在全球化的情景之下,國家重新嵌入更廣闊的權力場域,其運作亦經過重組,這個廣闊場域是由新的科人企業制度秩序所構成的,而這個秩序是與全球經濟連在一起的;同時,這個場域亦由其他日益重要的制度秩序所塑造,這包括國際非政府組織網絡,以至國際人權體制等等。這篇文章嘗試論證,從國家的運作來看,國族國家的運作已再次經歷一場深刻的轉變,我們需要質問「國家理性」(raison d’etat)變成怎樣,簡而官之,為甚麼我們還需要國家?甚麼還可稱為屬於國家的(national)? 新秩序中的策略性行動者並非先進國家的政府機關,而是一連串非國家角色,其中一個特色便是它們都具有能力把一向是公共的和有化,而且能把曾屬國家能力範圍的及政策議程去國家化(denationalize),這種私有化及去國家化能力就是國族國家的獨特轉化,或更精準地說,是國家一些組成部份被轉化。進一步來說,這個新制度秩序具有規範性權威(normative authority) ,這種規範並不座落於曾是國家議題(agendas)之內,而且,它更改變了國際體系中的議題、角度與範疇。
The differentiation process of globalization entails a transformation more than simply the loss of the state. Instead, it is embedded in a broader power field and it experiences a reconfiguring process. This field is partly constituted by the order of the new private enterprise sector connected with global economy. It is also shaped by a wide variety of organizations with growing importance, including international NGOs and international human rights regime. This paper argues that the nation- state is undergoing a dramatic change again. We need to ask what the substantial rationality of the state, raison d’etat has changed. In other words, why do we still need the state? What can be called as “national”?