以权利制约权力:卢梭社会契约思想中的权力制约思想

Restricting Power with Rights:Rousseau's Concept of Power Restriction in Social Contract

近代社会契约理论是西方资产阶级思想家在现代国家生成过程中,用来解释政府或国家起源及其权力合法性的理论学说。作为近代社会契约理论代表人物的霍布斯、洛克和卢梭,他们虽然在理论上有一定的分歧,但是权力制约却始终是他们探讨的核心主题。对于卢梭而言,他视稳定的社会模式为理所当然,所以他的社会契约理论不是稳定社会的方法,而是要创造一种新的社会环境以使人性回归,使人们获得完全自由、社会归于正义。他提出以公意作为国家的最高指导,公意代表人民以及人民的公共意志,政府只是公意命令的执行者,政府权力来自于公意,所以政府就必然就要受到人民权利的制约。可见,权力制约思想不仅是近代社会契约论所蕴含的基本理论旨趣,实际上也构成现代西方民主政治发展的内在逻辑。

The modern social contract theory is the doctrine that Western bourgeois thinkers used to explain the origin ofgovernment or state and the legitimacy of its power in the formation process of modern state. Although Hobbes,Locke,and Rousseau,who are representatives of the modern social contract theory,have some differences,power restrictionhas always been the core theme of their discussion. As Rousseau takes a stable social model for granted,the social con-tract theory is not a method for social stability but is meant to create a new social environment for the return of human na-ture and social justice and for people's complete freedom. He believes that public will is the supreme guidance of a stateas it represents the people and their will;the government is only the executive of the will's orders;and the power of thegovernment comes from the public will and therefore must be restricted by the rights of the people. It is obvious that theidea of power restriction is not only the basic intent in modern social contract theory,it also constitutes the inner logic ofthe development of modern Western democratic politics.