第二權利法案（Second Bill of Rights）也稱「經濟權利法案」（economic bill of rights），是美國第32任總統富蘭克林·德拉諾·羅斯福在1944年1月11日國情咨文中提出的一個社會經濟改革暢想[1]。在國情咨文的廣播中，羅斯福認為美國人民應該認識到憲法和權利法案所承諾的政治權力「已不能保證追求幸福的平等性」，因此需要擬定第二套權利法案來授權聯邦法保障以下經濟、社會和文化權利[2]：
根據美國法學家凱斯·桑斯坦（Cass Sunstein）的描述，羅斯福想推行這些社會保障的意圖是用福利換取「經濟安全、社會安全和道德安全」[3]。然而羅斯福為了推動第二權利法案的立法過程，將行政機關人員借派到重要的參議院委員會中，結果導致國會的強烈反彈，在羅斯福1945年4月病逝任上後更是造成了《1946年立法重組法案》的通過[4]。這一系列變故的結果就是羅斯福生前的這些主張基本上都沒能達到[5]。
背景
第二次世界大戰前夕，美國因為1929年華爾街股災而進入經濟大蕭條。小羅斯福通過承諾推動「新政」（New Deal）進行社會經濟改革，在1932年底成功當選總統。他最先承諾要讓政府保障社會和經濟權利的表述來自於1932年9月23日在聯邦俱樂部上的一番競選講話。這片演講由哥倫比亞大學公司法教授阿道夫·柏利（Adolf A. Berle）執稿，其中提到：
依我來看，政府與商界關係相關的職責是協助發展一個經濟權利宣言、一個經濟憲法秩序。這是政治家和商人的共同職責。是一個更永久安全的秩序的最低要求。
在羅斯福的總統生涯中，他堅持將這種理念貫通在新政的推行中。在他任下，美國還通過1941年的大西洋憲章和租借法案向同盟國施以援手，最終借着珍珠港事件徹底結束了堅持已久的不干預主義。在二戰結束後，美國通過自身的經濟增長和參戰獲得的外交影響力，成功建立起一個新的國際秩序，第二權利法案和世界人權宣言中倡導的國際人符記准借勢被提出。入江昭曾表述美國按照自身的形象和標準轉變戰後的太平洋地區的意圖，是美國例外論的一種代表[6]。法蘭西斯·福山在《歷史的終結及最後之人》一書中也透露過美國擴大民主化和社會改革的效果[7]。
國情咨文演說
It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.
This Republic had its beginning, and grew to its present strength, under the protection of certain inalienable political rights—among them the right of free speech, free press, free worship, trial by jury, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. They were our rights to life and liberty.
As our nation has grown in size and stature, however—as our industrial economy expanded—these political rights proved inadequate to assure us equality in the pursuit of happiness.
We have come to a clear realization of the fact that true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. "Necessitous men are not free men."[9] People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.
Among these are:
- The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
- The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
- The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
- The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
- The right of every family to a decent home;
- The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
- The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
- The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.
America's own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for all our citizens. For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world.
影片錄像
羅斯福以在白宮爐邊談話的形式通過電台廣播向美國大眾發表了國情咨文演說。在發表這段演說前，羅斯福要求新聞影片記者進入的書房將整段有關第二權利法案的講話錄像拍攝：
今天我按照憲法要求把年度咨文發給了國會。我以往的習俗是親自發表這些年度咨文並廣播給全國，我今年本意也是遵循同一傳統。但和其他許多人一樣，我得了「流感」，而且雖然我實際上康復了，我的醫生根本不讓我離開白宮去國會山。美國只有幾家報紙能列印整篇咨文，所以我擔心美國人民能否有機會在這個我們歷史上至關重要的一年聽到我對國會建議了什麼——以及這些建議的起因。這就是我所說的……[10]
羅斯福爐邊談話的這段影片在後來60多年銷聲匿跡，直到2008年美國著名左派製片人米高·摩爾（Michael Moore）為了拍攝文獻片《資本主義：一個愛情故事》收集素材，才在南卡羅萊納州的一個檔案館中找到[11]。摩爾後來在他文獻電影的末尾將羅斯福的第二法案演說完整播出[12][13]。
另見
註解
參考
外部連結
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