Time: June 7th, 2013 Topic: From Ethics to Contracts: Two Notions of State Lecturer:LEI Yi Commentators: GAO Quanxi, WANG Jianxun, MA Jianyin In this symposium, Professor LEI started by introducing the concept of state and the two most important concepts of the state. He then developed his argumentation by citing modern China in the context of the acceptation of a contractual state. He also analyzed the cultural conflicts inflicted by the western concept of rights, and the development of constitutional thoughts in modern China. Professor GAO Quanxi argued that besides what was stated by Profrssor LEI, many sub contexts should be studied. Specific social status promoted thinkers to polish and develop their thoughts. And problems concerning the concept of state and society recurrently challenged modern China and western countries and entered public discourses. More introductions to later history development would make the analysis more complete. Professor WANG Jianxun believed that the notion of contract supported the contractual state notion, and a state of ethics emphasized the concept of power, or might. He thought there was no necessary connection between economic development and constitutional democracy, between freedom and a powerful country. It was impossible to combine socialism with constitutionalism. Dr. MA Jianyin argued that ethics and contracts could hardly represent a state. He thought concepts of ethics and contracts could only describe the transformation of modern China in term of legitimacy of the government. He believed it was problematic not to distinguish western thoughts. And he though more studies should be undertaken on the legitimacy of the state. Professor ZHAO Nong analyzed the origin of the state from the transformation of the term itself. He thought it was incomplete to only consider the value of constitutionalism as tools. Marxism had always been in the discussion of the topic, and it kept brewing. We needed a breakthrough in the understanding of constitutionalism. |