试论法律对自由的确认与调整

Confirmation and Adjustment to Freedom by Law

人们通常说，法律是自由的保证，其实问题并不如此简单。只有在法律确认了自由的条件下，法律才是自由的保证。法律要确认自由，必须解决两个方面的问题：一是界定个人与个人之间的关系，防止人们相互对自由的侵害；二是界定个人与国家之间的关系，防止国家权力对自由的侵害。而后者较前者更为重要。但是，国家是完全可以井可能为保证个人自由而限制其本人的自由的，而且这种状况正在扩展。为保证国家权力的合理运用并保证个人自由，该文阐述了相关的法律调整方式与原则。

It is said that the law is the guarantee of freedom. But things are not so simple. The law is to be the guarantee of freedom only in the case that the law confirms freedom. We should solve two problems if we want to use the law to confirm the freedom. First, we should define the relationship between individuals to prevent individuals from harming their freedom mutually; second, we should define the relationship between the state and individuals to prevent state power from harming the freedom of individuals. Comparatively, the latter is much more important. However, it is entirely possible for the state to limit the individuals' freedom in the name of guaranteeing their own freedom, and such situation is just extending. To ensure the state power to he applied reasonably and secure the individuals' freedom, the author provides and expounds some relative means and principles of legal adjustment.