英国宪制中的妥协原则——以英国宪制史中的“光荣革命”为例

The Principle of Compromise in the British Constitutional Sovereignty:The Case of the Glorious Revolution in the History of the British Constitution

宪法与革命,从规范主义的视角,从理想主义的目标来看,它们是完全对峙的。但是宪法离不开革命,革命制宪是现代性的政治本色,现代宪法都是经由革命孕育和塑造出来的。在英国革命的起点确立之后,是不是能够开辟出一个走向政治规范、走向立宪政府的规范之路,抵御从革命到激进革命的紧张状态,约束革命人民可以随时革命的决断权,需要妥协制宪,这是英国光荣革命给予人类政治的一份最伟大的宪制经验。现代性肯定要经历革命,但是这个妥协制宪能够圆满终结革命,这本来就是宪法的最大诉求。妥协向来是立宪政治的基本原则,英国立宪主义在保留革命精神的同时,也汲取了英伦政治传统里崇尚调和、宽容、妥协的精神,一部英国光荣革命的历史,实际上就是一部英国政治从激烈斗争到相互妥协的宪制史。

Viewed from a normative perspective and an idealist purpose,constitution and revolution are incompatible.However,constitution out of revolution is a character of modern politics.When the Glorious Revolution as was establisheda new starting point in Britain,compromise was needed in order for Britain to move toward a normative,constitutional government and to resist the tension of revolution or radial revolution and to restrict the right of the revolutionaries to resort to revolution anytime.This is the experience that modern politics can draw from the Glorious Revolution.Modernity must experience revolution,but the compromise-based constitution can effectively prevent revolution,and the prevention of revolution is the primary appeal of the constitution.Compromise is a basic principle in constitutional politics.British constitutionalism retains the spirit of revolution and draws the spirit of tolerance,regulation and compromise in British politics.The history of the Glorious Revolution is at the same time a history of the development of the British constitutional government from violent struggle to compromise.