法律至上:西方近代公职人员宣誓制度的自然法视域

Rule of Law:The Natural Law Vision of the Western Modern Public Officials Oath System

在自然法影响下,由对古代社会之"神明"、中世纪之"上帝"的信仰而递嬗为对体现理性主义的世俗法的尊崇是西方近代公职人员宣誓制度的社会心理基础。17世纪40年代,发端于《大宪章》的西方近代公职人员宣誓制度再次被弘扬于世。美国1787年《宪法》之"宣誓"条款标志着西方近代公职人员宣誓制度完成了由"主权在君"向"主权在民"的变易,实现了由"天国"之担保向"尘世"之诺诚的跨越。在法国1791年《宪法》之"宣誓"条款中,西方近代公职人员宣誓制度的信仰基础已完全摆脱"超验",深植于体现理性主义的世俗法律之中。而德国魏玛宪法将西方近代公职人员宣誓制度定型,深远地影响了近代中国的法制实践。

Under the influence of natural law,the social and psychological basis of the western modern public officials oath system is that the belief in the"god"in ancient society and the"God"in the middle ages was transmitted to the respect for the secular law which embodied rationalism.In the 1640 s,the western modern public officials oath system,which was originated in the Magna Carta,was carried forward again in the world.The"Oath-taking"clause in the Constitution of the United States in 1787 marked the completion of the transformation from"Sovereignship in the Sovereign"to"Sovereignship in the People"in the western modern public officials oath system.It has realized the leap from the guarantee of"heaven"to the promise of"earth".In the"oath"clause of the French Constitution of 1791,the belief foundation of the western modern public officials oath system has completely got rid of the"transcendental",and is deeply rooted in the secular law reflecting rationalism.The German"Weimar Constitution",as the finalization of the western modern public officials oath system,has a profound impact on the legal practice of modern China.