Advancing Towards a Digital Rule-of-Law Government: Citizen Satisfaction with the Rule of Law from the Perspective of Open Governance

doi:10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2024.05.008

Abstract

Abstract: The “digital rule-of-law government” is not only a strategic extension of building a nation governed by the rule of law but also a significant initiative by the Chinese government to innovate and promote Chinese-style modernization in the digital age. In this context， government information transparency is crucial not only for the effectiveness of constructing a digital rule-of-law government but also for influencing citizens' overall assessment of the government's rule of law. By analyzing the data from the Chinese Social Survey， the impact of government information transparency on citizens' satisfaction with the rule of law is empirically examined. It is revealed that government information transparency has a significant positive effect on citizens' satisfaction with the rule of law. Moreover， citizens' assessment of the government's rule-of-law level， influenced by information transparency， varies systematically based on the degree of local digital transformation. Additionally， the extent of rights protection plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between government information transparency and satisfaction with the rule of law.

Key words: open government; satisfaction of the rule of law ; rights protection; digital rule-of-law government construction

CLC Number:

D630

WANG Xiang. Advancing Towards a Digital Rule-of-Law Government: Citizen Satisfaction with the Rule of Law from the Perspective of Open Governance[J]. Journal of Northeastern University(Social Science), 2024, 26(5): 66-77.

