馬蹄鐵理論

馬蹄鐵理論（英語：The Horseshoe theory）是一個由法國哲學家讓-皮埃爾·費伊提出的，描述政治上極左派和極右派的關係的理論。其認為，極左派和極右派並非傳統政治直線軸上的兩個極端，反而是像馬蹄鐵的兩個極端一般——兩派其實有很多相似的地方^[1]。

馬蹄鐵理論和傳統的政治學直線軸和政治光譜幾乎互相矛盾。而馬蹄鐵理論的支持者則以極左和極右主張極為相似作為論點，例如近年在極左和極右陣營裏都出現反猶太主義的聲音。^[2]

而世界最大的策略諮詢服務公司羅蘭貝格咨詢公司的研究員約瑟夫·約菲 (Josef Joffe)在一篇論文中指出：

“

全球化的進程能否度過陰霾呢？事實上，在2008年金融海嘯以前就已經有反全球化的起事；而早在這個年代的中段，民粹派已經在展現他們憤怒的面容。而最富戲劇性的例子，是在德國和奧地利，民粹主義政黨憑藉孤立主義、保護主義和資源重新分配的政綱，取得選舉上的大勝。在德國，是一個左翼民粹主義政黨（德國左翼黨）；而在奧地利，則是一組總得票率達30%的右翼政黨。這裏左右派又再次體現了現代政治的「馬蹄鐵」理論：當鋼鐵被扭曲時，兩個尾端近得幾乎可以互相接觸。^[3]

”

而據《政治學家》（Political Science Scholar）網站，馬蹄鐵理論被列為有效和重要的政治學名詞。^[4]

批評

事實上有不少社會學家認為，馬蹄鐵理論是不可信的。^[5]而瑞德大學（University of Reading）學者巴克（Peter Barker）^[6]在自己所著的書《民主德國和其歷史》（GDR and Its History）中，引述謝菲爾德大學湯遜（Peter Thompson）的批評，認為馬蹄鐵理論^[7]扭曲了左右派政治主張不同的距離，更不滿意這個理論無法打破傳統的政治學直線軸，相類似主張之間連貫性。^[8].

備註

^ Encel, Frédéric; Thual, François. United States-Israel: A friendship that needs to be demystified. Le Figaro (Paris). 2004-11-13 [2009-02-13]. （原始內容存檔於2007-09-30）. Jean-Pierre Faye's famous horseshoe theory (according to which extremes meet) finds verification here more than in other places, and the two states of delirium often mingle and meet, unfortunately spreading beyond these extremist circles. But contrary to the legend deliberately maintained and/or the commonplace believed in good faith, Israel and the United States have not always been allies; on several occasions their relations have even been strained. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
^ The Political Horseshoe again. AIJAC. [2009-02-13]. （原始內容存檔於2011-05-16）. I think Mr. Loewenstein has done a good job demonstrating why many people believe, as the 「political horseshoe」 theory states, that there is a lot more common ground between the far left, where Loewenstein dwells politically, and the far right views of someone like Betty Luks than people on the left would care to admit. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
^ Josef Joffe. New Year’s Essay 2009 - For Roland Berger. Roland Berger. 2008-12-22 [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2009-02-03）. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
^ Political Science Terms. Political Science Scholar. [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2009-03-03）. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
^ Political Research Associates: Study the U.S. Political Right （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
^ University of Reading: Peter Barker^{[永久失效連結]}
^ University of Sheffield: Peter Thompson 互聯網檔案館的存檔，存檔日期2009-01-01.
^ GDR and Its History pp103. [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2012-10-23）.

[1] Encel, Frédéric; Thual, François. United States-Israel: A friendship that needs to be demystified. Le Figaro (Paris). 2004-11-13 [2009-02-13]. （原始內容存檔於2007-09-30）. Jean-Pierre Faye's famous horseshoe theory (according to which extremes meet) finds verification here more than in other places, and the two states of delirium often mingle and meet, unfortunately spreading beyond these extremist circles. But contrary to the legend deliberately maintained and/or the commonplace believed in good faith, Israel and the United States have not always been allies; on several occasions their relations have even been strained. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

[2] The Political Horseshoe again. AIJAC. [2009-02-13]. （原始內容存檔於2011-05-16）. I think Mr. Loewenstein has done a good job demonstrating why many people believe, as the 「political horseshoe」 theory states, that there is a lot more common ground between the far left, where Loewenstein dwells politically, and the far right views of someone like Betty Luks than people on the left would care to admit. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

[3] Josef Joffe. New Year’s Essay 2009 - For Roland Berger. Roland Berger. 2008-12-22 [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2009-02-03）. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

[4] Political Science Terms. Political Science Scholar. [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2009-03-03）. （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

[5] Political Research Associates: Study the U.S. Political Right （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

[6] University of Reading: Peter Barker^{[永久失效連結]}

[7] University of Sheffield: Peter Thompson 互聯網檔案館的存檔，存檔日期2009-01-01.

[8] GDR and Its History pp103. [2009-04-19]. （原始內容存檔於2012-10-23）.

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