中国司法的“系统—功能”定位

The “System-Function” Orientation of Administration of Justice in China

转型时代中国司法的定位问题实质上是转型时代中国司法与外部社会间的基本关系问题。从司法与外部社会间的沟通关系看,应将转型时代中国司法定位为一种"制度性、累积性、平和可控的有计划社会变迁工具"。其中,制度性是指司法与体制外的、非官方的、非系统性的社会变迁策略之区别;累积性是指司法只应当也只可能"以司法的方式"促成社会转型;"平和可控"是指司法促成社会转型所具有的避免转型动荡、降低转型风险之优势。证成中国司法"以司法的方式"促成社会转型之独特功能,不等于肯定法律/司法工具主义,因为前者坚持而后者却放弃了司法的运作封闭性。厘清中国司法的"系统—功能"定位,乃是认识有计划社会变迁进程中中国司法的功能及其限度问题的理论起点,亦可揭示对于促成国家治理能力与治理体系现代化而言,中国司法何以具有不可替代性以及具有何种局限性。

The issue of orientation of the administration of justice in China in the transitional period is in essence an issue of basic relationship between administration of Chinese judiciary and external society.Based on this understanding,this paper defines the administration of justice in China as"one kind of institutional,cumulative,peaceful and controllable instrument of planned social transition".In this definition,"institutional"refers to the difference between administration of justice and non-institutional,unofficial and non-systematic strategies of social transition;"cumulative"emphasizes that administration of justice should and can promote social transition only"in a judicial way";and"peaceful and controllable"highlights the advantages of promoting social transformation through administration of justice,namely avoiding transitional turbulence and reducing transitional risks.The justification of the unique role of administration of justice in China in promoting social transition"in a judicial way"does not equal to the confirmation of legal/judicial instrumentalism,because the former adheres to,whereas the latter abandons,the closed nature of the operation of the judiciary.Clarifying the system-function orientation of administration of justice in China is the theoretical starting point of understanding the functions and limits of administration of justice in China in the process of planned social transition.It can also reveal the reasons why administration of justice is indispensable to the modernization of state governance capacity and system in China and what limitations it has in this respect.