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"This country and this people seem to have been made for each other, and it appears as if it was the design of Providence, that an inheritance so proper and convenient for a band of brethren... should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties." So wrote John Jay, one of the revolutionary authors of The Federalist Papers, arguing that if the United States was truly to be a single nation, its leaders would have to agree on universally binding rules of governance--in short, a constitution. In a brilliant set of essays, Jay and his colleagues Alexander Hamilton and James Madison explored in minute detail the implications of establishing a kind of rule that would engage as many citizens as possible and that would include a system of checks and balances. Their arguments proved successful in the end, and The Federalist Papers stand as key documents in the founding of the United States. 内容简介
Originally published anonymously, The Federalist Papers first appeared in 1787 as a series of letters to New York newspapers exhorting voters to ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. Still hotly debated, and open to often controversial interpretations, the arguments first presented here by three of America's greatest patriots and political theorists were created during a critical moment in our nation's history, providing readers with a running ideological commentary on the crucial issues facing democracy.
Today The Federalist Papers are as important and vital a rallying cry for freedom as ever. 作者简介
Alexander Hamilton was born in the West Indies in 1757, the illegitimate child of a Scottish merchant. He came to the American colonies to study at King's College (now Columbia University), and became an early and ardent supporter of the Revolutionary cause. During the Revolutionary War he was aide-de-camp to George Washington and a member of the Continental Congress. He was a leading figure at the Constitutional Convention (1787) and a principal author of The Federalist Papers. At first Secretary of the Treasury he articulated a policy of protection for manufacturing interests, strong central government, and establishment of a national bank. After leaving the Cabinet, he practiced law in New York. His personal attacks hindered the political career of the volatile Aaron Burr, who finally challenged him to a duel in 1804. Hamilton was shot, and died of his wounds.
John Jay (1747-1829) was a conservative lawyer who became a leading patriot. He was a minister to Spain (1780-82), the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1789-95), and he negotiated the treaty of 1795 between the U.S. and Britain. His contributions to The Federalist Papers concern foreign affairs.
