His master’s voice: H.L.A. Hart and Lacanian discourse theory

H.L.A. Hart’s jurisprudence seems antithetical to Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalysis. Professor Schroeder argues that, in fact, Hart’s concept of law has surprising similarities to Lacan’s ‘discourse of the Master’. Both reject a command theory of law: subjects do not obey law out of fear. Moreover, both insist that the authority of law is completely independent from its content. Anyone seeking to develop a psychoanalytically sophisticated critical legal theory should reconsider Hart. As insightful as his concept of the symbolic is, Lacan has no expertise in legal systems and does not discuss positive law per se. Although he posited a theory of ethics in his Seventh Seminar and the seeds of a jurisprudence are implicit within his theory, he offers no account of legal right, justice or what Hart misleadingly calls ‘morality’. A Lacanian jurisprudence must, therefore, be supplemented by other sources. Moreover, legal positivists should not dismiss psychoanalysis. As insightful as Hart’s jurisprudence is, his theories of legal subjectivity and linguistics are simplistic and his concept of law too narrow. He describes only one aspect of legal experience: obedience to law. He ignores what most legal actors do: Hart’s concept of law excludes the practice of law. Although Lacan’s ‘master’s discourse’ surprisingly parallels Hart’s jurisprudence, Lacan does not restrict the symbolic to the master’s discourse. It requires three other ‘discourses’. Lacan, therefore, supplements Hart. Specifically, Lacan’s fourth discourse describes the excluded practice of law and provides the mechanism by which ‘morality’ can critique law.

Misunderstanding Corruption and Community: Comparative Cultural Politics of Corruption Regulation in the Pacific

This paper will take as its empirical foundation the author’s experience of corruption and regulation in small Pacific island states. The argument is that notions of corruption and strategies for its regulation suitable for modernized societies, which lack cultural specificity and community engagement, may in fact stimulate corruption relationships in transitional cultures. The other consequence of the imposition of inappropriate definitions and regulation strategies is a profound misunderstanding of communities of dependence. In fact, corruption control can misconstrue and exacerbate economic and political dependence environments, fostering the conditions for corruption which accompany socio-economic development. Two remedies are suggested. First, corruption requires an appreciation which is ‘community-centered’, while at the same time not being neutralized by disconnected cultural relativity. Second, an enterprise theory of corruption in modernized societies and international political/commercial entities may assist in the relevant translation of global anti-corruption policies in a way which advances good governance in traditional communities. This is so when corruption is conceived as dependant on phases of modernization, and the tensions which arise when the interests of societies at different phases intersect. Corporate citizenship and compliance with anti-corrupt business practices by major corporations with a commercial interest in these transitional economies may be more beneficial than deference to uniform international codes of governance.

Regulatory intermediaries and value conflicts in policy implementation: Religious organizations and life-and-death policies in Belgium

This article makes important contributions to governance research by studying the implementation of policies with high potential for goal incongruence between intermediaries and regulators. Building on a regulatory intermediation framework and prevailing theories from organizational institutionalism, we propose an original typology that classifies intermediaries' strategies for coping with challenging regulations. Furthermore, we explain the choice of these strategies based on intermediaries' value systems, the degree of interdependency with the regulator, and policy ambiguity. The empirical strategy is based on the case of Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim religious organizations engaged in the implementation of abortion and euthanasia policies in Belgium. These latter constitute a typical case of policy implementation that prompts value conflicts between permissive official regulations and intermediaries' conservative values on life-and-death issues.     

从逻辑演进的向度看黑格尔《法哲学原理》的主旨思想

黑格尔法哲学思想的主旨脉络———作为“自由意志的定在”的法,是这样的一个发展过程:它由客观的抽象法经历主观的道德法到完成主客观统一的伦理法。它主宰着人类社会历史的发展。     

Individualism,contractarianism, and morality

This study develops the ethical implications to ascribing to both individualism and contractarianism as ethical postulates. We define moral individualism as defining the morality of all normative judgments concerning human action in reference to the extent that these actions allow individuals to achieve their interests. Contractarianism defines right and wrong in terms of the conduct proscribed in voluntarily joined contracts. This individualistic-contractarian ethics is inherently relativistic. Right and wrong are defined only with respect to the actions of the set of individuals joined in contract. Yet, it is argued that the individualist-contractarian morality can be defended because it provides both clear definitions of right and wrong and provides individuals with arguments and incentives to do that which is right.     

公民道德建设视野里的公安院校德育

本文站在公民道德建设的高度,分析了公安院校加强学生道德教育的必要性,并根据《公民道德建设实施纲要》,结合公安机关的性质、任务,提出了公安院校道德教育的主要内容和侧重点,进而对加强的途径与方法进行了探讨。     

市场经济的道德性需要法制维系

在市场经济社会“经济人”的自利本性受诸种市场因素的强化，可能冲破道德的约束，激烈的市场竞争也可能诱使某些“经济人”不惜践踏市场道德准则，以不正当手段在竞争中取胜，因此，市场经济的道德性需要法制强有力的支撑和维系。我国历史上以“法制”加强道德效力的某些成功经验和国外通过法律法规强化道德规范的有效措施，值得我们借鉴。     

三代领导核心的"德治"思想和实践

作为中国第一、第二代领导集体核心的毛泽东、邓小平,既是中国马克思主义理论的主要创立者,又是中国马克思主义道德学说的开创者。以江泽民为核心的第三代领导集体,在继承和发展毛泽东思想、邓小平理论的同时,也继承并发展了其中的马克思主义的道德学说。     

论法和道德的现实与未来的冲突及构造

道德是法的价值核心．法是基本道德的国家强制。以建立社会主义法治国家为目标的中国应完成的任务不能仅仅只是法律体系的完备与转型,即停留在道德的法律化阶段,更重要的在于实现法律的道德化,即法与道德的和谐。     

知荣辱才能求发展——加强青少年社会主义荣辱观教育的若干思考

以“八荣八耻”为主要内容的社会主义荣辱观,揭示了青少年道德发展的核心问题、本质问题和青少年个体道德发展的关键问题,为青少年成长指明了方向。当前,应以青少年社会主义荣辱观教育为契机和重点,努力推进青少年发展。加强青少年社会主义荣辱观教育,应坚持社会主义方向,把立足现实、挖掘传统与反映时代特点、培育现代公民相结合,把它纳入青少年思想道德建设和青少年社会管理的全过程;同时要重视发挥青少年文化建设的功能,改革青少年道德教育模式。