The interpretive turn of social rights by the framework rights theory

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13495
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05020:Public law-related
• Research Institution: Nihon University (2021-2022); The University of Kitakyushu (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: ISHIZUKA Sotaro 日本大学, 法学部, 准教授 (90805061)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 社会権 / 生存権 / 枠組的権利

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study clarifies the existence of social rights (especially the right to life) and develops a theory of effective social rights guarantees. In Germany, the "right to life" was derived by the 2010 Hartz-IV judgment. In that decision, based on a step-by-step understanding of the right to life, the basic principles of social assistance law were established as constitutional norms at the constitutional level, and judicial review was conducted from that perspective. The Federal Constitutional Court has sometimes held that the welfare standard is unconstitutional on the grounds that it is clearly too low or that the calculations leading to the standard are inconsistent. In Japan as well, there have been recent judgements at the lower court level declaring the cut in welfare payments "illegal", but it is necessary to bring this to the constitutional level of discussion so that it can be countered by a legal reform.

Free Research Field

憲法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、憲法に明文の規定（25条1項）があるにもかかわらず、判例上その主観的権利性を認められているとは言い難い生存権について、それをいかに理解し、構成することによって、その存在が認められ、その実効的保障が可能になるかを明らかにしたものである。ドイツでは、憲法に明文の規定がないにもかかわらず、連邦憲法裁判所が「生存権」を承認した。その権利構造と司法審査のあり方は、日本の生存権理解にとっても、非常に参考になるはずである。日本の生存権に関する学説はさほど発展しているとは言えない。ドイツの生存権のあり方は、教科書記述レベルで日本の生存権の理解に変更を迫るものであり、裁判所にも採用されうるものである。