What is democracy? A reconceptualization of the quality of democracy

Works on the quality of democracy propose standards for evaluating politics beyond those encompassed by a minimal definition of democracy. Yet, what is the quality of democracy? This article first reconstructs and assesses current conceptualizations of the quality of democracy. Thereafter, it reconceptualizes the quality of democracy by equating it with democracy pure and simple, positing that democracy is a synthesis of political freedom and political equality, and spelling out the implications of this substantive assumption. The proposal is to broaden the concept of democracy to address two additional spheres: government decision-making – political institutions are democratic inasmuch as a majority of citizens can change the status quo – and the social environment of politics – the social context cannot turn the principles of political freedom and equality into mere formalities. Alternative specifications of democratic standards are considered and reasons for discarding them are provided.     

宪政视野中的公民政治参与

宪政是以民主为基础,以法治为保障,以人权为终极目标的政治过程与政治状态。政治参与是公民通过一定途径与方式介入政治过程从而影响政治决策的政治行为。公民的政治参与是宪政实践的一项重要内容,对于建设社会主义法治国家,推动社会主义民主进程,最终促成社会主义政治文明有着深远的意义。     

Evolution of subnational foreign economic relations in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

In the current dispensation of civilian rule in Nigeria (1999–present), her subnational governments (SNGs) have increasingly been engaging in economic activities which impact on how Nigeria conducts her international economic interactions. This emerging trend is at variance with the existing legal provisions under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, which preclude SNGs from this policy space. This article examines the evolution of the constitutional framework for SNG involvement in Nigeria’s foreign economic relations since independence. It is the argument in this article that the exclusion of SNGs from foreign affairs under the 1999 Constitution is a departure from the original configuration at independence. It is further argued that the recent episodes of SNG involvement in international economic activities are occurring despite the constitutional restrictions owing to external factors such as globalisation and internal factors such the growing need among SNGs to find alternative ways to fund their economic development objectives.     

论刑法的宪政之维

宪政之维的刑法可谓刑法"宪法化"了.刑法的目的不仅保障社会中善良公民的基本权利,而且保护犯罪人的权利.刑罚的执行不是给罪犯带来痛苦,而是要注重如何保障罪犯的权利.国家的刑事政策与自由、平等、法治等宪政理念紧密相连,其目的在于个人自由之保护,而不是警察国家模式所追求的刑事政策的惩罚性.刑法"宪法化"最重要的标志是刑法司法必须接受宪法的限制.美国式违宪审查模式与德国式宪法诉愿模式将宪法对刑法的限制加以建制化.     

领导干部宪政意识之现状、成因及对策研究

宪政是以良宪为基础,民主为基石,法治为载体,人权实现为宗旨的一种政治理念、政治形态或政治过程。中国正走在通向宪政的路上,可是要实施宪政,必先要研究宪政意识,特别是领导干部的宪政意识;因为宪政意识是实现和实行宪政的思想基础,也是进行宪政建设的思想条件。本文着重分析了领导干部宪政意识薄弱的四大表现,并对其深层原因作了探寻。最后,对如何培育和提升领导干部宪政意识提出了对策建议。     

论宪政的价值理念

宪政不仅是一个静态的制度体系,它还包含着动态的政治实践,以及超越于制度体系及政治实践之外的多元价值内涵。正义既是宪政价值的基础,又是完政价值的准则。并非所有对正义的追求都可以纳入宪政的价值体系,只有那些隐含权利内容的追求,才能转化为宪政的价值理念。     

宽容:和谐社会的宪政之道

宽容是和谐社会的基本精神。和谐社会的宪政之道首先是宽容之道。宽容的宪政建设要求我们勘正忽视公民基本权利“基本”属性的错误认识,确立宪政民主观的民主思维。     

传统与现代:西方宪政运动生成的历史机理

近现代宪政运动是近代资产阶级革命的产物,但它是自古希腊以来西方政治法律文明发展的必然产物,是西方古代宪政文化要素在近现代的高度整合的结晶,是西方宪政文明发展的近现代形态。因此,要全面把握近现代宪政的内在本质、生成机制,必须深入探讨近现代西方宪政运动生成和发展的深刻的历史文化机理,从而为我国当代社会主义法治国家和宪政国家建设提供有益的历史文化启迪。     

中国宪政的文化分析

在生成背景上,儒家的人性观是造成宪政发育因素的先天缺失,也是后天培养宪政观念的困境所在;中国语境里的宪政已经不是限制权力、保障权利的一种信念力量,特殊的民族历史造就了宪政工具主义观;后发型现代国家使得人们对宪政内容与结果的认识上含混不清,及至造成对宪政建设的忽视。     

现代化进程中宪政的有无及其治道影响——法英美三国历史经验与当下世界各国宪政复兴的启示

现代化进程中的治道问题研究一直是学界的热点,不过,以宪政有无为线索的考察与比较研究还不是很多。事实证明,宪政是制度中的重中之重,而一旦出现宪政缺失,它对社会治道的消极影响远非一般制度能比。由此也决定了在研究现代化进程中的治道问题时,宪政是一个不容忽视的线索。通过考察近代法、英、美三国现代化进程中宪政的有无及其治道影响,以及当下世界各国宪政的复兴及其所引发的治道变革,可以发现宪政之于人类制度文明、之于人类现代化进程中良治的实现有着不可替代作用。