诉讼时效对原物返还请求权的意义

The Significance of the Prescribed Period of Litigation Applicable to the Claims for Return of Property

随着我国物权法的制定与实施,人们物权的保护意识明显加强。但为了寻求社会经济的平衡,需要把每个人的权利限制在恰当的范围内;在此范围内权利人得以享有自己的自由权利,而一旦越过此范围则需受到相应的限制。法律设置了诸多制度来对权利进行限制,以平衡法律主体的权利义务,从而维护社会的稳定。我国在债权法上规定了诉讼时效这一制度,目的在于督促权利人及时行使权利;在物权领域有除斥期间的限制,但对于包含原物返还请求权在内的物上请求权我国法律主张是不受期限限制的,这在很大程度上会对整个社会秩序构成一种威胁。因为当今社会财产交易频繁,权利转移与转化迅速,若一个人行使某种财产权利是无期限限制的,肯定会扰乱整个社会经济的秩序。因此,原物返还请求权适用诉讼时效是必要的,它是基于平衡每个权利人权利的考虑,是维持我国社会经济生活稳定和谐之必要。

With the property law enacted and implemented, people’s awareness of property protection is obviously strengthened. Nevertheless, to balance the social economy, every person’s right needs to be limited within a proper scope, in which every obligee can enjoy his or her freedom and right but beyond which, the obligee will be restricted correspondingly. There are many legal institutions enacted to limit legal subject’s rights and keep the balance between rights and obligations,hence maintaining the social stability. The Law of Obligation enacts the institution of litigation precribed period with a purpose of supervising the obligee to exercise his or her right in time. The property right is limited within a scheduled time while there is no time limitation of claims for return of property, which will be largely a threat to social order. Because of frequent property exchange and rapid right shift, if the property right is exercised datelessly, the social economy order is bound to be disturbed. Therefore, it is quite necessary that the litigation prescribed period is applicable to the claims for return of property, which is based on the consideration of balancing the obligee’s rights and is indispensable to keep the society and economy stable and harmonious.