Balance locality interests

Recently some local authorities have had to suspend or abort plans for industrial projects in the face of fierce opposition from local residents.

While it is certainly unwise to ignore public opinion, giving up on projects because of the public's concerns about their potential risks or impact on the local environment may not be in the long-term interests of the public, said a commentary in People's Daily.

Seeking advantages while avoiding disadvantages is human nature. It is understandable that the construction of a waste disposal plant, nuclear power facility or chemical plant in a neighborhood may cause public concern. Although people acknowledge the necessity of these projects, they want them somewhere else.

But with such a not-in-my-backyard mentality, the rational behavior of individuals may lead to the irrationality of a mob and short-term interests may result in a long-term predicament.

Public interests can hardly be guaranteed if nobody compromises their personal interests. The public needs to cultivate rationality, the media should safeguard common sense and local governments should improve their governance capabilities.

One reason for the protests is local authorities' nontransparent decision-making procedures. If residents are not informed beforehand of plans to introduce such projects, they will not trust the authorities and will naturally oppose the projects.

The authorities should change their current decision-declaration-defense mode to participation-negotiation-consensus mode. Only when the authorities fully consider residents' interests and build a system to balance the distribution of benefits, can they win wide public acceptance and avoid conflict and resistance.

And although individual interests are significant, it is a government's responsibility to safeguard public interests. The authorities should have the courage to insist on implementing policies that focus on long-term public interests. Otherwise it may result in the tragedy of the commons, which may undermine long-term social well-being.

Everybody has to transfer some of their individual rights in the interests of the public good, which is not only a compromise but also a necessary price that has to be paid. Ever-increasing consciousness of safeguarding individual rights is a symbol of social progress, but the public should also strengthen the conception of "all for one, one for all".

(China Daily 04/17/2014 page8)