Moving Towards Sustainable Development: State Finance

近代國家至現代國家的發展，即為 「夜警國家」到「社會福利國家」的 轉變，從而隨著國家任務擴張，造成 「行政國家」的崛起，使得國家的管 制作用與福利給付躍升為行政行為的 主角。而伴隨著國家行政任務的擴 張，同時意味著財政支出之增加，往 昔財政作用附屬於行政行為之觀念， 亦漸漸遭受崩蝕瓦解，財政之考量， 反而成為施行行政行為之前提，故 此，財政作用之逆轉性格於此彰顯， 甚至從過去之技術性轉而具有權力性。就收入面而言，隨著公債發行的 蓬勃發展，漸次背離「租稅國家」的 軌道，使國家長期背負財政赤字的情 況下，針對公債問題提供一適切之解 決之道，已成了燃眉之急。是故，本 報告認為應建構以下四原則，以因應 目前的弊病：1.建設公債原則。2.公債 上限原則。3.公債期限限制原則。4.債務基金設置原則。Modern states have transformed from Watchdog to Welfare States. Along with expansion of state duties, there emerged the so-called “Administrative States,” exercising increasing regulatory powers and providing comprehensive social welfare programs. In order to achieve such ends, modern states seem to have no choice but expand their financial expenditure. Nowadays, state finance is no longer merely a subordinate to the administrative powers. Instead, it has become a requisite for implementation of executive power. In this light, state finance, per se, is more regulatory than technical, in nature. In terms of state incomes, quite a lot of states are facing a financial crisis of huge budget deficits, partly owing to issuance of public bonds. It is therefore imperative for states to solve this problem. This Project proposes the following four principles to counter this crisis: (1) public bonds for construction; (2) ceiling on the total amount of public bonds; (3) term limits on public bonds; and (4) funds for repayment of public bonds