论诺斯制度变迁思想的演化特征

On the Evolutionary Character of North's Idea of Institutional Change

本文的主要目的是探讨道格拉斯·诺斯近期作品的历史演化特征。近来他的观点已经受到了批评,尤其是就其在历史方面的见解以及他所使用的一些概念和思想的本质而言。批评者们主要用三个互相联系的论据支撑他们的论点,这涉及到诺斯的新古典根基,他的个人主义起点以及他的普适主义的解释倾向,这些观点将在第一部分进行介绍。第二部分,将介绍一下对这些观点的一个回应。最后,我们将对诺斯近期作品的演化特征加以探讨和证实。本文认为,通过将"文化"引入到制度变迁分析的核心,诺斯走上了背景依赖(Context Dependent)分析以及历史具体分析(Histori- cally Specific Explanations)的道路。

The main objective is to discuss the historical-evolutionary character of the latest work of Douglass North.His views have been lately criticized,espe- cially as far as their historical insight is concerned,as well as the nature of the concepts and the ideas he used.Three interconnected arguments dealing with North's neoclassical roots,his individualistic point of departure and his inclination to universalistic explanations sustain this allegation,and they will be presented in the first part.In the second part,a response to these arguments is suggested.Fi- nally,the evolutionary character of his later work is discussed and established in the last part.It is held that by introducing‘culture’into the heart of the analysis of institutional change,North is oriented toward context dependent and conse- quently historically specific explanations.