Seven cases of fatal aconite poisoning: forensic experience in China

This paper presents seven fatal cases of aconite poisoning encountered in the Tongji Center for Medicolegal Expertise in Hubei (TCMEH), China, from 1999 to 2008 retrospectively. In six of the cases, deaths occurred after drinking homemade medicated liquor containing aconite, and in one case death was due to ingestion of traditional Chinese medication containing aconite. Forensic autopsy and pathological examinations ruled out the presence of physical trauma or life-threatening diseases. Diagnosis of aconite poisoning was made after postmortem toxicological analysis. Animal experiment was performed in one case demonstrating that the medicated liquor could cause death rapidly. We present the autopsy and histopathological findings, toxicological analysis, and results of animal experiment done on samples from those seven cases. As an important herbal Chinese medicine, Aconitum species deserve special attention, especially because it contains poisonous alkaloids.     

人身权法律地位探析

人身权与财产权是民事权利的两大支柱,但在传统民法中,对人身权的规定却极其简略,只将其分散规定在民法典的各编之中,具有依附的成分。随着社会经济与法治建设的快速发展,社会各界对人身权的重要性已经达成共识。但由于特殊的社会历史原因,在我国民法典的编制体例及人身权的法律地位上仍存在严重分歧。笔者认为,应将人格权与亲属法中的相关权利结合在一起,组成人身权并独立成编,使人身权法与民法总则、物权法、债权法、继承法、侵权法,共同构成民法典的基本框架。     

法律理性与法律的技术化

现代法律制度的每一个建构性要素及其运作过程的每一个环节,都表现出很强的技术性特征,这使得法律成为一种典型的社会技术。法律技术铸成了法律的确定性,使法律规范系统化;它划定了行为合法与不法的界限,使人们对自己的行为后果更有预期。可以说,技术化是法律理性在形式方面最重要的表现,而实践的特点决定了理性必然是形式理性与实质理性的统一,作为法律价值的载体和法律目的的支持系统,法律技术本身也是法治的基本条件之一。因此,法律的技术性特征及其意义应当受到重视,法律技术的功能也有待于我们加以深入地研究。     

罪的转化与刑法规范的协调——刑法第333条立法缺陷的理论分析

一般认为 ,转化犯是轻罪向重罪的转化 ;那么理所当然 ,在转化犯中 ,转化以后的犯罪的法定刑应当高于转化之前的基础犯罪的法定刑 ,这样才能体现罪刑相当原则 ,否则 ,就无法实现刑法典采用罪的转化这一技术手段的目的。但是 ,作为转化犯的适例 ,我国现行刑法第 333条在法定刑的设置上 ,与其转化犯的相关条款的法定刑之间却存在极大的矛盾 ,为具体的法律适用带来了困难。     

洞庭澄澈之美肝胆透明之洁--读张孝祥《念奴娇·过洞庭》

南宋爱国词人张孝祥的<念奴娇·过洞庭>写景是辅助手段,论事是目的.作者起笔描绘洞庭澄澈,明河星辰,落笔却在塑造拔天耸地的自我形象上.从中不难看出词人冰清玉洁的品格和叱咤风云的爱国英雄本色.     

Confucianism and western democracy

To facilitate further debate on the compatibility of Confucianism with Western democracy, this study makes three distinctions. The first distinction is between Confucianism as a doctrine and Confucianism as a state ideology; the second is between the democratic mechanism and the humanistic spirit; the last is among democratic, a‐democratic and anti‐democratic notions. This study defines Confucianism and Western democracy, shows their theoretical similarities and differences, examines the relationship between Confucianism as a state ideology and Chinese authoritarianism, and finally explores the impact of Confucianism on Chinese democratization. This study concludes that Confucianism is neither democratic nor anti‐democratic, but a‐democratic, and that, while not an unsurmountable obstacle to democratization, it offers little help to that process.     

Rural Roots of Current Migrant Labor Shortage in China: Development and Labor Empowerment in a Situation of Incomplete Proletarianization

This paper challenges and complements the view, widely held in sociological labor studies, that incomplete proletarianization weakens labor’s bargaining power in the city by allowing capital to externalize the costs of labor reproduction to the countryside. The authors argue instead that the preservation of migrant workers’ links to the rural economy plus rural development measures can, under certain circumstances, empower labor by increasing their marketplace bargaining power. Beginning with the puzzle of migrant labor shortages in China, and based on national data and a case study, the authors show that access to land and pro-rural state policies in the first decade of the twenty-first century together stimulated rural development in hinterland China and created more employment opportunities in agricultural and local nonfarm sectors. As a consequence, rural (migrant) laborers in China were able to rely on rural employment and choose not to participate in labor migration, thus contributing to the labor shortage and pressing employers in the city to increase wage rates and improve working and living conditions.     

中国-东盟自由贸易区建设的作用和影响:基于国际政治经济学理论的分析

中国-东盟自由贸易区建设是政治与经济的互动过程,从内向视角分析,建立中国-东盟自由贸易区是中国和东盟国家国内政治、经济发展的必然需求;从外向视角分析,在经济全球化和区域经济合作不断发展的背景下,建立中国-东盟自由贸易区是中国与东盟政治、经济关系发展的必然趋势.中国-东盟自由贸易区建设推进了中国与东盟政治、经济关系的良性互动发展,引起亚太国际关系的深刻变化,促进了亚太区域合作的发展,进一步揭示了美国、日本等有关国家对华战略意图和政策目标.     

合理性原则下的行政不当行为之审视——对华侨夫妻在国外所生二胎子女回国落户问题的行政法思考

华侨作为定居在国外的中国公民,其身份具有一定的特殊性.中国政府对于归国华侨给予适当的照顾,国内的有关政策并不一定适用于华侨群体.本文从对华侨夫妻在国外所生二胎子女回国落户征收社会抚养费这一具体行政行为入手,以行政法的视角对其合法性与合理性进行了思考与探讨,认为应属于行政不当之行为.     

危机下的朝核问题走向

当前的朝核问题形势与以前多次发生的曲折反复有所不同,朝鲜核战略已调整为拥核自保。除朝鲜战略思考外,美国在朝核问题上缺乏明确目标和战略紧迫感,也是造成危机升级的重要原因。恢复对话需要新的基础和起点。地区格局能否避免进一步失衡、美国能否做积极战略调整、朝鲜内部局势能否保持稳定,将决定朝核问题能否走出危局,向积极方向发展。