文以「新國家主義」為研究途徑,將台灣發展過程區分成三個階段:兩蔣執政時期、李登輝執政時期與陳水扁執政時期,依Michael Mann的國家權力結構模型瞭解三個階段的國家權力結構中國家專制力與國家基層行政能力的發展;以及Weiss與Hobson的國家與社會關係模型,瞭解因為地方派系進入此一結構,對國家與社會關係所造成的影響。結論認為,台灣已明顯從「發展型國家」躍升成為「彈性型國家」,社會對抗國家幹預的能力已由弱轉強,國家協調社會的能力雖較兩蔣執政時期為弱,但仍較西方資本主義的「服務型國家」為強。
From the view of Neo-Statism, this issue suggest 3 developmental periods on Taiwan, the time of President Chiang Kai-Shek and Chang Ching-Kuo, the time of President Li Deng-Hwei and the time of President Chen Shui-Bien. According to the state power construction model brought up by Michael Mann, this essay reveals how the despotic power and infrastructure power works during the above three periods and with the model of state and society brought up by Weiss and Hobson, clears up how the local politics power effected in Weiss and Hobson's model. It shows that Taiwan had been developing from ”Developing State” to ”Adjustable State”. After the time of Chiang family, the social influence becomes stronger than state power, but it is still weaker than so-called ”Service State” in capitalist countries.