Having the cake and eating it too: efficient penalty clauses in Common and Civil contract law

In this paper we examine one of the areas where there is a marked difference between Civil and Common contract law, that of the enforcement of liquidated damages and more particularly of penalty clauses. Common law judges are quite reluctant to enforce liquidated damages, especially if they believe that they include penalty clauses which are not enforceable. On the contrary, in almost all European contract laws liquidated damages are readily enforced, as are penalty clauses when they are not manifestly excessive. Although most law and economics scholars have criticized Common law courts for the non-enforcement of penalty clauses, there is a sizable minority of scholars who have defended the Common law “non-enforcement” policy on the ground that penalty clauses are inefficient because they hinder efficient breach. However, and despite the merits of the arguments advanced by advocates of the non-enforcement of penalty clauses, we believe that Common law’s rejection of penalty clauses is inefficient. We further show that the Civil law solution to the problem is not only comparatively more efficient, but that it can also appease the worries of those scholars who are afraid that efficient breaches will be deterred. The solution that Civil law systems give to the problem manages to enforce the parties’ wishes and to avoid deterring efficient breaches. However, we point out that in order for the Civil law systems to take advantage of this superiority, the interpretation of their Civil Codes should be guided by economic analysis and the respect to the wishes of the contracting parties.     

法律、秩序与自由——与哈耶克的边界之旅

法律并非全能由人的理性设计与安排。理性是分裂的、忧郁的、恐惧的 ,也是自由的。我们的行为乃是在一种无知的情境中展开的 ,秩序与法律在无知中生成。自生自发秩序 (民间法 )与人造秩序 (国家法 )两者的生发方式、被遵从方式以及目的指涉与对象指向均不同 ,两者的冲突是绝对的。法律无力引导道德 ,法律只是自由的保护神 ,而非自由之敌。     

论我国的无效行政行为制度

无效行政行为因具有重大的明显的违法情形，自始不发生任何法律效力，为维护自身合法权益。行政相对人对无效行政行为有两种对策；温和而言，可以不受任何时间限制地通过申诉，申请复议，提起诉讼等途径寻求救济；激进而言，完全可以无视其存在，拒绝履行义务，直至采取对抗形式进行正当防卫，我国对无效行政行为的立法刚刚起步。应该根据法治原则和宪法精神，修改现行的有关法律规定。尽快确立和完善无效行政行为制度。以适应新形势下依法行政的要求。     

新中国婚姻法的成长与苏联模式的影响

新中国婚姻法受苏联影响成为独立于民法的一个法律部门 ,同时 ,婚姻法的原则、理论也深受苏联影响。直至 2 0世纪 80年代后期 ,这种状况开始有所改变 ,我国婚姻法在立法实践和理论上才有了挣脱苏联模式的努力。     

反思国际法效力根据"协调意志"的意识形态性

国际法的效力根据在于所谓各国意志之间的协议,即"协调意志"说.但是,"协调意志"说的意识形态性与现代国际法理论及发展趋势存在冲突,与国际社会和国际法的发展存在不和谐之处,"协调意志"说的意识形态性在一定程度上使国际法发展的推动力受到削弱,损害了国际法作为一个学科体系的生命力.因此,我们应以开放的态度对待国际法,不应局限在某一狭隘的、群体的范围内,使其更有利于国际社会和全人类的发展.     

论社会公共利益

随着社会发展。公共利益的提出是一种必然。目前。公共利益在行政法学界备受关注。也备受争议。其原因是公共利益难以界定。通过公共利益与个人利益的比较。公共利益在行使行政权力过程中的权衡。可知自由裁量的过程就是利益的选择过程。从而得以明确公共利益的位阶。正当法律程序应保障公共利益。而不是偏袒公共利益。公共利益应该受到重视。但是公共利益不能成为侵害个人利益的理由。     

An Analysis of the Joint Board or County Model as the Structural Basis for Effective Australian Local Governance

Australian policy‐makers continue to rely on municipal amalgamation as the main engine of structural reform in local government, despite strong evidence that it diminishes participation and representation without improving service efficiency. Several promising, but neglected alternative models of structural reform have been developed, including ad hoc resource sharing models, Regional Organisations of Councils, virtual local government, and agency models. In an encouraging response to the recent policy of enforced council amalgamations in NSW, the Shires Association of NSW (2004) has recently proposed a ‘Joint Board model’ of local governance and invited comment on this model. This article takes up this challenge and seeks to place the Joint Board model in conceptual context and evaluate its characteristics and simulated cost savings.     

论警察出庭作证制度

完善我国司法制度,建立警察出庭作证制度是必要的;在我国现行法律体制下,警察出庭作证制度尚未形成。我们应根据国际法则与我国实际情况建立适合本国国情的警察出庭作证制度。     

依法行政的现状及对策研究

依法行政是依法治国基本方略的关键,它在规范行政机关及其工作人员的行为以及提高行政效率方面起到了非常重要的作用,并且已经深入人心,但是,由于立法和执法方面还存在一定的问题,依法行政在现实的贯彻执行中也遇到了许多的困难,文章从依法行政的现状入手,对依法行政中的问题进行研究,找出原因,提出解决问题的对策,推进依法治国方略的落实。     

论政府行为对征纳关系的影响

目前社会上偷税、漏税、骗税、抗税的现象依然存在,而且不是个别现象。理论界和实务界一般都把这些现象归咎于纳税人纳税意识淡薄,认为构建和谐征纳关系的关键在于如何提高纳税人的纳税意识。本文认为,纳税意识受多方面因素的影响,其中政府行为是一个主导因素;政府行为失范可能会对纳税意识产生“蝴蝶效应;”构建和谐征纳关系,不仅要培养纳税意识,更重要的是要培养征税意识和用税意识,政府要依法行政。