南京国民政府时期乡镇调解制度初探

Research on Township Mediation System during Nanjing National Government Period

调解本身就是一种自治性和民间性的纠纷解决方式。南京国民政府时期,随着地方自治制度的倡导和推行,以及出于对法院调解成效不彰进行补救的需要,乡镇调解委员会开始承担起调解基层社会纠纷的重任。由于地方制度的屡屡变更、乡镇调解制度设计的粗浅以及制度执行中的敷衍,南京国民政府时期的乡镇调解制度并未收到预期的效果,但制度的价值却不容忽视。乡镇调解制度的施行,在一定程度上促进了基层社会的稳定,缓解了基层司法资源短缺的压力,推动了中国调解制度的法制化进程。尤其值得一提的是,乡镇调解制度改变了传统基层社会调解的自发性和随意性,初步实现了调解的组织化和制度化,这一制度化的形式一直被延续到当代,为现代调解制度建设和完善提供了一定的借鉴。

Mediation is an dispute_solving ways with spontaneity and folk character.During Nanjing National Government period,township mediation committee began to undertake the task of mediating social disputes at the grassroots level with the initiative of local self governance system and no effect of Civil Mediation System in Court. Township mediation system during Nanjing National Government period did not receive the expected results because of frequent changes in local system,shallow system design and perfunctory system implementation.But the value of the system should not be neglected. Township mediation system during Nanjing National Government period promoted grass-roots social stability, relieved the pressure of shortage of judicial resources,pushed forward the legalization process of mediation system in China. Especially,the township mediation system changed the spontaneous and arbitrary mediation in traditional society and preliminarily realized the organization and institutionalization of mediation which provide some reference significance for the present mediation system.