梁启超关于近代宪政思想及对中国古代法律的相关评论

Liang Qichao's Comments on Modern Constitutional Thoughts and Ancient Chinese Law

梁启超关于近代宪政思想及对中国古代法律的相关评论:1)提倡"新民之义"。新民要有独立、自主、自由、全权的观念。民之自由包括思想、信教、集会、言论、著述、行动的自由。要正确处理如个人与团体、个人与国家、自由与法律的关系。要有新的道德与变革的思想。2)从开明专制到君主立宪。立宪政体为有限政体,君、臣、民均有权,但都有限制。立宪政治,必须是舆论政治与政党政治。"宪法与民权二者不可相离"。3)从批评民主立宪到称道民主立宪。反对袁世凯、张勋复辟帝制,而民主共和的象征——"中华民国"必将永存。关心政治投入政治的国民运动,是共和政治的唯一生命。4)中国至今未建成民主宪政的公民社会,是违背了"今日世界之竞争,不在国家而在国民"。西方国家之能除故习布新宪致富强,是"其机恒发自下而非发自上"。5)全面研究我国古代法律制度,肯定中国古代法律文化在世界法律史上的崇高地位,也批评我国古代法律从形式到内容的缺陷。至于古代民法不发达的原因,他认为既有儒家原因,也有法家的原因。

Liang Qichao＇s comments on modern constitutional thoughts and ancient Chinese law include the following aspects. First,advocating＂New Citizen Thoughts.＂To him, new citizens must have the concept of independence, autonomy, freedom and full power. And the freedom of people means they are free in thoughts, religion, assembly, speech, writing and action. It is necessary to properly handle the relationships such as individuals and groups, individuals and countries, and freedom and law. There must be new ideas of morality and change. Second,from enlightened autocracy to constitutional monarchy. The constitutional government is a limited government, and all the monarch, the court and people have the right, but there are restrictions to them. The constitutional politics must be that of public opinion and party. And ＂the constitution and the civil rights cannot be separated. ＂Third, from criticizing democratic constitutionalism to commending democracy and constitution. He opposes Yuan Shikai and Zhang Xun＇s proposition of restoring the monarchy and claims that the Republic of China, the symbol of democratic republican, will last forever. He also holds that the national movement that cares about politics is the only source of life of republican politics. Fourth, that China has not yet established a democratic constitutional civil society is the result of going against the law of ＂the competition of today＇s world is not for the country but for the citizens.＂ While that the western countries have become rich and powerful in adopting new constitution system while getting rid of the old one is the result of going by the law of＂the motivation constantly comes from the bottom to the above.＂Fifth, he makes a comprehensive research on ancient Chinese legal system, affirms the lofty status of ancient Chinese legal culture in the history of world law and criticizes the defects of ancient Chinese law from its form to content. As for the reasons of the underdevelopment of ancient civil law, he believes they come from both Confucianism and Legalism.