Judging politicians: The role of political attentiveness in shaping how people evaluate the ethical behaviour of their leaders

Political theorists have developed well‐defined normative understandings of what constitutes ethical political conduct. Based on democratic theory as well as the demands of practical politics, these understandings prescribe certain types of behaviour and proscribe other types. However, it is unclear to what extent this normative framework has resonance for ordinary citizens. This article demonstrates that attention to politics tends to increase the resonance of this normative framework. The analysis identifies three norms about the holding of public office that are expected to structure citizens' ethical judgments: the avoidance of conflicts of interest; conformity with the law or institutional rules; and the maximisation of the public good. The article assesses the importance of these norms in structuring judgments by means of an experiment embedded in a population survey conducted in Great Britain. The analysis finds that informational cues pertaining to conflict‐of‐interest avoidance only condition responses among the attentive, while information pertaining to law conformity has far wider resonance. This finding has implications for approaches to political ethics focusing on normative considerations that appear to have low salience for much of the general public.     

Japan and identity change: why it matters in International Relations

Abstract

Two approaches to identity have been employed to explore issues in Japan's international relations. One views identity as constituted by domestic norms and culture, and as constitutive of interests, which in turn cause behaviour. Proponents view Japan's ‘pacifist’ and ‘antimilitarist’ identity as inherently stable and likely to change only as a result of material factors. In the other approach, ‘Japan’ emerges and changes through processes of differentiation vis-à-vis ‘Others’. Neither ‘domestic’ nor ‘material’ factors can exist outside of such identity constructions. We argue that the second, relational, approach is more theoretically sound, but begs three questions. First, how can different identity constructions in relation to numerous Others be synthesised and understood comprehensively? Second, how can continuity and change be handled in the same relational framework? Third, what is the point of analysing identity in relational terms? This article addresses the first two questions by introducing an analytical framework consisting of three mutually interacting layers of identity construction. Based on the articles in this special issue, we argue that identity entrepreneurs and emotions are particularly likely to contribute to change within this model. We address the third question by stressing common ground with the first approach: identity enables and constrains behaviour. In the case of Japan, changes in identity construction highlighted by the articles in this special issue forebode a political agenda centred on strengthening Japan militarily.     

国家治理现代化视阈下的法律、道德与组织规范关系

国家治理现代化须以系统完备、科学规范、运行有效的规范体系为基础。而法律、道德和"组织规范"共同构成现代社会的规范体系。因而,高度重视"组织规范"并正确处理好它与法律道德的关系,就显得十分重要。"组织规范"具有民间性、自主和自治性,有权制定并实施"组织规范",约束组织本身及其成员的相关行为。这些"组织规范"上承法律下接道德,但又不是照抄照搬,而是依"法无禁止即可为"原则独立存在。在中国继续深化改革和努力实现国家治理现代化的背景下,有必要重新认识三大基础规范的关系,从而有效发挥"组织规范"的作用,构建良好社会秩序。     

Norms,Behavioral Compliance,and Status Attribution in International Politics

Extant work on status attribution has largely focused on major powers or state capabilities as key explanatory factors driving these social processes and suggests that status considerations increase conflicts between states. We argue for a more comprehensive approach to status attribution that considers international norms as another major factor that is weighed in the attribution process. We contend that states (policymakers) evaluate one another not only on the basis of economic and military capabilities but also on the extent to which there is behavioral conformance with normative expectations and reward one another dependent upon whether these expectations are met. However, this attribution of status is dependent upon the level of contestation pertaining to that norm. Using a data set that assesses consistency with six different norms (resource transference, multilateralism, economic liberalism, democratic governance, respect for human rights, and peaceful dispute resolution), we find that status attribution is associated with norm-consistent behavior but only when these norms are uncontested at the global level.     

刑法解释的常识化

条文解释的常识化和学理研究的经验化,是我国刑法学发展过程中出现的一个显著特点。刑法学中的所谓“常识化”大致有两种不同的表述形式:一是刑法解释上的“公众认同”,二是所谓的“社会相当性”。刑法解释常识化是实现法律认识统一性的基础,是实现刑法公正与效率有机结合的重要条件,也是实现刑法目的的重要手段。但是,运用常识化方法解决法律适用问题,必须面对的问题是如何协调该方法中内在的矛盾关系,即常识与专业之间的关系、科学解释与效力解释之间的关系。在我国目前的刑法解释中,需要走出将生活常识等同于专业知识、以感性经验替代科学理论的误区。     

关于网络法基本问题的阐释

网络行为规范主要由技术规范和非技术规范两大类构成。前者属国际性自律规范 ,后者主要包括技术性法律规范和网络社区法律规范。网络法的核心在于技术性法律规范 ,其基本价值应与网络技术规范的特征相一致 ,以求最大限度地促进网络互联和信息共享。在制订与网络相关的法律制度时 ,应考虑如下几项原则 :两类规范间相互协调与促进 ,具有可操作性 ,兼顾全球趋同性 ,他律与自律相结合。     

程序规范的解释:范畴、理念与方法

民事诉讼程序规范存在着解释的必要性。程序法定与程序自由、强行程序规范与任意程序规范、禁止任意诉讼原则与诉讼契约、法官的程序控制权与当事人的程序选择权等范畴是法院解释诉讼程序规范过程中必须斟酌的内容。对程序规范进行解释须以宪法规范和民事诉讼目的为出发点 ,以诉讼基本原则作为解释的基本框架。诉讼程序规范的解释方法有语义解释、体系解释、目的解释、诚信解释等。     

简评国际法中的"强行规范"

作为20世纪60年代以后出现的新概念,强行规范具有优先于其他一切国际法规范的效力,其目的在于整合国际法的规范体系,限制国家意志。然而,由于其自身的先天缺陷,且缺乏实践的支持与充实,强行规范与传统的国际法理论产生了广泛的矛盾与冲突。步履维艰的强行规范只有在国际法的发展中才能得以升华并发挥其预期作用。     

论伦理相对主义与伦理绝对主义

道德既具有适用于一定社会的特殊性、相对性,因而存在特殊的、相对的道德,又具有适用于一切社会的普遍性、绝对性,因而存在共同的、绝对的道德。伦理相对主义只看到道德的特殊性和相对性,而抹煞道德的普遍性和绝对性,因而错误地认为不存在适用于一切社会的共同的和绝对的道德,不存在对于一切社会都是正确的普遍正确和绝对正确的道德。反之,伦理绝对主义或道德绝对主义则夸大道德适用于一切社会的普遍性和绝对性,进而否认相对的、特殊的道德之为真正的道德,以至片面地认为真正的、优良的道德必定是普遍的和绝对的。     

论我国遴选国家级鉴定机构的基本思路

遴选国家级鉴定机构是进一步深化司法鉴定管理体制改革的重要措施,也是完善统一司法鉴定管理体制的一项严肃的工作。遴选应当坚持依法进行、中立公认和合理布局原则。遴选委员会在坚持遴选基础性条件和确认标准的前提下,应当经过推荐、考评、确认和公告等程序进行,旨在使被遴选的国家级司法鉴定机构具有权威性。