Hu Ming: Continuously Advancing the Modernization of Social Governance
Social work is a vital component of the work of the Party and the state. It concerns the Party's long-term governance and the enduring stability [1] of the country, as well as social harmony, stability, and the happiness and well-being of the people. In his important instructions on social work, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to unswervingly follow the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics. This path was forged by the Communist Party of China (CPC) leading the Chinese people through a magnificent historical process, integrating Marxist social governance theory with China’s specific social governance practices and the governance philosophy inherent in fine traditional Chinese culture. On the new journey, to continuously elevate the level of social governance modernization, we must profoundly grasp the scientific connotations and practical requirements of the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics.
1. Social governance modernization is an inherent component of Chinese-path modernization
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has vigorously promoted innovation in the practice, theory, and systems of social work. The advantages and efficacy of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics have become increasingly apparent, creating a new landscape for the "governance of China." Currently, China's social structure is undergoing profound changes, particularly with the rapid development of emerging fields, the massive emergence of new economic and social organizations, and the continuous expansion of the new employment groups [2]. Social work faces new situations and tasks. Unswervingly following the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics and promoting the high-quality development of social work in the New Era is of great significance for advancing Chinese-path modernization.
Meeting the people's needs for a better life and a better society. Entering the New Era, along with the change in the principal social contradiction [3], the masses have higher expectations for a better life and higher requirements for social governance. Overall, the current levels of socialization, rule of law, digitalization [4], and professionalization in China's social governance have significantly improved. People live and work in peace, the society is stable and orderly, and the sense of security and satisfaction continues to grow. However, it must also be noted that with the advent of the information age, people’s production, lifestyles, modes of thinking, and patterns of interaction have undergone profound shifts. Social concepts, social psychology, and social behaviors have changed deeply, and the environment and key variables facing social governance have become more complex. Only by adhering to the people-centered development philosophy and advancing social governance with higher standards can we better meet the multi-level, diverse, and differentiated needs of the masses for a better life and society.
Creating a more stable social environment for high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Looking at governance practices across various countries, if social governance fails to keep pace with economic development, and various social contradictions and problems are not effectively resolved, not only will economic development become unsustainable, but the entire society may fall into turmoil." Development is the key to solving all problems in contemporary China; it holds a foundational and fundamental position. Security is the prerequisite and basic guarantee for development. Without national security and social stability, prosperity and living in peace would be out of the question. Currently, the changes unseen in a century [5] are accelerating, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change, and China's reform, development, and stability face many deep-seated contradictions. Only by continuously elevating the level of social governance modernization and building a higher-level "Peaceful China" [6] can we create a more stable social environment for promoting high-quality development.
Advancing the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity. The modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity is a vital guarantee for a country's modernization, and social governance is a crucial part of state governance. Entering the New Era, in the practice of strengthening and improving social governance, our Party has continuously refined a social governance system characterized by Party committee leadership, government responsibility, democratic consultation, social coordination, public participation, legal guarantees, and technological support. We have built a social governance pattern of "co-construction, co-governance, and sharing," emphasizing that all subjects are participants, contributors, and beneficiaries of governance, while also stressing multi-party interaction and effective coordination between different subjects to enhance the sense of responsibility and mission. Looking to the future, we need to further consolidate the synergy of governance to lay a solid foundation for advancing the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity.
2. Continuously deepening the regular understanding of social governance
To elevate the level of social governance modernization on the new journey, we must adhere to a systems perspective and dialectical thinking, further deepening our understanding of the laws [7] of social governance, and conducting high-quality social governance based on a holistic grasp of several key relationships.
The relationship between Party leadership and multi-party participation. Adhering to the leadership of the CPC is the fundamental difference between socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics and Western social governance. By exerting the role of Party organizations as the leadership core in social governance, we can better reach the grassroots, connect with the masses, understand their needs, and identify problems. It also assists in maximizing the mobilization of resources from all quarters to jointly address challenges. Meanwhile, a large number of social and economic organizations are active in various fields of economic and social development; they are important forces in social governance and a vital basis for the Party's mass work at the grassroots. To improve social governance, we must persist under the Party's leadership, fully utilize the roles of mass organizations [8] and social organizations, leverage the self-regulatory functions of industry associations and chambers of commerce, and achieve a benign interaction between government governance, social regulation, and resident autonomy.
