从“活人祭祀”到“以德报怨”:民国时期的死刑存废之争——一种法律文化视角的考察

On the Debate of Retainment or Abolishment of Death Penalty from “Human Sacrifice”to “Good for Bad”During the Period of the Republic of China——A Perspective of Legal Culture

早在民国时期死刑存废争议就已经存在,在二十世纪三四十年代,死刑存废之争一度成为媒体和民众关注的热点问题。从1935年《中华民国刑法》有关死刑的立法以及司法判例中也可以看出,民国时期国民的死刑观念发生着悄然的变化。从法律文化视角进行考察,民国时期的死刑存废之争,折射出的是以"杀人偿命"之报应主义与"以杀止杀"之工具主义的传统刑罚文化向现代人道主义的刑罚文化的转变,体现的是一种刑罚价值取向的进步。

During the period of the Republic of China, to retain or abolish the death penalty was a controversial problem. In the thirties of the 20th century, this debate became a hot issue of the media and the public. In addition, it could be seen from the criminal law of the Republic of China in 1935 and the criminal cases which national concept of the death penalty was quietly changing during the period of the Republic of China. Seen from the perspective of legal culture, the debate essentially reflects that culture of retribution doctrine “a life for a life” and instrumentalism “blood for blood” is becoming the modem value of humanitarian punishment. This is the progress of the penalty value orientation.