓解，人们对肯定性行动计划的态度也开始转变。各届政府对肯定性行动计划的态度也有所不同。在肯定性行动计划实施的35年中，有关于此的辩论席卷整个社会，从未间断过。每当总统大选期间这一辩论尤为激烈和尖锐。在美国主流政治中，自由主义者和保守主义者出于各自的政治目的，分别支持和反对肯定性行动计划。支持肯定性行动计划的自由主义者为赢得黑人，妇女和劳工组织的支持而赞同肯定性行动计划，他们认为肯定性行动计划符合宪法原则，有利于少数人种平等地参与社会生活并逐渐融入主流社会，吸纳主流文化，有利于美国社会的文化多元性。总的来说，肯定性行动计划是有效的，并与美国的传统思想协调，符合广大白人在内的美国公众的利益。不仅如此，由于深层次的经济文化原因，无形的心理上的歧视仍然存在，肯定性行动计划便有其存在的必要。反对肯定性行动计划的保守主义者则强烈地维护美国几百年来“一贯遵循”的以个体主义为基础的价值观，他们认为肯定性行动计划赋予某个群体优惠待遇，因而违背了人人平等的价值观和机会均等的原则，是对白人的一种反向歧视。不仅如此，肯定性行动计划作为一项政策，它本身的含义模糊不清，效果不佳。随着种族关系的缓和，美国社会已实现了不分肤色，机会均等，因而肯定性行动计划没有继续存在的必要了。在肯定性行动计划的辩论中双方各执一词，互不相让，使得这一问题呈现出越来越复杂的趋势。正是基于有关肯定性行动计划的争论，本篇论文以文化为着眼点，力求分析肯定性行动计划在美国掀起轩然大波的深层次原因。要做到这一点．就必须研究以下两个问题：一，肯定’件行动计划出台的历史背景及其本身的某些停论；为何肯定性行动计划不能为美国社会所接纳？耍解答这个问题，我们必须重新审视深入人）w．代代相传的美国文化和价值观及其与肯定性行动计划相左之处。这里着重讨论的是美国的平等原则，美国的劳动价值观及个体主义等与肯定性行动计划有冲突的三个方面。 本文分为三个部分：一，肖定性行动计划的定义．计划出台的时代背景及政策演变；二．对肯定性行动计划有代表性的支持和反对意见；三．由齿定性行动计划反映出的美国文化及价值观的矛眉之处。 可以说，美国文化和美国价值观本身就存在许多矛眉之处，而肯定性行动计划则把美国文化中的矛詹之处表面化，并将美国社会和美国政治中的新旧价值观念之间的冲突呈现出来．真中包括绝对的人人平等与特殊待遇，美国人自由主义的劳动价值观与政府干预．个体主义与群体导向等等一系列的矛盾。不仅如此，这些问固的讨论一旦与种族问题挂钩，便勇加复杂。 归根结底，美国社会中白人对黑人的歧视表面似乎有所改窒，但坯远末根除。黑人在经济和社舍主活中仍锨处于劣势，绝大部分黑人还处在社台下层．因而政策扶檀对他们来讲坯很有汹要。然而美国社会却很难容忍这种对某个群体的优恿政策，于是有夫肯定性行动计划的讨论几十年来一喜末得平息。总的来蕾，在美国这样一个存在巨大经济和文化差异的国家．肯定性行动计划为统治者妥善处理种族夫系提供了润谓剂的作用，但又与美国最基本的信条和价值观相冲突。在这场持久的辩论中，由于双方势泪力敌，胜负难下定论，我们只好密切夫注肯定性行动计划的进一步发展。更多还原

【Abstract】 In modem society work is of prime importance as it provides the main source of income tomaintain a family’s standard of living and to secure its economic futUre. However, in the UnitedStates, which is widely heralded aS the "1and of OPPobeity",, equal emplOyment oPPohatyaPplied almost exclusively to whitC men in the l960s and before. Over many generations in thehistory of the United StatCs, discrimination and the systematic exclusion of ethnic minorities andwomen ftom full participation in the economy became embedded in the attitudes, values andbehavior of vimially all institUtions in American life. The labor market was replere withoccuPations in which it was exPected that no minorities or women would be employed. TheCivil Rights movement, often called America’s second revolUtion, began to change the status quoby challenging the denial of basic rights and insisting upon the protection of equal opportUnityAs a result, the nation was forced to abandon its support of segregation and discrimination and toaddress the pervasive and stUbbom barriers to full paticipation by minorities and women inAmerican life.In l964, the Civil Rights ACt was passed. Howevef, lnye-scale Black riots broke out inmany American cities. This showed that the Blacks harbored: strong dissatisfaction with thestabo quo of the African Americans. In l965, President Lyndon Johnson followed up the CivilRights Act with Executive Order No. l l246. This commtheent to affirmative action continued inthe executive branch during the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford. Meanwhile, therewere Reagan and Bush who showed their opposition to it. Still today as a presidential candidate,George W Bush calls for an immediate stop of Affirmative action.This paPer is made up of three chapters. The first chaPter: has retrospeCtively viewed theconception of affirm8tive action and its evolution over the past 35 years. The second chaPtCrelaborates on the pros and cons in the debate of affirmative action. Howevef, this debate doesnot exist in the political circles aIone and the views of many common peOPle are also representedto a large extent. Why is the affirmative action such a controversial issue? Based on the firsttWo chaPters, the author goes deeper into the issue and attemptS to analyze itS cultural roOts andimplications in the third chaPter In this chaPtef, I will consider the relationship betweenaffirmative acion and some core American values that shaPe American people’s attitIJde towardaffirmative action. Here, the unique American ideas of equality the American work ethic and the4affirmative achon. Here, the tmique American ideas of equality the American work ethic and themost exclusive American possess ionAndividual il sm wi l l be d iscussed respective lyIn sum, affirmative action as a policy was out of the unique background of multi-racialAmerican society. As a very impobot public issue, its controversy reflects the paradoxical sideof American cultUre.As the affirmative action issue is very complex, this paPer seeks to focus the clientS of theaffirmative achon program on the black people in the United States.更多还原