宪法变通与地方试验

Constitutional Variability and Local Experiments

"良性违宪"的出现,是因为宪法和中央法律过多限制了地方自主权。宪法是一部保障而非限制权利的基本法。宪法的根本目的不是通过制度性规定剥夺地方尝试的自由,更不是限制人民的基本自由,而是为所有人保障一个权利底线。在这个底线之上,地方政府可以自由探索对满足当地需要而言最有效的途径。要从根本上解决"良性违宪"所带来的困惑,就必须转变有关中央与地方关系的思维,从制度上保障地方试验的顺利进行。

＂Benign unconstitutionality＂ is a phenomenon attributed to the fact that the constitution and central laws have excessively restricted local autonomy. The constitution is a basic law supposed to protect rather than to limit rights and freedom. The fundamental purpose of a constitution is not to deprive the freedom of local experimentation through institutional provisions, much less to limit the essential individual liberty, but to provide for everyone a common baseline of rights, above which a local government can freely explore the most effective means to satisfy the local demands. To transcend the paradox revealed by ＂benign unconstitutionality＂ altogether, it is necessary to transform the model of central- local relations and to provide institutional protection for free local experiments.