References

[1]习近平. 高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜为全面建设社会主义现代化国家而团结奋斗——在中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会上的报告［N］. 人民日报， 2022-10-26(1).
[2]马怀德. 新时代法治政府建设的意义与要求［J］. 中国高校社会科学， 2018(5):4-18.
[3]Armstrong E. Integrity， transparency and accountability in public administration: recent trends， regional and international developments and emerging issues［R］. New York: United Nations， Department of Economic and Social Affairs， 2005:1-10.
[4]Wong W，Welch E. Does e-government promote accountability? a comparative analysis of website openness and government accountability［J］. Governance， 2004，17(2):275-297.
[5]张文显. 习近平法治思想研究(中)——习近平法治思想的一般理论［J］. 法制与社会发展， 2016，22(3):5-37.
[6]姜明安. 完善行政程序法治是建设法治政府的必由之路［J］. 行政法学研究， 2023(1):13-17.
[7]Cooper T L. Big questions in administrative ethics: a need for focused， collaborative effort［J］. Public Administration Review， 2004，64(4):395-407.
[8]Chen C，Neshkova M I. The effect of fiscal transparency on corruption: a panel cross-country analysis［J］. Public Administration， 2020，98(1):226-243.
[9]朱光磊，候绪杰. “双线合一”: 论服务型政府的建设逻辑［J］. 南开学报(哲学社会科学版)， 2023(3):10-21.
[10]Fung A，Graham M，Weil D. Full disclosure: the perils and promise of transparency［M］. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press， 2007.
[11]De Fine Licht J，Naurin D，Esaiasson P，et al. When does transparency generate legitimacy? experimenting on a context-bound relationship［J］. Governance， 2014，27(1):111-134.
[12]彭錞. 我国政府信息公开制度的宪法逻辑［J］. 法学， 2019(2):94-106.
[13]Open government declaration［EB/OL］. (2022-07-10)［2023-09-10］. https:∥www.opengovpartnership.org/process/joining-ogp/open-government-declaration/.
[14]丁晓东. 从公开到服务: 政府数据开放的法理反思与制度完善［J］. 法商研究， 2022，39(2):131-145.
[15]浙江省人民政府办公厅. 以数字化助力提升政府信息依申请公开实效［J］. 中国行政管理， 2020(2):8.
[16]王翔，黄钦. 政府数字化转型的地方路径:基于“资源-压力”模型［J］. 中国行政管理， 2023(3):35-44.
[17]叶必丰，张亮，肖军，等. 以司法丈量法治中国之进度——法治政府司法指数报告［J］. 中国法律评论， 2019(1):158-168.
[18]王敬波. 政府信息公开观察:成就与挑战［J］. 中国政法大学学报， 2014(4):33-40.
[19]李韵州，王翔. 法治政府评估中的公众满意度调查——以53个较大的市为例［J］. 中国政法大学学报， 2014(4):49-55.
[20]陈磊，廖逸儿. 提升法治政府绩效满意度的思路建议［J］. 中国行政管理， 2017(12):144-146.
[21]郑思尧，孟天广. 公共危机治理中的政府信息公开与治理效度——基于一项调查实验［J］. 公共管理与政策评论， 2022，11(1):88-103.
[22]de Fine Licht J. Policy area as a potential moderator of transparency effects: an experiment［J］. Public Administration Review， 2014，74(3):361-371.
[23]de Fine Licht J. Do we really want to know? the potentially negative effect of transparency in decision making on perceived legitimacy［J］. Scandinavian Political Studies， 2011，34(3):183-201.
[24]黄璜. 中国 “数字政府” 的政策演变——兼论 “数字政府” 与 “电子政务” 的关系［J］. 行政论坛， 2020，27(3):47-55.
[25]Bingham L B，Nabatchi T，O'Leary R. The new governance: practices and processes for stakeholder and citizen participation in the work of government［J］. Public Administration Review， 2005，65(5):547-558.
[26]Kim S，Lee J. E-participation， transparency， and trust in local government［J］. Public Administration Review， 2012，72(6):819-828.
[27]Welch E W，Hinnant C C，Moon M J. Linking citizen satisfaction with e-government and trust in government［J］. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory， 2005，15(3):371-391.
[28]Tolbert C J，Mossberger K. The effects of e-government on trust and confidence in government［J］. Public Administration Review， 2006，66(3):354-369.
[29]Vicente C，Benito B，Bastida F. Transparency and political budget cycles at municipal level［J］. Swiss Political Science Review， 2013，19(2):139-156.
[30]Meijer A J. Transparent government: parliamentary and legal accountability in an information age［J］. Information Polity， 2003，8(1/2):67-78.［31］Cuillier D，Piotrowski S J. Internet information-seeking and its relation to support for access to government records［J］. Government Information Quarterly， 2009，26(3):441-449.［32］Beldad A，van der Geest T，de Jong M，et al. A cue or two and I'll trust you: determinants of trust in government organizations in terms of their processing and usage of citizens' personal information disclosed online［J］. Government Information Quarterly， 2012，29(1):41-49.［33］Carter L，Bélanger F. The utilization of e-government services: citizen trust， innovation and acceptance factors［J］. Information Systems Journal， 2005，15(1):5-25.［34］Rana N P，Dwivedi Y K，Williams M D. A meta-analysis of existing research on citizen adoption of e-government［J］. Information Systems Frontiers， 2015，17:547-563.［35］Baldwin J N，Gauld R，Goldfinch S. What public servants really think of e-government［J］. Public Management Review， 2012，14(1):105-127.［36］Jaeger P T，Bertot J C. Transparency and technological change: ensuring equal and sustained public access to government information［J］. Government Information Quarterly， 2010，27(4):371-376.［37］Piotrowski S J，Van Ryzin G G. Citizen attitudes toward transparency in local government［J］. The American Review of Public Administration， 2007，37(3):306-323.［38］Holmstrm B. Moral hazard and observability［J］. The Bell Journal of Economics， 1979，10(1):74-91.［39］Bohman J，Rehg W. Deliberative democracy: essays on reason and politics［J］.Journal of Communication， 1999，49(2):137-144.［40］Ambrose M L. Contemporary justice research: a new look at familiar questions［J］. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes， 2002，89(1):803-812.［41］Ubaldi B. Open government data: towards empirical analysis of open government data initiatives［J］. Working Papers on Public Governance， 2013(22):1-60.［42］Bach S. Fiscal councils' impact on promoting transparency and accountability in public finance management［J］. Public Sector Economics， 2020，44(3):355-384.［43］刁伟涛，任占尚，朱军. 顶层设计、公众参与和地方政府债务信息公开［J］. 上海财经大学学报， 2020，22(2):20-34.［44］Stivers C. Governance in dark times: practical philosophy for public service［M］. Washington， D.C.: Georgetown University Press， 2008.［45］Cohen M A，Santhakumar V. Information disclosure as environmental regulation: a theoretical analysis［J］. Environmental and Resource Economics， 2007，37:599-620.［46］聂平平，李帅帅. 行政行为，民众满意度与地方治理法治化——基于江西部分区县的问卷调查［J］. 上海行政学院学报， 2018(4):67-78.［47］Pina V，Torres L，Royo S. Are ICTs improving transparency and accountability in the EU regional and local governments? an empirical study［J］. Public Administration， 2007，85(2):449-472.［48］Krah R，Mertens G. Financial transparency， trust and willingness to pay in local governments of sub-Saharan Africa［J］. Journal of Public Budgeting， Accounting & Financial Management， 2023，35(6):100-120.［49］Caamao-Alegre J，Lago-Peas S，Reyes-Santias F，et al. Budget transparency in local governments: an empirical analysis［J］. Local Government Studies， 2013，39(2):182-207.［50］Cinelli C，Hazlett C. An omitted variable bias framework for sensitivity analysis of instrumental variables［J］. SSRN Electronic Journal， 2022，1:1-44.