銘記文革兩大教訓：實行黨內民主輿論監督

銘記文革兩大教訓：實行黨內民主輿論監督 (明報社評)

40年前，毛澤東為鞏固權力基礎，發動了一場文革浩劫，造成中國10年動亂。文革結束30年了，今天，中國通過改革開放，成為當今世界的經濟強國，顯示文革耽誤的經濟建設時間可以追回；可惜，文革造成的中國文化大破壞、國人道德價值體系的大崩潰，迄今未能彌補。

回看文革浩劫，可以從許多角度去觀察思考，但我們最希望看到的，是中共作為執政黨，能夠真誠地徹底反思文革一事、銘記教訓，為今後探尋黨內民主、國家的民主政治發展，開創新思路，避免文革這樣的歷史悲劇重演。

中國共產黨迄今對文革的反思，點到即止，絕不徹底。中共試圖將人民對文革的記憶，定格在1981年中共十一屆六中全會通過的《關於建國以來黨的若干歷史問題的決議》；然而，文革的幽靈仍在中華大地遊蕩，文革歷史悲劇重演的因素並未根除。

文革悲劇之所以發生，源於中共建政後一黨獨大，對毛澤東的個人崇拜發展到全國狂熱，黨內民主被毛澤東的一言堂所取代。

由於對文革的反思不徹底，文革後，仍然因為鄧小平的一言堂，導致六四事件那樣的歷史悲劇發生。同樣是由於對文革的反思不徹底，中共的黨章，今天仍然要寫入所謂「鄧小平理論」、「江澤民三個代表」等內容。而且，中共領導層還要將這些內容寫入憲法，使得對中共領導人的個人崇拜遺風變成全國人民的選擇，國家的根本大法，變成對中共領導人歌功頌德的記事簿。

今日的中共，比40年前進步；今天的中共領導人，也比40年前的中共領導人務實開放，而且談論到要使黨內民主的發展與中共的執政黨地位相適應。然而，今日中共的黨內民主與人民期望之間的落差，依然巨大。

今天紀念文革40年，不但是為了銘記教訓，更期望明年召開的中共十七大，以胡錦濤、溫家寶為代表的中共領導層，能夠徹底打破「個人崇拜」、「領袖威權」、「強人政治」等人治迷思，為中共的黨內民主開創新思路，同時為國家的民主法治建設，作出中共作為執政黨所應當作出的貢獻；而且，胡溫這一代領導人應當有勇氣和遠見，從此不讓自己的名字進入黨章和憲法，為後代樹立好榜樣。

今天紀念文革40年，要銘記的第二個教訓是，要使輿論監督真正在中國的社會、經濟、政治發展進程中，發揮積極作用。文革悲劇發生的一個原因，是毛澤東操控傳媒，製造輿論，使傳媒淪為自己愚弄民眾的得心應手工具。

文革結束30年來，中共領導層仍然認為，對傳媒的嚴密控制，對言論自由的無理箝制，是社會保持穩定的重要因素。雖然胡溫領導層在主政之初，曾經在控制傳媒方面有所鬆動，同時至今仍表示要使輿論監督在懲治官員腐敗、貫徹依法治國原則方面發揮積極作用，但我們也不能不遺憾地指出，內地傳媒在最近兩年多次遭到整肅，已使外界對中國放寬言論自由尺度的期待大打折扣。
如果沒有真正的言論自由、沒有真正的輿論監督，中國將無法擺脫人治的窠臼。如此，誰能排除文革悲劇在中國重演的可能性？



Cultural Revolution
FOUR decades ago , Mao Zedong , to consolidate his power base , launched the Cultural Revolution . He plunged China into ten - year - long turmoil . The disaster ended three decades ago . China , which has carried out reforms and pursued its open policy , is now an economic power . It has made up for the time it lost during the Cultural Revolution for economic development . However , the Cultural Revolution wreaked havoc on China's culture and crumbled Chinese people's values . China has yet to repair such enormous damage .

One may look back on the disaster which lasted ten years from many angles . However , we want most to see the Communist Party of China (CPC ) , the ruling party , review the history of the disaster honestly and draw lessons from it . It should come up with new ideas for increasing intra - party democracy and democratising China's political system lest the nation should see another Cultural Revolution .

The CPC's appraisal of the Cultural Revolution is anything but thorough . It wants people's memory of the Cultural Revolution to remain in line with the Resolution concerning Several Issues of the Party's H istory that Arose after the Foundation of the People's Republic , which was adopted at the sixth plenum of the CPC's 11th Central Committee in 1981 . However , the spectre of the Cultural Revolution still roams China . Factors that may lead to another Cultural Revolution have yet to be rooted out .

China saw the tragedy called the Cultural Revolution because the CPC monopolised power after it had founded the People's Republic . Mao worship became a mania , which spread to all parts of the country . Whatever Mao said prevailed . There was no intra - party democracy to speak of .
Because the CPC had failed to re - examine the Cultural Revolution thoroughly and Deng Xiaoping's words overrode any other's , the June 4 incident , another tragedy , took place . Because of the same reason , the CPC's constitution contains "Deng Xiaoping Theory" and "Jiang Zemin's Three Represents" . The CPC leadership intends to have such things included in the constitution of the People's Republic so that the worship of leaders will be the people's choice , and the fundamental charter of the nation , a eulogy of CPC leaders' virtues and achievements .
The CPC has made much progress over the past four decades . CPC leaders now are more pragmatic and liberal than those who held the reins of power four decades ago . They have even talked about developing intra - party democracy so that it would befit its ruling - party status . Nevertheless , the CPC's intra - party democracy still falls far short of the people's expectations .
We mark the Cultural Revolution now not only because we want to heed lessons of history but also because we hope the CPC leadership (headed by Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao ) will do away with such "rule by man" myths as "personality cult" , "authoritarian leadership" and "strongman politics" . We hope CPC leaders will come up with new ideas for incrreasing intra - party democracy . We hope the CPC will democratise the nation's political system and consolidate its rule of law . We hope it will make contributions that become its ruling - party status . Chinese leaders of Wu and Wen's generation should have such vision and courage as to set a good example for posterity by preventing any of their names from being included in the constitution of the CPC or that of the People's Republic of China .

The second lesson we have to bear in mind when we mark the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Cultural Revolution is that China should allow its press to play a positive , supervisory role in its social , economic and political development . One reason why China saw the tragic Cultural Revolution was that Mao Zedong had the nation's press under his control and used it to mould public opinion . He managed to fool people just as he pleased .

The Cultural Revolution ended three decades ago , but the CPC has clung to the idea that it is essential for maintaining social stability to keep the press strictly under its control and unreasonably deprive the people of fre e speech . Shortly after Hu and Wen had come to power , they slightly relaxed the CPC's control of the press . They still say they want public opinion to play a positive , supervisory role in having corrupted officials punished and preventing the government from placing itself above the law . Regrettably , we cannot but point out that , because of the crackdowns the Chinese government has had on the press over the past couple of years , people have lowered their expectations about China's tolerance of free speech . Unless its people actually enjoy the freedom of speech and can supervise its government through a free press , China cannot extricate itself from "rule by man" . If this remains the case , can anyone say for certain that China will never see another Cultural Revolution ?