New Administrative Accountability

Administrative accountability system is a modern democratic system aimed to enhance the supervision over and the restraint on the use of power, which plays a significant role in building a responsible government and restructuring the political system in China. Focusing its study on Chinese administrative accountability system in the new period, this dissertation discusses its basic theories, examines its developing history and some instructive overseas experiences, analyzes the existing problems and constraints in current Chinese administrative accountability system, and explores countermeasures to improve the system in the new period, hoping to enlighten the theories and practice of constructing a responsible, highly efficient, and clean government, and promote the development of the socialist political civilization construction.Five chapters are included in the dissertation, which are:Introduction, which introduces the background and significance of the study, analyzes the status quo of the study in academic circles, and briefly explains the research thought, method, focuses, difficulties, and innovations of this dissertation.Chapter one mainly discusses the basic theories of Chinese administrative accountability system in the new period. Administrative accountability system is a system standard by which the accountable subjects such as the state organs of power, judicial organs, administrative organs, and the public address inquiries to the performance of the responsibilities and obligations undertaken by governments at all levels and their officials, and require them to bear associated responsibilities. With accountable subjects, accountable objects, accountable content, accountable procedure, and accountable result as its key factors, administrative accountability system is grounded in the modern democratic political theories. It is conducive to make clear-cut governmental responsibilities, increase administrative efficiency, and prevent and control administrative corruption, playing a significant role in pushing forward the construction of a responsible, highly efficient, and clean government in China.Chapter two examines the development of Chinese administrative accountability system in the new period. China's administrative accountability system in the new period has undergone a proposing and exploring-initial constructing-comprehensive implementing process. From 1978 to the late 1980s is the proposing and exploring period of Chinese accountability system in the new period, during which the administrative accountability organs are gradually restored and established, taking the first step in exploring the system and practices of the administrative accountability. From the late 1980s to 2003 before the breakout of SARS is regarded as the developing period of Chinese administrative system in the new period. During this period, the administrative accountability system takes preliminary shape and its practices continue to develop. Since the breakout of SARS in 2003 till now is the comprehensive implementing period of Chinese administrative accountability system in the new period, during which the administrative accountability system continues to improve and its practices are in full swing.Chapter three analyzes the status quo of Chinese administrative accountability system. After the development since the reform and opening-up, Chinese administrative accountability system has produced some effect in that it has initially established the system standard of the administrative accountability, punished a great number of government officials who violated the law or neglected their duties, and strengthened the consciousness of responsibility on the side of the government and its officials. Meanwhile, it still faces many developing difficulties such as the lack of a legal system concerning the administrative accountability, the lack of multiple accountable subjects, a narrow accountable scope, an imperfect accountable procedure, and a relatively backward administrative accountability culture, etc.Chapter four introduces the administrative accountability systems in some major developed western countries.After a long-term development, the Great Britain, the United States, Japan and other major developed western countries have formed some successful system standards in both theories and practices of the administrative accountability, and accumulated much valuable experience such as attaching great importance to the supervision and accountability of power organs, implementing the supervision and accountability within the administration, and promoting ethic construction among government officials, which give great enlightenment on the perfection of Chinese administrative accountability system.Chapters five propose some countermeasures regarding the perfection of Chinese administrative accountability system. Currently, China's administrative accountability system needs to be perfected in the following aspects:improving the accountability system within the administrative organs such as the administrative supervision system, the auditing accountability system, etc.; implementing the system of addressing inquiries and recall system of the People's Congress while increasing its accountability and giving full play to its accountability role; ensuring judicial independence, and perfect the judicial review system, improving judicial accountability; promoting citizens'accountable quality, safeguarding citizens'right to know, improving the citizens'accountability system, and encouraging citizens to take part in accountability practice; constructing administrative accountability culture, optimizing administrative accountability environment, and creating a sound cultural environment for the administrative accountability system.