公共物品问题:文献述评

Public Goods Issues:A Literature Review

如何有效而又公正地供给公共物品,是近年来学术和政策争论的热点。文章提出了具有一般性的"公共物品问题"这一概念,认为对任一公共物品问题的全面探讨,都应涵盖以下六要素:资源如何配置,成本如何分担,利益如何分享,物品(服务)如何生产,以上决策如何作出,政府在其中的角色如何定位。这为有关公共物品问题的讨论建立了有用的分析框架。而传统财政学把公共物品问题当作某个决策者面对的最优化问题来求解,忽视了公共物品问题本身所具有的政治性。因此,必须重视公共选择研究方法,把公共物品问题当作特定制度背景下利益相关者的决策问题来理解,以在真实的历史情境下求解公共物品(服务)的需求揭示、资金供给、生产与配送、利益分享等问题。

How public goods can be allocated fairly and efficiently is a hotly debated topic in academic circle and policy circle as well.By putting forward the concept of＂Public Goods Issues＂,this paper claims that any comprehensive discussion on public goods issues should cover following six perspectives： public goods allocation efficiency,public goods financing or cost sharing system,public goods benefit distribution,public goods production or delivery of public service,the decision-making system of public goods demand and supply,and the role of government in public goods supply.Also,it calls for a switch to public choice approach by which public goods issues are regarded as a decision-making process among society members rather than a maximization process by an authoritative agent.