改革开放、国家能力与经济发展

Reform and Opening-up,State Capacity,and Economic Growth

本文指出,并不是所有的改革开放都能成功,改革开放的成功有赖于一个有效政府的存在。历史的、跨国的和当代的研究都表明,政治经济体制转型(改革开放)比较顺利、现代经济增长出现比较早的国家都是国家能力增强在先,经济发展随后。时间前后揭示了逻辑关联,经济发展很可能不仅仅是改革开放的结果;除了改革开放的方向与举措正确以外,还需要一个有效政府作为前提条件。改革开放和国家能力的建设与维护相辅相成,缺一不可,但两者都不是充分条件。在纪念改革开放40周年的时候,对这一点应该有清晰的认识。对改革开放与经济增长而言,具备基础性国家能力的有效政府非常必要和重要,国家能力比较强,可以为改革开放奠定比较坚实的基础,可以为改革开放创造比较有利的内外环境,可以比较好地把握改革开放的方向和节奏,也才有能力调节改革开放造成的损益分配,对利益受损群体进行必要的、适度的补偿,避免社会矛盾激化,防范政治上的风波。

This article points out that,it is not that every attempt of reform and opening-up will succeed,as the success of reform and opening-up relies on the existence of an effective government. As the historical,transnational,and contemporary studies show,for all these countries which experienced a smooth transformation of political-economic system and achieved modern economic growth in an early historical period,the strengthening of state capacity always precedes economic growth. The time sequence reveals a logical relation that economic growth is probably not only the result of reform and openingup. Except for the right direction and policies of reform and opening-up,economic growth also requires an effective government as one of its preconditions. Reform and opening-up and state capacity building promote each other,but neither is the sufficient condition. When we commemorate the 40 thanniversary of China’ s Reform and Opening-up,we should be well aware of this point. For both reform and opening-up and economic growth,an effective government with infrastructural state capacity is necessary and vital. With a strong state capacity,a firm basis could be laid for reform and opening-up,a better domestic and international situation could be created for reform and opening-up,and a better supervision over the direction and pace of reform and opening-up could be assured. Besides,a strong state capacity is also the basis for adjusting the distribution of interests during the reform and opening-up,offering equitable remedies to disadvantaged groups,and preventing social conflicts and political turmoils.