Boundaries for Leviathan: Uncertainty and Constitutional Choices on Separation of Powers

• Main Authors: Si-Bin Jiang, 蔣思彬
• Other Authors: Hans Hanpu Tung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/u4r3f4

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 政治學研究所 === 104 === This thesis empirically examines the effect of uncertainty on the degree of separation of powers stipulated by national constitutions. It offers a theoretical framework drawing on an electoral bargaining approach to illustrate the relationship between uncertainty and constitutional choices on separation of powers, and then deduces the basic hypothesis from the theory. The basic hypothesis, which would later be examined by empirical data, is that uncertainty is directly proportional to the degree of separation of powers stipulated by constitutions. To empirically test this hypothesis, this thesis measured the degree of separation of powers with “executive power index,” and used “electoral competitiveness” as well as “three-year average economic growth rate” as the proxy variables for measuring uncertainty, and then controlled other disturbing variables including historical and geographical factors, socio-economic conditions, international and domestic political factors, and time trends. Based on the results of ordinary least squares and time-series cross-sectional regression models, this thesis found that executive power index was negatively related to electoral competitiveness and positively related to three-year average economic growth, while the regression coefficients were statistically significant. The results fit the prediction of the theory and indicate that the basic hypothesis is not falsified. Therefore, this thesis can confidently yet tentatively accept this proposition: uncertainty faced by constitution drafters can systematically affect the outcomes of constitutional choices concerning the question of separation of powers.