本文旨在探討1987年以來台灣政治轉型發展中新國家與新國旅建構的過程、動力與意義。作者先對於國家機器建構與國族建構的理論問題有所回顧，然後對所謂民主「轉型」的公式進行檢討。在對於台灣政治轉型的趨勢提出了「民粹威權主義J約定性之後，我們對於新體制的社會根源有所分析。最後，本文討論民粹主義與民主制度的矛盾緊張關係，指出「人民」此一概念由上而下的建構揉按'是與多元氏主相街突的。

This paper presents a critical examination of the process， dynamics， and implications of Taiwan's newfangled efforts at statebuilding and nationformation that have been an integral part of Tawian's political development since 1987- After reviewing some of the theoretical issues concerning the historic phenomena of state-building and nation-formation， the authors criticize the much-paraded formula of 'transition from authoritarianism to democracy'_ Then the concept of a populist authoritarianism is developed to characterize the major trends in Taiwan's political transformation_ The social basis of the new regime is also analysed in some detail. Finally， the paper discusses the serious tension between populism and democracy， emphasizing that the ‘top-to-bottom'construction and manipulation of the concept of‘the peopie' is at odds with the notion of a pluralist democracy.