2025主题

Due Process and the Limits of Government Power

正当程序与政府权力的限度

Due Process, enshrined in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, is a fundamental safeguard against arbitrary government action, ensuring that individuals are not deprived of life, liberty, or property without fair and lawful procedures. It stands as a cornerstone of American legal protections and has influenced international human rights law. However, in times of national crisis or other moments perceived to be a threat to political order, governments have often made decisions at the expense of individual rights. From internment during World War II to the detention of civilians after 9/11, tensions between due process and claims of governmental necessity have sparked enormous debate. Today, questions surrounding immigration, student rights, and executive power continue to test the limitations of due process protections in the United States and across the world.

美国宪法第五和第十四修正案规定的正当程序是防止政府任意行为的基本保障，确保个人在没有公平合法程序的情况下不会被剥夺生命、自由或财产。它是美国法律保护的基石，并影响了国际人权法。然而，在国家危机或其他被认为对政治秩序构成威胁的时刻，政府往往以牺牲个人权利为代价做出决定。从第二次世界大战期间的拘留到9/11事件后对平民的拘留，正当程序和政府必要性之间的紧张关系引发了巨大的争论。今天，围绕移民、学生权利和行政权力的问题继续考验着美国和世界各地正当程序保护的局限性。