象征性行动与制度实施——以公民申请财政信息公开事件为例

Symbolic Actions and Institutional Implementations:Taking the Cases of Citizens' Request for Financial Information Disclosure as Example

自《政府信息公开条例》实施以来,以政府财政信息为指向的公民申请信息公开行动引起了新闻媒体和社会公众的广泛关注,产生了巨大的社会反响。这些以公民名义提起的象征性行动主要目的是检验《条例》及其规则的效力,向政府及其官员施加信息公开的压力。象征性行动表明了实现信息公开的实质性目标的障碍,体现了公民的行动策略及多元目标诉求,也具有权利表达、厘定政府责任并重构公民与政府之间关系的多重意义。在申请信息公开的过程中,公民成为《条例》的实施者,具有推动信息公开的良好激励,而且公民申请实践也推动了制度的变迁。

Since The Government Information Disclosure Regulations took effect, people＇s application for the access to the government financial information has attracted wide attention and aroused lots of public responses. These actions, which are done in the name of individuals and carry symbolic value rather than having direct and immediate consequences, are mainly a test of the effect of the above mentioned regulations, putting pressure on the government and its officials to enhance the openness of its information. The symbolic nature of these actions indicates that there are great barriers to publici- zing government information; embodies the strategies and multiple appeals of the applicants; and also has multiple meanings of expressing civil rights, pinpointing the government accountability and regula- ting the relations between government and citizens. In the process of applying for the disclosure of gov- ernment information, citizens have enough incentive to push for the openness of government informa- tion, and the application practice of citizens also promotes institutional change.