Contemporary critiques of the administrative state are closely bound up with the distinctively American doctrine that republican freedom requires that the legislative, executive, and judicial powers be exercised by separate and distinct branches of government. The burden of this essay is to argue that legislative delegation and judicial deference to the administrative state are necessary, or at least highly desirable, features of a democratic separation of powers regime. I begin by examining the historical and conceptual roots of the separation of powers doctrine, paying particular attention to the unique way in which it was adapted to fit the American case. I then examine three concerns that the resulting constitutional system raises about the republican freedom of those who are subject to it—which I call the accountability, legitimacy, and stability concerns—and argue that the administrative state is a useful, albeit imperfect, tool for reducing the unavoidable tension between these concerns. The thrust of this discussion is to push us away from “in principle” objections to the administrative state, and back toward the kinds of prudential considerations that are associated with ordinary liberal politics. More importantly, the aim of the essay is to encourage sober reflection on the real dangers that face the American constitutional system under current circumstances.

中文翻译：

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自由、三权分立和行政国家

当代对行政国家的批评与独特的美国学说密切相关，即共和自由要求立法、行政和司法权力由独立且不同的政府部门行使。本文的重点是论证立法授权和司法对行政国家的尊重是民主三权分立制度的必要特征，或者至少是非常可取的特征。我首先研究了三权分立主义的历史和概念根源，特别关注了它适应美国情况的独特方式。然后，我研究了由此产生的宪法体系对受制于它的人的共和自由提出的三个担忧——我称之为问责制、合法性、和稳定性问题——并认为行政国家是一个有用的工具，尽管不完美，可以减少这些问题之间不可避免的紧张关系。本次讨论的主旨是将我们从“原则上”反对行政国家的观点推向与普通自由主义政治相关的审慎考虑。更重要的是，这篇文章的目的是鼓励人们清醒地思考当前情况下美国宪法制度所面临的真正危险。回到与普通自由政治相关的审慎考虑。更重要的是，这篇文章的目的是鼓励人们清醒地思考当前情况下美国宪法制度所面临的真正危险。回到与普通自由政治相关的审慎考虑。更重要的是，这篇文章的目的是鼓励人们清醒地思考当前情况下美国宪法制度所面临的真正危险。