20世纪上半叶中国作家的法治观及其局限性——以梁启超、胡适、林语堂为中心

Chinese Writers’View of the Rule of Law andIts Limitations in the First Half of the 20th Century——Centering on Liang Qichao,Hu Shi and Lin Yutang

20世纪上半叶,中国作家在理论层面为法治建设摇旗呐喊、声援助威,最有代表性的是梁启超、胡适、林语堂。他们态度鲜明而坚定,具有目的上的一致性,即以法治作为医治中国弊病的良药,为建设法治国而鼓与呼。他们一方面揭示出中国社会法治建构的历史因袭与重负及所处时代关于法治在实然层面的种种真相,表现出现实主义精神与批判性;另一方面又旗帜鲜明地指出了法治在应然层面所应具有的品质,在此基础上对法治的推崇与想像,带有理想主义情怀。由于中国文化的多样性和中国现实的复杂性,中国作家对法治理论和实践的探讨都存在不足,主要是对传统法律文化的功利主义解读及其内在矛盾,对开明专制的矛盾态度。

During the first half of the 20th century,Chinese writers cheered and supported the construction of the rule of law at the theoretical level.The most representative ones are Liang Qichao,Hu Shi and Lin Yutang.Their attitude is clear and firm,and they have the consistency of purpose,that is,taking the rule of law as the way to promote China’s progress,and advocating for the construction of the rule of law.On the one hand,they reveal the resistance of the rule of law in Chinese society from historical and traditional level,reveal the facts about the rule of law in the reality of the times,showing the spirit of realism and criticism.On the other hand,they reveal the qualities that the rule of law should have,showing the idealistic spirit of the worship and imagination about the rule of law.Due to the diversity of Chinese culture and the complexity of Chinese reality,there are limitations in the theory and practice of the rule of law by Chinese writers,mainly because of the utilitarian interpretation of traditional culture of law and its inherent contradictions,and the contradictory attitude towards enlightened autocracy.