狩猎与盗猎--英国“长18世纪”转型视域下的狩猎法变迁

Hunting and Poaching:The Change of Game Laws of England under the Long Eighteenth-Century Transitional Perspective

合法狩猎在近代早期的英国有着严格的财产资格限制,狩猎权成为主要由贵族富绅所拥有的特权。狩猎在贵族文化中发挥着重要的社会功能,它以娱乐消遣的形式实现了彰显身份、扩大社会关系和巩固统治的政治目的。不过,乡村平民也经常诉诸自然法和惯例,为其狩猎活动的合法性予以辩护。在急剧的经济社会转型背景下,民间盗猎活动愈演愈烈,不仅威胁到贵族的狩猎特权,也导致了严重的乡村失序问题。农场主与狩猎贵族关于农业发展和猎物保护的分歧不断加剧,在前者的吁求下,狩猎法改革被提上日程。《1831年狩猎法》便是这一曲折改革过程中新旧势力相互妥协的产物。英国狩猎法的实践困境反映了日益加剧的乡村社会矛盾,也见证了土地贵族在资本主义发展早期的身份危机。

In early Modern England,legal hunting was a privilege of the aristocrats and rich gentlemen with huge property.Hunting played an important role in aristocratic culture and it manifested the nobles’identity,enlarged their social relations and strengthened their ruling in local society.However,the rural civilians often legitimized their poaching with natural law and custom.In the context of rapid economic and social transformation,poaching activities had intensified.It not only threatened the hunting privileges of nobles,but also caused serious rural disorder.Disagreements between farmers and the hunting aristocrats over agricultural development and game conservation intensified.The reform of game law was put on the agenda under the farmers’appeal.The 1831 Game Law was the result of the compromise between the old and new social forces in this tortuous process of reform.The practical dilemma of the game laws in England not only reflected the social contradiction in countryside,but also witnessed the landed gentlemen s identity crisis in the earlier stage of capitalism.