刑無等級

法律面前沒有高低貴賤之分，是戰(zhàn)國時期商鞅提出的法思想。商鞅認(rèn)為法律應(yīng)具有最高權(quán)威，無論何人違反君令國法，都應(yīng)毫無例外予以懲處。商鞅此舉在于反對貴族特權(quán)，加強君主絕對權(quán)威，以推動變法。“刑無等級”與現(xiàn)代法治精神有相通之處。

There is neither lowliness nor nobleness before the law. This is a legal thought put forward byShang Yang during the Warring States Period. Shang Yang held that law should have supremeauthority and that whoever violates the ruler's order and the state law shall be punishedwithout exception. His purpose was to oppose the privileges of the nobility and strengthen theabsolute authority of the king， so as to promote political reform. The thought has something incommon with the modern spirit of the rule of law.

引例 Citation：

所謂壹刑者，刑無等級。自卿相、將軍以至大夫、庶人，有不從王令、犯國禁、亂上制者，罪死不赦。（《商君書·賞刑》）

（所說的統(tǒng)一刑罰，就是刑罰不論人們的等級。自卿相、將軍到大夫再到平民，如果不服從國王的命令，違犯國家的法禁，破壞國家的制度，就是死罪，絕不赦免。）

The uniformity of punishments means that punishments should know no degree or grade. Fromministers of state and generals down to officials and ordinary folk， whoever defies the king'scommands， violates the interdicts of the state， or rebels against the state system should bepunished by death and should not be pardoned. （The Book of Lord Shang）