Research Methods in Government Economics

By nature, government economics belongs to an applied theoretical discipline. On the one hand, it further deepens the general economic theory from the perspective of government economic behavior, and on the other hand, based on the general economic theory, it analyzes and elaborates the government economic activities theoretically. At the same time, it is also a government economic behavior from the practice of government economic activities to explore the operation of the laws of government economic activities and rise to the theory, and then apply the theory to practice, to provide a scientific theoretical basis for practical activities, to guide the practical activities of the theoretical disciplines. These several characteristics of government economics, determines the study of government economics and researchers, should pay attention to the following methods. Material dialectics is a scientific research method founded by Marxism, which is a scientific methodology that must be followed in the study of natural and social sciences. According to material dialectics, the process of occurrence, development and change in the material world invariably embodies the following three major laws, namely, the law of unity of opposites, the law of reciprocal change of quality and the law of negation. According to the methodology of material dialectics to study and research government economics, is to material dialectics revealed by the three laws of the material world movement as the basic clue to grasp and study the process of government economic activities and the internal links between the government economic activities and other socio-political and economic activities, and then understand and master the regularity of government activities.

The study and research of government economics by the method of material dialectics, first of all, we should correctly understand and grasp some basic concepts and categories in government economics, which is the prerequisite for understanding the general principles of government economics. For example, if we do not understand the meaning of "government", we can not further understand the content of government economics, government economics, the main object of study and other issues. Secondly, the study and research of government economics should be linked to practice. Government economics as a new applied theoretical discipline, with practice has an inseparable relationship, all its theories and principles, are summarized from practice, and through the application of practice, re-application and tend to be perfect. Therefore, the study of government economics should be closely integrated with practice, the use of economic theory to analyze practical problems and solve practical problems, and only in this way can we really grasp the knowledge of government economics. Empirical analysis and normative analysis are actually two interrelated and different research methods. Generally speaking, government economics research method is the unity of these two specific research methods.

The so-called empirical analysis, refers to the original face of things to describe things, the object of the study in fact "what" (What is it), or what kind of. The main feature of the empirical analysis method, is through the verification of the objective existence of things (that is, the so-called "empirical evidence") to generalize and explain the existing conclusions are correct. Its main role or focus is to "say" clearly the ins and outs of things, and then make the conclusion of what things really are or what kind of conclusion. The application of empirical analysis in government economics is to analyze and describe the actual situation of the government's economic activities, to make it clear what kind of activities the government's economic activities are, what kind of impact it has had on the economy and what kind of impact it will have in the future, and to make it clear how the government's responsibilities, revenues and expenditures are divided among the various levels of government, and what impact this division has on the economy, society and the government itself, as well as what impact the government itself has had.

The normative analysis is different from the empirical analysis, through the normative analysis to answer the question is "what ought to be" (What ought to be). The main feature of the normative analysis method is to determine the corresponding guidelines before analysis, and then, based on these guidelines to analyze and determine whether the state of the research object is in line with these guidelines, and if not, then, the degree of deviation, how to adjust, and so on. The application of the normative analysis method to government economics is to analyze and judge, on the basis of a series of norms, whether the current government economic activities are consistent with the established norms, and if not, then how they should be adjusted. As to how to apply the normative analysis method to study government economic behavior, it depends on the specific object of study. For example, if we use the normative analysis method to study the current tax system, we need to analyze and judge whether the current tax system is in line with the principles of "efficiency" and "fairness" and other principles of the tax system, and if not, in what ways it deviates from them and how it should be adjusted in the future. If not, in what ways are there deviations, and how should the tax system be adjusted in the future to make it consistent with the requirements of the above principles, and so on.

In fact, for the economics of government and even all economic sciences, the empirical analysis method and the normative analysis method have the same important role. As methods of research and narrative, the two are just different conditions of application, serve different purposes. From another perspective, the two methods are interrelated and complementary. In the study of government economics, on the one hand, in the use of normative analysis to study certain issues, it is often necessary to use empirical analysis to demonstrate the degree of conformity between the object of study and the given rules; on the other hand, in the use of empirical analysis to study a certain type of government activities, it is often necessary to use certain established guidelines to verify the results of the analysis. In addition, some normative analysis guidelines are actually generalized and summarized on the basis of practical exploration using empirical analysis. In the process of learning government economics, we should also apply the comparative analysis method, mainly the Chinese and foreign comparisons, so that we can have an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of government economic activities and even the theory of government economics.

Built on the basis of capital and the market, and with it the development of Western economic theory and practice, distinctly reflects and embodies the requirements and characteristics of capital and the market. In the more than 200 years after the publication of the "Wealth of Nations", the specific content of Western economic theory and practice, and the form and means of research have undergone great changes, including not only the general principles of the operation of the modern market economy, but also includes a summary of several hundred years of management experience in socialized production, but also many scientific methods of analysis and the use of analytical tools. They are y based on the requirements of the market economy, in their own continuous improvement and development, better adapted to, serve and promote the development and improvement of the market economy, reflecting the nature of the service for private capital.

Finance, as the predecessor of Chinese government economics, is a socialist theory of finance with Chinese characteristics established on the basis of socialist public ownership, drawing on the experience and model of the former Soviet Union and guided by Marxism. Since China's fiscal practice is basically planned finance, thus the fiscal science with Chinese characteristics is also characterized by the planned type. Therefore, there are fundamental differences between Chinese and Western government economics and its fiscal theory in many places. For example, the Chinese and Western government economy between the public system as the dominant government economy and private system as the main body of the government economy, planned finance and market-type finance, "national distribution theory" and "public **** economic theory" and so on the difference.

There are comparisons to be made, and as China is building a socialist market economy, government economics must also study the laws governing the operation of government economic activities under the conditions of a market economy, so it is undoubtedly of great significance for the promotion of China's modernization to correctly analyze and draw on the reasonable aspects of Western government economics.

In addition, one should study more economic history. In China's history, there are many famous financial managers and incisive economic thinking, they constitute a rich historical treasure trove. Although the background and conditions of government economic activities at different stages, and even the scale and mode of activities are very different from those of the Chinese government, there is no lack of outstanding economic doctrines, financial management ideas and rich practical experience that are still relevant today. Therefore, in the process of learning government economics, if you can learn a little economic history, will be conducive to further deepen the knowledge and understanding of the principles of government economics.