超越"結構--行為體"的二元分析 : 1980-99 年天津市政府投資政策及實踐分析

Abstract

Whilst most scholars would agree that agency affects structure and vice versa, there is yet no consensus about how we may actually explain the interaction between them. This research tries to join the discussion on how structure and agency relate through a study of the local political economy in Northern China. Employing a non-zero-sum view of central-local relations, the research enquires into how the key agent-Municipal Government of Tianjin- plays its role in local economic development within the context of central policies. Using the historical narrative method, the study focuses on the "process", as well as the actions It examines the strategies the actors adopted and how they were chosen. Given the centrality of investment policy in economic development, this study focuses on the investment policy and implementation of Tianjin Municipal Government as empirical research object. I identified that Tianjin Municipal Government had made great efforts on FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) and Municipal Infrastructure in its investment implementation. I ask two questions. First, why this dual strategy? Second, what has the Tianjin Municipal Government done under this strategy? Through answering these questions, I draw a picture how Tianjin Municipal Government has sought to develop its economy and how it interacted with other actors in the process. This research employs documentary materials and findings from field interviews. The documentary materials provide background information, whist field interviews enable the author to clarify, confirm or elucidate the information contained in documentary materials. Field interviews are also very instrumental to getting to know how the central government and Tianjin government officials have interacted.