James Madison was born in 1751, the son of a Virginia planter. He worked for the Revolutionary cause as a member of the Continental Congress and the Virginia House of Delegates. The leader of deliberations at the Constitutional Convention, he fought for the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Through an ally of Hamilton on the Constitution he was a supporter of Jefferson's agrarian policies. He was Jefferson's Secretary of State (1801-9) and his successor as president (1809-17), but his presidency was marred by the unpopular War of 1812. Madison died in 1836. 精彩书评
If I could expose my school-age children to only one audiobook series, the Audio Classics Series would be it. The approach is always the same: A skilled narrator lays out the subject in concise, nicely written phrases; actors interspersed play the parts of luminaries of the tale. Every actor in The Federalist Papers is believable, playing parts such as George Washington, Gouveneur Morris and Thomas Paine, among many others. These learning experiences are some of the best among audio adaptations. D.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
《汉谟拉比法典》:一部穿越时空的法律巨著 作者: 佚名(古巴比伦法典的编纂者们) 译者: 郭沫若(或依据不同版本选择相关著名汉学家) 出版社: 商务印书馆(或其他权威出版社) 页数: 约 400 页(视译本和注释详略而定) 装帧: 精装/平装 --- 导言:文明的基石与永恒的回响 《汉谟拉比法典》,这部刻在黑色玄武岩圆柱上的不朽文献,不仅仅是一部古老的法律汇编,它更是一扇通往公元前十八世纪美索不达米亚文明核心的窗口。它以其近乎完整的条文和清晰的结构,向世人展示了古代世界最早期的、系统化的国家权力运作模式和详细的社会规范。这部法典的发现,是考古学和法制史研究领域的一座里程碑,其意义深远,影响至今。 本书旨在全面、细致地介绍《汉谟拉比法典》的文本、历史背景、法律结构及其对后世法律思想的潜在影响。我们力求提供一个既扎实又易于理解的导读,让读者能够超越时空的限制,与这位古巴比伦的国王进行一次深刻的对话。 第一部分:历史的尘埃与法典的诞生 一、美索不达米亚的文明背景 本书首先会铺陈开来,描绘法典所诞生的那个时代——古巴比伦王国鼎盛时期的社会图景。我们将探讨两河流域独特的地理环境如何孕育了灌溉农业文明,以及围绕着农业生产和水资源分配所产生的复杂的社会关系。 文明的脉络: 简述苏美尔、阿卡德到巴比伦王朝的兴衰,确立汉谟拉比(公元前1792年—前1750年在位)在历史上的地位。 王权的构建: 重点分析汉谟拉比如何通过军事征服与内政改革,建立起一个相对统一、稳定的中央集权帝国。法典,正是这一集权过程中的关键工具。 二、法典的发现与物质载体 法典的物质存在是其研究价值的核心。我们将详细描述这块著名的“汉谟拉比法典石碑”的发现历史。 发现历程: 追溯法国考古学家雅克·德·摩根(Jacques de Morgan)于1901年在古城苏萨(今伊朗境内)发掘出石碑的激动人心的过程。 石碑的结构分析: 详细解读石碑上的雕刻艺术——顶部汉谟拉比从太阳神沙玛什(Shamash)手中接受权力的浮雕,这象征着法律的“神授”性,而非纯粹的“人定”。 文本的解读: 介绍法典主要由楔形文字泥板(后被转刻于石碑)记录,其语言为古巴比伦方言。 第二部分:法典的结构与核心原则 《汉谟拉比法典》并非杂乱无章的法律条文集合,而是一个高度系统化的法律体系。本书将深入解析其独特的结构:序言、正文(282条)和结语。 一、序言:王权的宣示与正义的理想 序言部分是理解汉谟拉比立法的哲学基础至关重要。它详细阐述了汉谟拉比自诩为“受神命,为消除世间不义,使强不凌弱,使弱者得享太平”的仁慈君主。 神圣合法性: 分析法典如何将政治统治与神权紧密捆绑,确保法律的绝对权威。 社会理想: 探讨法典所宣扬的社会秩序蓝图——一个由等级制度维护的稳定社会。 二、正文:等级森严的法律矩阵 法典的282条规定涵盖了刑法、民法、商法、婚姻法、土地法等多个领域,构成了古代世界最早的“法典”雏形。核心的分析集中在法典的实体内容: “以眼还眼,以牙还牙”(Lex Talionis): 对等报复原则的详尽分析。本书将探讨该原则在不同社会阶层中的适用差异。 身份与责任的关联: 详细梳理法典中区分的三个主要社会阶层——阿维鲁姆(自由人)、穆什肯努姆(平民/依附者)和奴隶。法律责任、赔偿数额和人身安全保障在不同阶层之间存在显著区别,揭示了古代社会严格的身份政治。 财产与合同法: 探讨有关土地租赁、债务偿还、高利贷限制以及货物毁损的详细规定,反映了当时商业活动的复杂性。 家庭与婚姻法: 深入解析有关娶妻、离婚、继承权以及“不孕妻子”的处理方式,体现了父权制社会中女性的法律地位。 职业责任法: 重点分析对医生、建筑师、船夫等特定职业者的责任追究,其中涉及的“如果建筑师盖的房子塌了,导致主人死亡,则该建筑师应处死”等条款,极具震撼力。 三、结语:永恒的诅咒与法典的效力 结语部分预示了任何试图篡改或破坏法典的人将遭受神灵的惩罚,这不仅是法律的结束语,更是维护法律稳定性的宗教宣言。 第三部分:解读与影响 本书的最后部分将超越法典文本本身,探讨其在历史长河中的地位与作用。 一、神授法与世俗法之间的张力 虽然法典宣称源于神祇,但其绝大部分内容处理的是具体的世俗事务。我们将探讨古巴比伦的司法实践是如何在神权理想和实际的社会管理需求之间寻求平衡的。法典的出现,标志着法律从部落习惯向国家成文法的重大转变。 二、对后世法律思想的辐射 《汉谟拉比法典》的“对等报复”原则对后世法律产生了深远影响,尤其是在犹太律法(如《出埃及记》)和部分早期罗马法思想中留下了印记。本书会对比分析这些相似性与差异性,指出它如何成为西方法律传统重要的“前史”。 三、作为社会史的法典 最终,法典不仅仅是一部法律书,它是一份活生生的社会档案。通过阅读条文,我们可以重建古巴比伦的经济结构、家庭伦理、医疗水平乃至基础设施建设的标准。它揭示了一个高度组织化、重视秩序与契约精神的古代帝国面貌。 结语 《汉谟拉比法典》以其坚硬的石碑和清晰的文字,向我们证明了人类对“公正”的追求可以追溯到数千年前。它提醒着我们,法律的本质在于在复杂的人类互动中划定边界,并以一种可预见的方式处理冲突。阅读这部古老的法典,就是在聆听人类文明早期对于秩序与公平的庄严宣告。它是一部关于权力、责任、惩罚与和平的教科书,其价值历久弥新。