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Abstract The new institutionalism, which inherited, transcended and developed the traditional politics and behaviorist politics, has experienced a developing process of rise, using and self-generalization and self-reflection. According to the relation between institutions and the individuals as political agent, there have occurred three transitions of research approach in the development history of politics as follows: the transition from the primary interactive relation between individual and institutions in the ancient Greek political concept about state to the recognition of "individual is the passive acceptor" in the medieval theocratic politics; the further transition to the view of "individual designs and directs the institutions" in modern political philosophy; and finally the transition which occurred after the behaviorist revolution to the reflection of, and the rethinking over, the relation between them . After the third transition, their relation has become a kind of multi-dimensional, adaptable, harmonious, and interactive relation. Clear consciousness of this relation will do well for individuals to play their role in political life.
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Received: 25 March 2005
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