明代商人的法权地位

On The Legal Status of the Merchants in the Ming Dynasty

本文通过对明政府颁布的有关商人、商业的制度法规及商事诉讼的判词来考察明代商人的法权地位,进而对明代商人同国家的基本关系作出判断。明初统治者为求恢复生产、稳定秩序,强化了对包括商人在内的社会各阶层的控制,因而商人服饰和外出自由受到一定限制,但商人的常规商业活动一直得到政府许可,并未遭到刻意抑制。《大明律》等法规在对商人行为作出规范的同时,也保护商人合法权益不受侵损。在涉商案件审理中,商人法律地位与庶民中的其他人群是平等的。在科举考试方面,商人身份并未受到歧视,且官府专门设置"商籍"以解决商人子弟由于户籍所限不能异地应考的困难。由此可知,商人在明代国家体制中拥有与其他庶民人群平等的法权地位,被包容于帝制体系框架之内,并不构成当时社会体制的瓦解要素。

This article examines the legal status of the merchants in the Ming dynasty and their basic relationship with the existing imperial system.It argues that the early Ming rules did declare certain restrictions concerning the activity of the merchants as a part of its policy to restore social stability.Nevertheless,regular commercial activities of merchants were permitted without intentional suppression from the government.The Ming laws and governmental policies did contain terms to regulate merchants' activities,while Merchants enjoyed equal legal rights and basic protection with other groups of common people.Moreover,in civil examination system,there was a preferential policy to allow the sons of merchants to participate the examination in places other than their hometowns.It is concluded that,the merchants in Ming dynasty,rather than playing a role of social disintegration,was extensively integrated into the existing imperial system.