公益诉讼语境下的“公益”涵义解析

Analysis of the Meaning of "Public Interest" in the Context of Public Interest Litigation

"公共利益"是一个亟待重新认识但又歧义重重的概念。本文选取公益诉讼中的两大程序难题为切入点,梳理与分析了围绕公益诉讼活动展开的理论论争,并结合公益诉讼活动的背景把握住公共利益的程序内涵,即探讨如何以诉讼及其他方式完善民主的问题。由此,有利于全体公众就公共问题展开论辩的公共生活,被视为理解和达成公益的关键,从而这也在理论上化解了公益诉讼的程序难题。

This article defines and analyzes the concept of public interest in modern society. Firstly, it introduces various definitions of public interest given by western legal scholars and tries to explain this concept in the context of public interest activities （including public interest litigation）. Secondly, by elaborating the characteristics of public interest litigation and the theoretical debates on the liberalization of standing rule in public interest actions, it discusses the inconsistency of the conventional definitions of public interest. Lastly, the article concludes that an open, rational and tolerant public life can be understood as a basic public interest that helps to further a democratic and harmonious society.