裁冗“运动”与清代国家治理——以道光中期各省裁撤冗官为例

Reducing Redundancy“Movement”and National Governance in the Qing Dynasty:The Abolition of Administrative Positions in Various Provinces in the Mid-Daoguang Reign

为调整政区建制,提高行政效率,或节省财政开支,清代曾发起十数次全国性的裁冗行动,形成较具特色的国家治理模式。其中道光中期的裁冗行动,开始于十一年十一月,截至十三年十一月,遍布十八行省、二河区、三盐区,囊括知府以下正印、佐贰、首领、杂职、教官等178缺。这次行动突然发动,自上而下,打破了自下而上、因势调整行政建制的治理模式,又立足常规程序,逐级下达,层层转详,可谓“运动型”和“常规型”治理模式的有机结合,呈现中国君主集权体制下行政运作的内在逻辑。

To adjust the governing system,improve administrative efficiency,and reduce financial expenditures,the Qing Dynasty launched more than a dozen nationwide initiatives to reduce redundancy to create a more distinctive national governance model.Covering eighteen provinces,two river districts,three salt districts,and one hundred and seventy eight posts,the Daoguang era initiatives began in November 1831 and ended in November 1833.This top-down“movement”was launched suddenly.The movement broke with the governance model of bottom-up reform and adjusting the administrative structure according to local situations.The initiative was also based on conventional procedures and was handed down gradually and with detailed instructions at every level.It can be described as an organic combination of“campaign”and“conventional”governance that demonstrated the internal logic of administrative operations under China’s monarchical centralized system.