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Taking a Look at Chinese Law

Decent Essays

While the Chinese system may incorporate some of the Western legal tradition, it does not solely influence the Chinese law. The western counterparts are tweaked into the Chinese legal system to create its own tradition – the Chinese legal system. China has a socialist market economy which co–exists with a larger part of the public sector in the economy. Moreover, the state, unlike other Western countries and legal traditions, is seen as both the policymaker and the regulator to an extent which may go beyond the law, putting into the question the sense of separation of powers. All this may distinguish the Chinese legal tradition from its Western counterparts. In this essay, the main distinctive features of the Chinese legal tradition shall be emphasized and discussed. One cannot argue that Chinese law is unjust, although it may appear different to us in its context and tradition, it is still fair and it is still just. Both characteristics are features of the rule of law. Everyone is equal in front of the law, a principle, which revolves around modern day legal systems. Chinese law is accessible and open to everyone who seeks it, even though the way it is written may be argued to be intellectually challenging to the average person. This therefore creates a problem within the system and erodes the principle of the rule of law as is understood in western context. In the article by ‘Ignazio Castellucci’, he defines the term rule by law rather than the western rule of law1. As

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