穩定壓倒一切？改革開放初期中國大陸天津市的發展模式探討

Abstract

成長機器模式能否通則化解釋所有中國大陸城市的發展軌跡？奠基於分權化的背景以及預設城市的競爭性之下，成長機器概念被大量的運用於中國大陸城市研究；然而，這樣的推論必須考量到中國大陸幹部特殊的政績機會主義以及城市初始條件的限制；本文以天津為個案，提出超穩定機器的城市發展模式，研究顯示進入改革開放時期後的天津當局，更強調社會維穩甚於經濟增長，對於通貨膨脹率以及失業率的調控成為城市政治的優先議程。本文認為，天津個案可以與成長機器、發展型國家甚至是企業家型國家等中國大陸城市研究理論框架，進行有意義的對話。另兩個有趣的實務問題則是，面對全新的政治生態，地方政府的行為模式如何轉化？中共當局已然強調未來將不再以GDP論英雄，超穩定的發展思維有否可能成為未來中國大陸城市發展的另一種替代模式，值得觀察。

This paper aims to identify patterns of urban development in China, using Tianjin as a specific case. Existing literature attempting to explore the dynamics of urban development in China have been made predominantly on the basis of the ＂growth machine＂ model, which takes the growth of cities as a result of interaction among some internal urban-based players for pecuniary gains and property development. Yet, I argue that to directly apply the growth machine model to explain situations in a socialist society, such as China, may not lead to precise assessment. This paper seeks to fill the gap in existing literature that pays scant attention to the urban renewal experience in Tianjin as a traditionally significant developmental center in north China. This paper, therefore, will make important contributions in two aspects. First, it will shed light on the institutional reform process in Tianjin that is critical to the developmental catch-up of the city. Second, it will offer a fresh insight into the debates on the urban development models in contemporary China.