出刊年月/Date of Publishing

1998.06

所屬卷期/Vol. & No.   第28卷第2期 Vol. 28, No. 2

類型/Type                 研究論文 Research Article

篇名/Title
美國總統選舉影響國家重大公共政策變革之研究
The Impact of US Presidential Elections on Major Public Policy Shifts

作者/Author
楊光中 Guang-Jong Yang

頁碼/Pagination
pp. 153-214

摘要
美國選民能否透過四年一次的總統選舉，影響全國性重大公共政策的制定，學者之間的意見不一。而美國總統選舉史上選民重新組合的情形與國家公共政策產生重大變革的時期，卻有著相當大程度的關聯。

美國的經驗告訴我們：由於政府組織結構上與運作上的障礙，在平時，個別的選民難以影響政府的重大政策。只有透過選舉，選出新的總統及其同黨國會議員，美國選民才有可能改變國家的重大公共政策。當聯邦政府的行政與立法兩個部門同時受到同一政黨的控制時，重大公共政策的改弦更張就容易進行。但這種情況只有在經濟危機嚴重影響人民日常生活，而執政黨遲遲無法因應，或是在戰爭的陰影籠罩之下時，才有可能發生。

Abstract
It is unclear whether American voters can affect major public policy shifts. By expressing their satisfaction or discontent with presidential candidates and their parties, the voters try to influence the formation of governmental public policy to protect their vital interests. The obstacles in the formation of public policy confronting voters are not only structural factors, but also operational factors. Many scholars point out that it is very difficult for individual voters to succeed in affecting government policy.

This paper examines these factors and analyzes historical facts as well as other scholars’ studies to discover the possibility of American voters’ influence on major public policy shifts through presidential elections. It is found that unified party control of the legislative and executive branches in the federal government has shown a strong pattern of association with critical elections. Economic or war crises are also often associated with periods of electoral realignment. Demands for changes in major public policies through presidential elections have thus been satisfied in American history.

關鍵字/Key Word
美國總統選舉丶漸增原則、關鍵性選舉、選民新結合、選民重新組合
US presidential elections, incrementalism, critical elections, new coalition, realignment

DOI
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學門分類/Subject
政治學 Political Science