论惩罚性赔偿的性质

惩罚性赔偿是一种超额赔偿.惩罚性赔偿是否具有惩罚性,理论界存在争议.惩罚性赔偿的定性影响到法律程序的选择和惩罚性赔偿的适用.基于保护受害人人格尊严而进行的赔偿(或者称为精神赔偿)和促使行为人将行为成本全部内化的威慑性赔偿,在性质上仍然归于民事处罚的范畴.对于基于报应正义而进行的惩罚性赔偿才是真正的惩罚性赔偿.刑法适用范围很小,只有当行为人给社会造成严重的危害,且其有非常大的道德可责性时,才能用刑罚威慑.在传统二元结构框架下,有大量的违法行为逃避法律的制裁,三元结构中的惩罚性民事责任可以弥补这种缺陷,强化法律的社会控制力.然而,惩罚性民事责任的扩张,会严重地威胁到个人的权利.因此惩罚性民事责任应当受到严格的监督和控制.

On the Nature of Punitive Damages

As the excessive damages,that whether the punitive damages is punishment or not is controversial in theory,because it decides which process can be applied.When the punitive damaes is in purpose of protecting the victim’s dignity or internalizing the cost of act,it is the civil liability,and if its purpose is to retribute the actor,this has the nature of punishment.However,that the punishment is limited strictly due to negative effects on society.There may be a lot of unlawful acts to escape being sanctioned in dual framework of system.Therefore,the triple framework of system can supply the limitiations and hence increases the control power of legal system on the society.Nevertheless,as the punitive civil liability expanding,it will threat the right of persons.So,it is important to supervise and oversee the punitive damages applying.