From “Legal Belief” to “Legal Trust” - Analysis of the Theory of Legal Belief and the Negation Theory of Legal Belief

Drawing on Berman's “legal belief”, the theory of legal belief proposes to construct legal belief in China to solve the problem of ineffective implementation of law, but it has been criticized by the negation theory of legal belief. In addition, some scholars have proposed to replace it with “legal trust”. As for the question of whether and how legal belief can be constructed in China, through the analysis of the theory of legal belief and the negation theory of legal belief, it is found that the former has the paradox of separation from cultural tradition, legal positivism and legal instrumentalism. Therefore, it is necessary to return to the starting point, which is to pay attention to the role of the spiritual dimension of law pointed out by Berman, which is the necessity of the construction of “legal belief”. The latter ignores Berman's general theoretical presuppositions, which is the basis on which “legal belief” is constructed. As a result, legal beliefs can be constructed in China. On that basis, the distinction between “legal belief” and “legal trust”, which both point to the spiritual dimension of law, has become a rhetorical question, and it is necessary to determine the meaning of rhetoric itself and select appropriate rhetoric based on domestic understanding. Compared with “legal belief”, “legal trust” has a more social foundation. It can be the object of “faith”. It also embodies human nature and rationality, is the only way for “legal faith”, and the cost is lower, so the construction of “legal trust” can better promote the process of rule of law in China.

法律信仰论借鉴伯尔曼的“法律信仰”理论，提出在中国构建法律信仰以解决法律得不到有效实施的问题，但受到法律信仰否定论的批评。此外，也有学者提出以“法律信任”替代。对于法律信仰是否能够构建和如何构建的问题，通过对法律信仰论和法律信仰否定论的评析发现，前者存在与文化传统割裂、隐含法律实证主义和法律工具主义的悖论，因而需要回到起点关注法律的精神维度的作用，这是“法律信仰”构建的必要性所在；后者忽视了伯尔曼一般性的理论预设，而这正是“法律信仰”构建的基础。因此，法律信仰在中国具有构建的可能。同指向精神维度的“法律信仰”和“法律信任”的辨析则成为修辞上的问题，需要以国内的理解为本位确定修辞本身的含义和选择。相较于“法律信仰”，“法律信任”更有社会基础，能够成为“信仰”的对象，体现了人性和理性，是“法律信仰”的必经之路，且成本更低，因而构建“法律信任”能够更好促进中国法治进程。