民主分权——基于内部分权与外部分权的培育路径

Reflections on Democratic Decentralization from the Perspective of Internal Decentralization and External Decentralization

民主意味着分权,分权促进民主,这是一种民主性分权或分权式民主。基于民主分权,本文提出一种较为新颖的分权范式:内部分权与外部分权,这是两种最基本的、分权路向正好相反的民主分权模式。内部分权是指政治系统内部(执政党或政府)的自我分权,与之相对应的外部分权是指政治系统外部的分权,即国家(执政党或政府)与社会间的分权。公平与效率是测量分权功效的两个基本维度,分权的利弊有赖于二者之间的平衡。作为一种发展战略和制度选择,民主分权要求外部分权与内部分权的可持续发展,内部分权和外部分权都包含了结构分权或功能分权的因素,外部分权促进民主的功效更强。

Democracy means decentralization and the latter promotes the former, which is called democratic decentralization or decentralized democracy. Based on clarifying several key concepts and models of decentralization, the essay puts forward a novel classification of decentralization： external and internal decentralization as two basic paths to achieving democracy. External decentralization means the decentralization from outside the power systems, i.e. between the state and society, the purpose is to restrict power by rights. Internal decentralization indicates the separation of powers from within the power systems; it is to check on powers by powers. As a development strategy, external decentralization is more effective than internal decentralization when employed. Structural decentralization or functional decentralization could be used upon various contexts.