重新理解中国的行政区划:基于“机构—功能”框架的类型学分析

Re-understanding the Administrative Division of China:A Typological Analysis Based on the“Institution-Function”Framework

行政区划是国家治理的重要空间载体与政策工具,但其概念本身的模糊性及其内涵构成的异质性在理论上始终未得到充分的厘清。从政治学与行政学视角出发,将“机构”与“功能”视为理解行政区划的两种关键要素,并在此基础上构建“机构—功能”框架。该框架从政区是否设有一级政府以及是否行使特定行政管理功能两个角度,区分出主行政区划、辅行政区划、准行政区划与类行政区划四种类型。不同类型的行政区划作为政策工具有其各自的优势和劣势,其中主行政区划构成了国家治理的基本单元,其他三类行政区划则基于不同的治理情境设立,根本作用在于缓解主行政区划刚性与国家治理柔性之间的冲突,其空间视角有助于实现国家治理的有效与稳固运行。

Administrative divisions are important spatial carriers and policy tools for state governance.However,the inner ambiguity and heterogeneity of the concept itself havent been fully clarified so far.From the disciplinary perspective of politics and public administration,“institution”and“function”are defined as two key factors to understand the administrative division of Chi⁃na.Based on whether a formal government is set and whether specific function is performed,four different types of administrative divisions can be distinguished,which include major administrative division,complementary administrative division,quasi-admin⁃istrative division,and semi-administrative division.Each type of administrative division has its advantages and disadvantages.In general,major administrative divisions constitute basic units of state governance,while the other three types of administrative divi⁃sions are set for specific purposes and help alleviate conflicts between the rigidity of major administrative divisions and the flexibility of governance practice,which ensures the effective operation of state governance.