论英国《大宪章》的发展历程及影响

Discussion on the Development and Influence of the Great Charter

《大宪章》是约翰王在位时期颁布的一项法令。1215年颁布的《大宪章》一共63条,其条款基本按照教会权利、财政、私法、行政、王室森林的顺序排列。大宪章中最重要的部分便是限制国王权利,保障国王臣属的基本权利。在1215年后的岁月里,《大宪章》被历代国王多次删减内容而重新颁布,其作用和历史地位也随着王朝的更迭而不断发生着变化,对英国历史的影响曾达到了顶峰,但在19世纪逐步被取代。正是在《大宪章》的正确引导下,大英帝国逐步被导入民主宪政的道路上来,英国《大宪章》的出现影响了整个世界的法治化进程。

The Great Charter is a decree issued by King John during his reign of 1215. It consists of 63 articles,arranged in order of church rights,finance,private laws,administration and then royal forest. The core of the decree includes limiting king’s rights and protecting the basic rights of king’s subordinates. After 1215,the charter was renewed by all following monarchs and its effect and historical status changed with the rise and fall of dynasties. Its influence on British history once reached the peak but it was finally replaced in the late 19 th century. Despite that,it was the correct guidance of the Great Charter that leaded the United Kingdom to the right path of democratic constitutionalism. More broadly,the charter accelerates the global pace towards the rule of law.