國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

Since  1968,  the  phenomenon  of  divided  government  at  the  federal and  local  levels  in  the  United  States  has  come  to  seem  normal.    This study  concentrates  on  both  the  causes  and  consequences  of  divided  and unified  government.    Concerning  the  causes  of  divided  government, researchers developed some distinct approaches to the study of split-ticket voting behavior, but none of them provided a comprehensive explanation.   In  addition  to  summarizing  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  distinct approaches,  this  study  offers  a  synthetic  interpretation  of  the  causes  of divided   government.      Just   as   not   knowing   the   causes   of   divided government,    the    question    about    the    consequences    of    divided government  –  does  gridlock  arise  under  divided  government?  –  remains contentious.      By   analyzing   the   dual   dimensions   of   government institution  and  party  structure,  I  conclude  that  divided  government  does not necessarily produce gridlock in either policy or process.    This essay also judges how far these political scientists take us toward a theory that explicates the causes and consequences of divided government, and these questions  can  be  viewed  as  an  opportunity  to  develop  and  test  further theories  of  American  politics.    In  conclusion,  I  try  to  make  predictions about the plausible development of divided government in Taiwan.