美国宪法解释:"麦迪逊两难"之消解

在美国宪法解释实践中长期存在着被学者们所称的“麦迪逊之两难”问题,即民主多数统治的自由与少数自由权利之间始终处于一种似乎不可消解的张力之中。不同的学者和法官由于基于各自不同的民主与宪政原则,而在宪法解释的理论与实践中采取了不同的解释方法与立场,主要分属两大宪法解释流派:原意主义和非原意主义。然而,认真考察和分析美国宪法与宪政原意与原则理想,则会得出“麦迪逊之两难”命题不过是一个假命题的结论,因为真正的民主自身包含着自由平等原则。

The American Constitutional Interpretation: Madisonian Dilemma

There is "Madisonian dilemma" in practice of American Constitutional interpretation, that is, the freedom of the majority to govern and the freedom and rights of minority remain forever in tension. The different scholars and Justices take a different interpreting method according to the different democracy and constitutionalism principle in their theories and practice of constitutional interpretation, they mainly belong either to Originalism or nonoriginalism. However, as long as examining and analyzing American Constitution and Constitutionalism principle seriously, we can arrive at a conclusion that the proposition of "Madisonian dilemma" is false as true democracy itself contains freedom and equality.