重新理解“政治”:对信访治理困境的政治社会学解读

Understanding “Politics” in a New Light: A Political Sociological Analysis of Current Xinfang-Handling Dilemma

比较中国信访制度和西方请愿制度的功能和定位,是区分、理解政治的"目的论"(即理想)和"道义论"(即权利)的关键,而两种政治"互嵌"所产生的阶段性矛盾,是导致当前信访治理困境的根源。这其中,道义论政治在改善国家规范合法性的同时,也通过一系列制度改革削弱了基层治权,并助长了民众的权利意识;而对目的论政治的强调,在提升政绩合法性的同时,又通过一系列政策指令,导致了地方官员的怠政、钉子户的缠闹和基层政府的妥协。如何解决两种政治"互嵌"产生的阶段性问题,将是下一步信访改革的关键。

A comparison of the functions and orientations of the Chinese xinfang system and the Western petition system holds the key to distinguish and understand teleological politics and deontological politics. Such a comparison helps reveal that it is the contradictions resulting from the embeddedness of the two kinds of politics that have caused the current dilemma in handling xinfang or petition letters and visits. While it has improved the state＇s structural legitimacy,deontological politics has also,through system reforms,weakened local authorities＇ capacity for controlling petitions and strengthened petitioners＇ rights consciousness. Although it has improved the state＇s performance legitimacy,teleological politics has also,due to some policy directives,led to neglect of duty among local officials,resistance of uncompromising petitioners and concession of local authorities. How to deal with the current xinfang-handling dilemma produced by the embeddedness of the two kinds of politics has thus become the key issue for reforming the xinfang system in the future.