论国际法语境下软法的理论边界与发展路径——以国内法与国际法比较为视角

The Theoretical Boundary and Development Path of Soft Law in the Context of International Law from the Perspective of Comparison of Domestic Law and International Law

在全球治理中,软法的兴起具有重要意义。比较国内法与国际法,可以更深刻地认识软法的理论边界和发展路径。软法之所以“软”,是因为没有法定责任及制裁;之所以可以被称为“法”,是因为它能够产生调整实效。在国际法语境下,软法分为一般意义上的软法和特殊意义上的软法。前者可以独立发展,后者负有“由软变硬”的使命。在接受软法兴起的同时,应当警惕软法泛化现象——一方面,不能把没有法定责任及制裁的国际文件一概界定为软法,因为这会损害软法的权威;另一方面,既不能放弃特殊意义上的软法,也不能忽视一般意义上的软法,因为这会加剧国际法效力危机或者阻碍国际社会的法治化。中国应当通过发展和繁荣软法,促进人类法治理念的革新,具体路径可以是有的放矢地参与或建设国际组织,也可以是通过强调技术中性和经济规律,提高软法规范的理性程度。

In global governance,the rise of soft law is of great significance.Through the comparison of domestic law and international law,we can have a deeper understanding of the theoretical boundary and development path of soft law.Soft law is“soft”because it does not have a statutory duty and its sanctions,but it can be called“law”because it produces adjustment effectiveness.In the context of international law,soft law is divided into soft law in the general sense and soft law in the special sense.The former can develop independently and the latter has the mission of“turning from being soft to hard”.While supporting the rise of soft law,we should be wary of the generalization of soft law.On the one hand,international documents without legal responsibilities and their sanctions cannot be defined as soft law altogether since this would undermine the authority of soft law;On the other hand,neither soft law in the special sense nor soft law in general could be abandoned or ignored because that would exacerbate the crisis in the effectiveness of international law or impede the rule of law in the international community.China should promote the innovation of the concept of human rule of law through the development and prosperity of soft law either by participating in or building international organizations in a targeted manner or by emphasizing technological neutrality and economic laws to improve the rationality of soft law.