The relationship between different levels. In social governance, the central, municipal, and grassroots levels each bear different functions. The central level is responsible for top-level design and overall promotion to ensure that social governance across different fields and regions is synchronized and synergetic. Urban and rural grassroots are the foundation of social governance, responsible for the specific implementation of the "last kilometer" [9] and serving as the frontline for the masses. The municipal level serves as the intermediary link connecting macro-governance and micro-governance. Strengthening municipal social governance plays a vital role in implementing the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and promoting grassroots social governance. Only by achieving collaborative interaction between different levels can we effectively elevate the level of social governance modernization.
The balance between order and vitality. Social governance is a science. If governed too rigidly, it becomes a pool of stagnant water; if governed too loosely, it leads to tumultuous waves. People only have a sense of security when society is stable and orderly. Good social order is a prerequisite for maintaining stability and promoting economic development. Strong social vitality is an essential element for a country and nation to achieve modernization. Through scientific management methods, sound guarantee mechanisms, and fair participation systems, we can fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of diverse subjects. High-level social governance should establish dialectical thinking, handling the relationship between vitality and order to effectively prevent and defuse social risks while providing support for social innovation, achieving a dynamic balance of "vitality without chaos" and "orderly activity."
The collaborative relationship between the rule of law, the rule of virtue, and autonomy. The rule of law is a vital guarantee for social governance, capable of maintaining order and ensuring social justice by adjusting social relations and resolving conflicts. The rule of virtue has an educational role and is an important complement to the rule of law. The virtues and customs formed in Chinese history are valuable resources and norms for our social governance today. Autonomy plays a unique role, stimulating grassroots vitality by promoting self-management, self-service, self-education, and self-supervision among the masses. Only by realizing the organic unity and coordinated advancement of the rule of law, the rule of virtue, and autonomy under the Party's leadership can "good governance" [10] be achieved.
3. Following the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics
The current and upcoming period is crucial for comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. It is also a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, and where uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. On the new journey, facing various external risks and the profound transformation of China's economy and society, we must unswervingly follow the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics to provide strong support for the country's long-term stability through higher-level social governance.
Adhere to the Party's overall leadership. Following the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics requires the Party to exercise its leadership role in overseeing the big picture and coordinating all parties. We must strengthen Party building in emerging fields, adhering to classified guidance and focusing on the Party building of new economic organizations, new social organizations, and new employment groups to enhance the Party's appeal and influence in these areas. We must strengthen organizational leadership to form an efficient working pattern that combines centralized and decentralized efforts, ensuring that the CPC Central Committee’s decisions on social work are implemented through coordination between the social work departments of Party committees and departments of organization, publicity, political and legal affairs, civil affairs, and agriculture and rural affairs.
Adhere to the people-centered approach. Social governance is complex, and grassroots conditions are ever-changing. The needs of the masses are diverse and differentiated. We should follow the mass line in the New Era, persist in and develop the "Fengqiao Experience" [11] for the New Era, and apply the "Four Down to the Grassroots" [12] methods and systems. Leading officials should conduct field visits to receive petitioners and resolve contradictions and disputes at the grassroots and in their embryonic state to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the masses. We should improve the collection of people's suggestions to absorb public opinion and wisdom, broadening the channels for public participation in social governance. We should refine grassroots governance platforms supported by grid-based management [13], meticulous services, and information technology, providing high-quality services and "delivery-to-the-doorstep" management.
Adhere to the strengthening of systems and mechanisms as the main thread. We must strengthen the construction of grassroots political power and refine the coordination mechanism for grassroots governance led by Party building. We must improve the long-term mechanism for reducing burdens at the grassroots, coordinating empowerment and burden reduction while continuously rectifying formalism. We should refine the mechanisms for building a professional social work talent pool, strengthening policies for training, evaluation, and incentives. We should also improve the volunteer service system, promoting the spirit of volunteering so that more people can participate in social governance.
Adhere to a systems perspective. Social governance is a complex systematic project; emphasizing systematic, holistic, and synergetic approaches is an inherent requirement for socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics. In practice, as economic and social development levels rise, the interconnectedness of various fields of social governance also increases. Any obstruction or lag in one area will have a negative systemic impact. We should adhere to a global perspective, planning social governance within the overall framework of the Party and state's work. We should strengthen forward-looking thinking, strategic planning, and holistic advancement, employing a "combination of moves" to form a powerful synergy and lasting momentum for socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics.
(Author: Hu Ming, Specially Appointed Researcher at the Beijing Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Professor at the China University of Political Science and Law)