中國鄉鎮長直選制度發展中的「孤島現象」：變遷、問題與改革

隨著中國鄉鎮長直選模式的實踐，意謂著一種漸進主義、蔓延式的草根政治發展，已能建立改革的激勵機制及為基層民主制度創新提供空間。鄉鎮長直接選舉存在著「創新論」與「穩定論」的爭議，「創新論」認為直選並無涉及違憲問題、應替換政權合法性基礎、黨仍可控制選舉規則與過程、強化民主監督及減緩官僚機構腐敗速度，緩解社會與國家間的對抗程度。「穩定論」則認為直選並非解決治理的有效手段、引發家族宗法勢力復甦、幫派黑社會組織乘機合法化、鄉村治理淪為黑社會控制、引發賄選問題及衝擊黨對國家社會控制。本文通過對鄉鎮長直接選舉案例的分析顯示，其制度變遷的動力機制主要來自地方黨國體系之默許與支持、地方領導政治創新以求政績升遷及農村基層選舉示範擴散效應。但此亦衍生諸多困境與爭議，包括違憲爭議問題圍繞著「良性違憲」與「違法改革」辯論、黨國體系的改革態度游離不定及黨管幹部原則。本文初步結論以為，多數鄉鎮直選改革僅以「點」的個案形式進行，尚未發展成全面式大範園的制度性改革，單靠個別地方政治領導的創新意識尚無法蔚成一股風起雲湧的改革浪潮，難以克服改革中出現的「孤島」現象與困境。

關鍵字

鄉鎮長直選；黨國體系；政績升遷；黨管幹部原則；孤島現象

並列摘要

As China launched the direct election in the township head level, the incremental grass-root politics is paving the way to build a reformed incentive mechanism and low-level democracy. There is an on-going debate between innovation theory and stability theory for the township head elections. The former argues that direct election does not involve any violation of constitution Therefore election is the solutions to claim regime legitimacy, remain party control over rules and proceedings, strengthen political check and balance, reduce the bureaucratic corruption, and moderate social conf1icts. But the stability theory contends that direct election is not the only effective way of governance. It maybe revives family-based inf1uence; legitimize mafia, cause vote-buying, and contributing to negative impact on social control. This paper examines the direct election cases to illustrate the main motivation of promotion comes from the tacit consent and support of local party-state system. Local leadership launches various political innovations in village elections in order to obtain performance and promotion. But the efforts create dilemma and controversy, including the debate of benign violation of constitution vs. reform in violation of the law, the ambiguity of reform attitude, and principle of party-controlled cadres. This paper concludes that most reforms in township elections are only case-by-case trial and have not developed into a comprehensive systematic reform. Individual local innovation can not make a wave to change the ”isolated island” phenomenon and dilemma.