行政问责概念及内涵辨析

在公共行政领域,responsibility是责任的一般表述,accountability具有问责的意思。行政问责是指行政人员有义务就与其工作职责有关的工作绩效及社会效果接受责任授权人的质询并承担相应的处理结果。其内涵有3个方面:从功能和作用上看,行政问责表现为行政管理中的一种监督控制机制,其作用是为了实现社会和行政自身对于行政效率和效果的价值期望;从问责对象和问责主体来看,他们之间表现为一种对应的责任关系,这种责任关系往往为政治理念和法律、规章制度所规定,使得行政问责过程表现为强制性执行过程;从问责内容及实现机制上看,行政问责一般表现为法律问责、政治问责、等级管理问责和职业道德问责等方面。

On the Definition of Administrative Accountability

Administrative accountability refers to a system in which administrators are obliged to subject themselves to the scrutiny of those who have entrusted them with such power and they have to take responsibility for their performance. It has three connotations. In terms of function, it is a supervision system for the purpose of maximizing administrative efficiency. In terms of accountability objects and accountability enforcers, the relationship between the two is that of responsibility as regulated by laws and institutions, making the process of administrative accountability compulsory. And in terms of accountability content and enforcement system, it covers legal accountability, political accountability, position management accountability and occupational ethics accountability.