“公共利益”的困境与出路——美国公用征收条款的宪法解释及其对中国的启示

本文从美国政府征收权的渊源以及联邦宪法第五修正案征收条款的原始意义出发,探讨了“公共用途”的宪法概念在美国判例史上的嬗变及其最近的发展趋势。文章指出,由于“公共用途”或“公共利益”是极难界定的概念,法院难以发展出可操作的判断标准。在美国,对征收的公共利益之保障主要在于立法控制而非司法限制。根据民主原则,法院高度尊重立法判断,凡是议会决定符合公共用途的征收一律被认为合宪。在这个意义上,议会是一个“公益机器”,通过民主代议自动产生代表公共利益的法律和决定。文章最后建议,中国应该将注意力从“公共利益”的理论界定转移到制度建设,让全国和地方人大及其常委会在征收和补偿方案的决定中发挥更大的作用。

The Dilemma and Solution of "Public Interests"

This paper discusses the "public use" concept in the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution and its recent application in the case law. Since concepts like "public use" or "public interest" lack judicially definable element, the protection for public interest lies mostly in political rather than judicial control. As a result the American courts usually defer to the legislative judgments for public interest in takings of private properties. In this sense the parliament is a "public interest machine", which legitimizes the taking decisions through the democratic representative process.