Opinion
Reform must be incremental
By Yu Keping (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-06-11 10:58
 |
Large Medium Small |
Stability is indispensable for China's economic and social development and its shift toward a more democratic society
Over the last 32 years, China has undergone an impressive economic transformation, including an average annual GDP growth of 9.5 percent. It has overtaken Germany and Japan to become the world's second largest economy. In 2008, when the global financial began, China emerged as the counterbalance to failing economies in the West, and achieved a GDP growth of 11.2 percent in 2010.
China's unprecedented economic growth has astonished the world, but the global opinion on its rise has been distorted. Many people in the West are likely to say that China has risen as a new economic power but its political development lags far behind and democracy seems to be non-existent. This is a misunderstanding.
The international community has overlooked China's use of democracy to advance its economic and social development. Direct elections for heads of villages and Party secretaries have been a vital element in the country's transition to a social democracy. Another shift toward a more democratic society is the policy to allow public recommendations and hold direct elections for Party leaders at the township level.
| ||||
More importantly, human rights have become a basic political value and have been written into the Constitution. Safeguarding the rights of migrant workers, through trade unions, has been another primary focus of social development.
Using the rule of law to establish a government, which is accountable, transparent and committed to service-oriented development, has become fundamental in recent years. Public hearings on matters concerning people's lives are now held across the country.
So what is China's road map for political development?
In China, everything has certain "Chinese characteristics", including its political development. Since China began its political transition, incremental democratic reform based on the need to avoid a disorganized and hasty transition to democracy has been one of its most important factors.
A pluralistic structure of governance, with emphasis on the core value of stability, is critical to the political development of China. The use of rule of law is also an important attribute of China's democratic transition.
But why are there so many significant changes in China's political landscape?
First, China's transition from a planned economy to a socialist market economy prompted a change in the country's political structure. Second, people's livelihood improved dramatically as new political demands emerged. Third, there was an emergence of different groups that could express their interests. As these groups became more prominent, they began playing a larger role in the decision-making process of the government. Finally, globalization has had a remarkable impact on China's political system.
The most important political development has been the transition of the Communist Party of China from a revolutionary party to a ruling party. But China is still a developing country, social stability is still a precondition for economic development, and the country is still in transition from a traditional to modern society. Hence, it must stick to the idea of "incremental reform".
What are the challenges and focus of reform?
On one hand, China has made huge progress during its gradual democratic transition. On the other, it faces many formidable obstacles, including the undesirable supervision of the election process. An effective mechanism of checks and balances on power is still not in place, and the channels of further public participation need to be widened.
The country still lacks a mechanism to counter the selfish behavior of the bureaucracy, corruption is still rampant and public service rendered by the government is far from enough. Besides, there is no mechanism to legalize dynamic stability.
So political transparency must be increased to realize a successful democratic transition and administration costs have to be cut to reduce public expenses.
The government has to carry the reform further, pushing it toward rule of law, and make greater efforts to combat social injustice and reduce social disparities. Rendering quality public service will be key to building a service-oriented government. Plus, meting out appropriate punishment to corrupt officials will increase government transparency and strengthen social management.
Democratic governance will be established in China, but it will face the same difficulties that other countries did on the road to a transparent government and social democracy.
The author is deputy director of the Compilation and Translation Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
| 分享按鈕 |