对形式法治的辩解与坚守

On the Argument and Sticking to the Principle of Formal Rule of Law

认清实质法治的意义、功能,抑制其作用的过度发挥,坚守形式法治对中国法治建设具有特殊意义。这是因为中国固有的整体性文化,突出了辩证思维方式,使得根据法律思考的法治思维很难贯彻下去,法律的权威、明确性、稳定性、意义的固定性常在矛盾的思维中受到贬抑。同时来自西方的批判法学、现实主义法学、后现代法学在中国的传播及流行,更加剧了法治思维方式的瓦解。对实质思维方式的坚持,导致了形式法治的思维方式的衰落,法治理论似乎有被瓦解趋势。在这种情况下,我们要重述与论证:形式法治是法治的脊梁,没有对形式法治的坚守,或者说在中国如果不补上形式法治这一课,根本就无法实现向法治社会的转型。形式法治需要法律方法的协助来完成各种使命,因而不能轻易否认形式法治对实现正义的功能。只有在坚守形式法治的前提下,实质法治才能发挥对社会调整的积极意义。

It is significant that we get a clear understanding of the meaning and functions of essential rule of law so as to avoid the excessive role. Because of the Chinese integrated culture underlining the dialectical thinking, it is difficult to implement the thinking guided by law. The authority, clarity, stability and the fixity of law could be commonly lessened with the thinking of contradiction. Meanwhile, the transmission and preva- lence of critical legal studies, legal realism and postmodern jurisprudence further aggravated the thinking by law disintegrated. Adhering to the essential rule of law caused the thinking mode of formal rule of law to fall. The theory of rule of law seems to be declining. It is necessary to restate the opinion that formal rule of law is the backbone of the theory of rule - of - law. Without sticking to the formal theory, or rather without catching up with formal rule of law in China, it could be impossible to transform to a society with rule of law. The theo- ry of formal rule of law depends on legal methods to pursue the justice. The essential rule of law would play an active role of regulating the society only under the premise of sticking to the formal rule of law.