关于政治与行政二分的再认识--以澳大利亚为例

Revisiting the Relationship between Politics and Administration

西方民主对政治与行政做了传统上的区分。英国于1854年通过了《诺斯科特-杜威廉报告》(Northcote-Trevelyan Report),该报告提倡构建一种基于绩效的行政部门,使之免受裙带关系和党派之争的影响。澳大利亚即依此例。美国的民主传统中政治与行政二者的界定则不那么泾渭分明,但伍德罗·威尔逊所倡导的从政治过程中分割出来的行政专业化仍具有重要意义。在任何情况下,政治与行政总是针锋相对。因为行政必须随着民主进程的变化而变动,与此同时,政客的政策必须同样得到公平、妥善且高效的执行。中国的政治与行政尚未分离,所有的政府部门都接受党的领导。然而,中国政府行政的专业性可从其值得嘉奖的官僚系统的长久历史中得以力证——执政党的每一决定都基于民众的利益,政策制定的过程也更透明。过去的40年里,澳大利亚的民主发展对政治与行政之间的互动有着重要影响,但问题依然存在。虽然中国的制度安排与澳大利亚差异巨大,但面临的问题是类似的,即确保政府行政公正(高效、有效且妥善),并且契合于中央政府、省级和地方政府对公共利益的阐释。

Western democracies have traditionally distinguished between politics and administration. Australia followed the British practice set following the Northcote-Trevelyan Report in 1854 which recommended a merit-based civil service protected from nepotism and partisanship. The US tradition has more shades of grey, but Woodrow Wilson^s advocacy of professional administration distinct from the political process remains relevant. In every case, there are challenges at the point of intersection as administration must be responsive to the democratic process but policy set by politicians must equally be implemented fairly, properly, efficiently and effectively. China does not separate politics from administration, all parts of government being under the control of the Party; yet there is strong support for greater professionalism in government administration drawing on China＇ s long history of a meritorious bureaucracy, loyally serving the public interest as determined by the Party, and for more open processes of policy making. Developments in Australia over the last 40 years have had a major impact on how the interaction between politics and administration operates. Many of the developments are common to those seen elsewhere： increased community expectations, greater transparency in government, increased pervasiveness of the media, professionalization of politics and wider participation in government policy processes as well as program implementation. Specific developments include the strengthening of administrative law, new public management initiatives, the establishment and expansion of ministerial advisers, loss of tenure for top civil servants and more political involvement in appointments and terminations, and ＇network government＇ widening participation in government. A number of these have contributed to a ＇thickening＇ of the interface between politics and administration. The paper describes these developments and their impact. developments are a loss of strategic capability in the civil service, Amongst the perceived challenges associated with these reduced confidence in the civil service by politicians, more timid advising by civil servants, weaker deliberative processes to develop longer-term policy and a tendency towards tactical rather than strategic policy, and a more risk-averse policy environment. Some action has been taken but concerns remain. Possible further agendas are identified in the paper to ensure that administration does reflect and support the policies of the elected government, that those policies are most likely to be in the longer-term public interest including by being informed by quality, useful and timely advice from the civil service and external experts, and that management of public programs is efficient, effective, fair and proper. While China＇s institutional arrangements are very different, the underlying issues are similar：ensuring government administration is both fair（ and efficient, effective and proper） and responsive to the Central, Provincial and Local Governments＇ interpretation of the public interest.