A Jurisprudence Thought On Improvement Of The Accountability System In China

Accountability is the relationship between the consigner and its deputy, which means the entitled deputy (either an individual or an organization) is responsible for a reply to the consigner concerning the related working performance. Within the limits of this concept, accountability can be divided into two categories: the accountability in a broad sense and the accountability in a narrow sense. As for the former, accountability, as a common form of social connection, lies in different social environments and relationships. Actually, it is the general accountability. As for the latter, accountability is interwoven with public administration. It is seen as both an administrative structure and a method of government. This thesis, starting with the accountability in a narrow sense, is a preliminary jurisprudential thought concerning improvement of accountability in China. It comprises four parts, as shown below.The first part explores the origin of accountability and its jurisprudential basis. From the early bud to its full bloom, the idea of accountability has experienced a long course, whose trace or image can be found by us in the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle's viewpoint of politics, the great classical natural law thinker John Locke and Rousseau's works and Rolls' masterpiece "A Theory Of Justice". The jurisprudential bases of accountability mainly include: theories on social contract, theories on people's sovereignty, theories on consignation and the basic principle of public administration which says the rights and responsibilities should be identical and equal.The second part generalizes the construction of accountability in contemporary western countries and its development direction. In spite of its different representations in the separate western countries, accountability presents a common pattern in its development.The third part sums up the current situation of accountability in China and gives reasons for it. China has made some achievements in bringing accountability into effect. However, it is also apparent that there is still a long way to go. This thesis provides an analysis for the problems in accountability in terms of system, society, law, information and supervision.The fourth part presents a jurisprudential assumption of construction and completion of accountability in China in the framework of the necessary systems.