望远镜里的法经济学:理论架构和分析工具

Law and Economics:Theoretical Structure and Analytical Instrument

法律经济学是利用经济分析的架构探讨法学问题。在面对各种官司时,除了诉诸相关的法条之外,还要有意识地提醒自己:思索和分析的工具,到底是什么?法学里常把问题分为两类,程序问题和实体问题;透过程序,处理实体。经济分析也是如此,透过各种分析技巧,厘清问题;实质问题所涉及的价值取舍,通常是分析的第二步或第三步。在法学教育中,几乎很少提到"往前看"的观点;当"如何善后"变得纠缠不清时,"往前看"的视角往往能另辟蹊径、豁然开朗。最重要的是,法律经济学的方法论,是先建构了解社会的一般性、原则性理论,再以之探讨法学问题。经济分析的特色和说服力如何,最好让证据来说话。

Law and Economics applies economic analysis to study legal issues. Economic analysis covers a wide range and two important analytical frameworks are examined in the paper： the macro micro macro structure by Coleman, and the equilibrium analysis. The major contents of the paper are： first, in facing legal cases, it is important to conscientiously ask the question, ＂What are the analytical tools that have been employed to face the problems？＂ Secondly, legal issues are grouped into the substantive and the procedural ones; it is essentially the same in economics. The first step is to analyze the practical issues involved and the second or third step is to face the substantive issues concerning value judgments. Finally, the perspective of forward looking is often neglected in legal studies. When a useful hindsight is not readily available, adop ting a forward looking perspective is often illuminating. The most important message is that Law and Economics employs the methodological stance of developing a general theory about social phenomena in order to fruitfully study legal issues. Wheth er this stance is persuasive is to be judged by the evidence it produces.