司法独立在理论上和舆论上受到无比重视而在实践中却不如人意,其根本原因在于司法独立本身是一个悖论:司法独立的理由正是司法不独立的理由。在国家权力运行中存在着司法工具主义的惯性,宪政主义试图改变这一惯性。两种力量较量的结果,决定着司法在多大的程度上得以独立。只有认识司法独立中存在的这一悖论,才能更深层次地认识在很多国家司法实际上不独立或者很大程度上不独立的根源,从而为进一步的制度构建奠定认识基础。 The fundamental reason why judiciary independence is theoretically and opinionally incompatible with practice is that the independence of the judiciary is itself a paradox: the reason for the independence of the judiciary is exactly the reason why the judiciary is not independent. There is an inertia of judicial instrumentalism in the operation of state power, and constitutionalism attempts to change this inertia. The outcome of the two forces determines the degree of independence of the judiciary. Only knowing this paradox existing in judicial independence can we get a deeper understanding of the root causes of the fact that the judicature in many countries is not actually independent or largely independent and lay the cognitive foundation for further institutional building.