The speculation and practice of the government supply in the market-based economy has gone through five phases, which are mercantile system, latitudinarianism, government intervening, neo-latitudinarianism, and neo-government intervening.

• 政府供给具有非市场性、非等价性、强制性、时滞性及有限性等特点，这些特点以及政府供给的宏观调控性质决定了政府供给必须遵从公平原则和效率原则，而公平与效率的关系问题正是政府供给问题的难点，同时也是我国政府供给制度创新的关键所在。