运用经济学方法研究行政——布坎南政府理论评介

Applying homo economics Postulate of Public Administration——Commenting on the Government Theory of M.Buchanan

詹姆斯·布坎南是当代新自由主义的一位重要代表人物 ,其自由主义政府理论对七十年代末以来的美国政府改革产生了积极的影响。布坎南运用经济学方法来研究政治过程 ,把斯密的经济人假设拓展到政治领域 ,建立了政府失效理论 ,否定了政府干预的必要性和有效性 ,为古典经济自由主义奠定了新的基础。进而在契约论的基础上 ,布坎南主张对政府进行宪制约束 ,弥补民主政治制度的缺陷 ,重建有限政府。本文认为布坎南的自由主义政府理论是对斯密经济自由放任的回归 ,重申了有限政府原则 ,复兴了古典自由主义政府理论。

In contemporary libertarianism,James M.Buchanan is an important leading figure,whose government theory has produccd positive effects on the U.S.administration reform beginning in the late 1970s.Buchanan applies the homo economics postulate to polities,and come up with government failure.Thus,he negates the necessity and cffcctiveness of governmental intervention,and lays a new foundation for Laissez-Faire.Moreover,Buchanan insists on putting constitutional restrains on the government to remedy the defects of democratic political institutions and rebuild a limited government. This paper holds that Buchanan's government thcory based on individualism restates the principle of limited government and revives Adam Smith's tradition.