卡特政府在《巴拿马运河新条约》上的双重政治博弈(1977—1979)

The Dual Political Game of the Carte Administration on the New Panama Canal Treaty(1977-1979)

1977年的《巴拿马运河新条约》,是卡特政府在外交政策上的标志性成果之一。它的签署和通过,是卡特政府在复杂的国内外局势下实行双重政治博弈的结果。面对具有强烈民族主义倾向的巴拿马人民,卡特政府从国家长远利益出发,顺势而为,适度妥协;面对政府内部行政部门间的意见不一和顽固保守的国会势力,卡特政府在守住政策底线的前提下,通过巧妙施压和正面劝导,积极争取中间势力的理解和支持。这种内外博弈过程突出反映了在切实维护国家利益的重大外交决策问题上,美国现行宪政体制的功能和效用具有典型的两面性一方面,对内尽可能争取相关各方在重大外交政策上理解和支持的最大公约数,以有效增加美国对外政治斗争中获胜的筹码;另一方面,决策上的混乱拖沓增加了内耗,使得某些符合整体长远利益的重大外交决策不得不迁就于注重眼前、局部利益的国会系列修正案,导致重大外交政策的实施初衷与实际后果之间出现明显偏差。

The New Panama Canal Treaty in 1977 was one of the landmarks of foreign policy achievements of the Carte Administration.Signing and passing this treaty was attributed to the Carte Administration positively facing the challenges from both domestic and foreign political opponents.Confronting the Panamanian people with strong nationalism and the spirit of unyielding struggle,the Carte Administration made adaptions considering the long-term national interests and the overall situation of America and accordingly made compromises and concessions in a moderate manner.In the meanwhile,facing the stubborn,conservative and decentralized Congressional forces,as well as the fierce competition among the executive branches,the Carte Administration,on the premise of holding the policy bottom line,actively guided and sought the understanding and support of the middle forces through skilful pressure and positive persuasion.This historical fact of the internal and external dual political game highlighted the typical duality of the function and effectiveness of the current American Constitutional system on the issue of effectively safeguarding and expanding the interests of America.On the one hand,seeking the maximum common denominator of understanding and support on America's major foreign policies as far as possible could effectively increase the winning chips in the foreign political struggle.On the other hand,it objectively led to confusion and procrastination in decision-making,excessive internal friction and depreciation of the implementation effect.Consequently,the final content seriously deviated from the original intention of the American major foreign policy.