弱者保护与法律面前人人平等——从孕妇李丽云死亡事件切入

The Vulnerable and the Equal Protection of Law

本文的分析表明,尽管保护弱势群体有正当合理的社会和伦理基础,但由于当代社会的利益多元和利益冲突,某些旨在追求保护弱势群体的制度和法律措施未必能有效保护弱势群体,相反可能激化社会矛盾,甚至令弱势群体状况更糟;特别是在具体事件或案件中,更要防止以强者、弱者概念替代个人法律责任的分配。弱势群体保护必须受到宪政和法治约束,必须是在规则和制度层面;在分析处理具体事件时则应当始终坚持法律面前人人平等的原则。

This article analyzes the social justification and the practical complexity concerning ＂the protection of vulnerable people＂. It argues that some measures sentimentally justified and aimed at helping the vulnerable may not actually improve but work against them, and intensify the social tensions among various groups of people. Equal protection before law must be the fundamental constitutional and judicial principle in China＇ s efforts to social economic development.