习惯与习惯法三题

Three Topics on Custom and Customary Law

习惯与习惯法的概念及其两者的关系是长期以来我国法学界尚未厘清的问题。通过一些实例说明,在中国现当代,这两个概念所表达的内容是相似的和接近的,没有实质性差别。因而在我国现行有效的法律体系中,只有习惯的概念,没有习惯法概念。现代一些关于习惯法的研究,其实质指的是习惯。习惯法更多地是表达一种历史性概念。同时,针对习惯到底是起补充作用还是优先适用的问题,指出习惯的适用须以法律和政策缺位为前提。习惯的优先适用只能作为例外,且须依法律之规定。最后在如何看待习惯的生死存亡问题上,表达了"习惯是一个自然生长的过程,也有一个自然消亡的过程"的观点。

The concepts of custom and customary law and their relations have always been in dispute in the China law field.This paper,by examples,aims to demonstrate that the two terms share the similar contents.China＇s current effective legal system only keeps the concept of custom instead of customary law which is in more sense a historical concept.Also,to settle the question whether custom is supplementary or has the priority,the paper,points out that the application of custom should be on the premise of lack of corresponding law.With regards to the future of custom,the paper finally believes that ＂custom grows naturally and will die naturally＂