违反合同附随义务的解决路径

我国《合同法》借用合同概念对不同阶段的附随义务分别作出规定,并分别针对不同阶段的附随义务,各自适用独立的请求权基础、归责原则和法律责任.《德国民法典》用债的概念对附随义务进行法定化,实现了各阶段附随义务请求权基础、归责原则的统一.这值得我国立法借鉴.     

我国廉政体系建设的历史演进与现状分析

自新中国成立以来,党结合我国反腐败实践逐步探索出了一条中国特色的廉政体系建设之路。但我国廉政体系还存在着体制不顺、法规不完备、问责机制不健全、公开性和透明度不高等问题。为此,要通过政治体制改革建立一个相互支撑、相互制衡的廉政体系;通过制度创新完善相应的法规制度和权利问责机制,建立立体问责体系。     

困境与重构：对我国政府问责制的再思考

建构政府问责制是基于民主授权关系和社会基准价值所形成的对政府及其官员行为的制度规范和道德规范的必然要求,是当代中国政治文明建设中的创新举措。本文从政治哲学、公共行政学、政治经济学和社会资本等诸多层面分析了政府问责制的内在逻辑及其合理性。但由于制度供给不足、实践层次较低、监督弱化及公共行政文化带有滞后性等因素的存在,使我国的政府问责制在现实中面临许多困境。对此,我们应着力完善政府问责制的立法,强化监督机制,引入政府绩效评估,建设新型行政文化,从而建构起科学合理的政府问责制,实现其应有的价值和功能。     

西方行政问责理念的发展与启示

行政问责的理念决定行政问责制度建设。西方国家行政的理念经历了从科层理念到民主理念，再到绩效理念的发展历程。西方国家的行政问责理念的演变对中国的行政问责制度建设有非常重要的启示意义。     

社会主义行政问责制的伦理基础

社会主义行政问责制是社会主义民主政治的重要内容,也是社会主义行政的应有之义。社会主义的行政问责制是社会主义行政伦理的本质体现。人民民主决定了社会主义行政是责任行政;公共性、民主性和公平正义是社会主义公共行政的伦理基础,建立责任政府是社会主义行政伦理的基本要求;社会主义国家的工作人员是向人民负责的公仆。     

The Problematic Relation between Direct Democracy and Accountability in Latin America: Evidence from the Bolivian Case

During the wave of constitutional reforms, which started in the late 1980s, Institutions of Direct Democracy (IDD) have been incorporated into most Latin American constitutions, and over the past fifteen years, an increased use of these instruments by Latin American governments has been observed. This article deals with two questions related to this phenomenon: (1) what motivated the adoption and use of these institutions; and (2) what consequences can be expected with regard to democratic accountability in the region? To answer these questions, first, a classification of IDD is developed. In this, special attention is paid to the ability of the various types of IDD to introduce accountability into the representative structures of presidential systems. This classification is subsequently applied to analyse constitutional frameworks and direct democratic experience in the region. The findings suggest that the rise of IDD in Latin America was mainly induced by executive‐legislative conflict and has done little to foster accountability. Finally, therefore, a detailed account of the specific constellation that led to the adoption of IDD in Bolivia is analysed in order to illustrate under which circumstances political actors choose to adopt and employ these tools.     

The effectiveness of NGO self‐regulation: theory and evidence from Africa

Non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) play an increasingly important role in public service provision and policy making in sub‐Saharan Africa, stimulating demand for new forms of regulatory oversight. In response, a number of initiatives in NGO self‐regulation have emerged. Using cross‐national data on 20 African countries, the article shows that self‐regulation in Africa falls into three types: national‐level guilds, NGO‐led clubs and voluntary codes of conduct. Each displays significant weaknesses from a regulatory policy perspective. National guilds have a broad scope, but require high administrative oversight capacity on the part of NGOs. Voluntary clubs have stronger standards but typically have much weaker coverage. Voluntary codes are the most common form of self‐regulation, but have the weakest regulatory strength. This article argues that the weakness of current attempts to improve the accountability and regulatory environment of NGOs stems in part from a mismatch between the goals of regulation and the institutional incentives embedded in the structure of most self‐regulatory regimes. The article uses the logic of collective action to illustrate the nature of this mismatch and the tradeoffs between the potential breadth and strength of various forms of NGO self‐regulation using three detailed case studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

国外行政问责制的实践及特点分析

在经历了长期的实践和发展后，一些发达国家的行政问责制已经比较完备，而目前我国行政问责制还处于探索阶段。在总结经验教训的同时，我们应注意了解并借鉴国外行政问责的实践经验，对于推进我国责任政府建设进程具有重要意义。     

Why do “teeth” need “voice”? The case of anti‐corruption agencies in three Australian states

Interactions between horizontal accountability agencies (e.g., anti‐corruption agencies [ACAs]) and social accountability actors (e.g., journalists, civil society activists, and complainants/whistleblowers) are recognized as important to horizontal agencies’ performance, but the reason(s) is not clear. This study therefore explores why horizontal accountability agencies need social accountability actors in performing their functions. The study analyses data from 30 key stakeholders in Australia, including ACAs staff members, social accountability actors, and other observers to report on the specific support roles social actors play to ACAs’ activities and operations. Through the conceptual lens of social accountability, evidence show that social actors play four key types of support roles to ACAs’ activities and operations: activate ACAs’ investigations; “amplify” ACAs’ operations; guard ACAs’ activities and operations; and defend ACAs’ independence and powers. These findings support the need for interactions and, also, affirm the potential for research into how these support roles can better be provided for effective anti‐corruption outcomes. The research is of value to public accountability agencies in Australia, and internationally.     

Public Wi‐Fi provision by Australian local government authorities

Investment by Australian local government authorities (LGAs) in public Wi‐Fi (PWF) provision has grown substantially in recent years. PWF represents the first significant venture of LGAs into telecommunications, a field of national jurisdiction, and thus is a precursor of wider local investment in digital communication technologies, particularly the Internet of Things and other ‘smart city’ infrastructure. However, there has been little published analysis of PWF provision and use in Australia. This knowledge gap limits understanding of the rationales, business models, and uses and impact of investment in these networks and offers little guidance for local authorities and communities contemplating wider ventures in the field of digital networks. This article draws on a national survey of PWF provision by LGAs, together with interview data and critical analysis of policy and institutional settings, to present an overview of local PWF provision in Australia. The analysis highlights some familiar problems associated with LGA infrastructure investment and service delivery, as well as some novel challenges posed for local managers by digital communication networks. Following an empirical mapping of PWF provision in Australia, we explore three significant themes that our research in this field highlights: accountability and transparency, competence in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) and evaluation.