传统法律文化的君主义务观及其对责任政府建设的启示

中国传统法律文化非常重视和强调君主对民众、对天下所负的义务。传统法律文化认为,君主是为"民"服务的,这是设立君主的最根本的目的,也是君主的最根本的义务。君主只有遵循天意和民意,尽自己的义务,民众才能服从君主管理,如果君主不尽义务,民众就可以重新选择君主、反抗暴政。在中国传统法律文化看来,君主对天下、对民众承担着系统的经济义务、政治义务和文化义务,这在一定程度上有利于促使君主权力行使的规范化,但是也存在着严重的先天缺陷。我们应该吸收借鉴传统法律文化对君主义务设计的有益成分,摒弃其先天缺陷,为建设责任政府服务。我们必须强调义务在政府及公务人员的思想意识和行为中居于核心的、根本的地位,树立义务本位的行政发展观,建立中国特色责任政府的义务履行体系,完善义务履行的监督评价体系,实现政府责任的法制化。

Traditional Views of Monarch Obligations and Its Implications for the Construction of Responsible Governments

Chinese traditional legal culture emphasizes the obligations of the monarch to its subjects and the society,holding that the monarch is to serve the people,which is the fundamental purpose of having the monarch.Only if the monarch fulfills his obligations will people obey his rule.Otherwise,people can defy the monarch and choose a new one.With the traditional Chinese legal culture,the monarch assumes financial,political and cultural obligations,which propels monarch to use his power appropriately.However,traditional legal culture also has serious limitations.To promote the construction of responsible governments,we should retain and absorb the beneficial ingredients of traditional views of monarch obligations while abandoning the limitations.We must establish the obligationbased administrative culture,establish the obligation implementation system of responsible governments with Chinese characteristics,and improve the supervision and evaluation systems regarding the implementation of obligations to achieve the legalization of government responsibilities.