Governing Considerations of the Communist Party of China
The core issue of a political party’s governance is maintaining the "flesh-and-blood ties" [1] between the Party and the masses, and securing the advocacy and support of the broadest possible masses. Researching the relationship between the Party and the masses carries significant theoretical and practical weight for the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it undergoes a transition to consolidate its governing position and strengthen its own construction.
This book situates the study of the relationship between the governing party and the masses within the framework of improving the CPC’s capacity for scientific, democratic, and law-based governance. First, based on an understanding of the CPC’s historical orientation, it analyzes the characteristics of a governing party and the shifts in the connotation and extension of the term "the masses," clarifying the differences in how the mass foundation is handled during the governing period versus the revolutionary period. Second, it links the study of the mass foundation of governance to political legitimacy. It proposes that governing legitimacy and the mass foundation are essentially unified, with the core being the cultivation of close ties between the Party and the masses. Both aim to gain the trust and support of the masses and to consolidate the political foundation, thereby expanding the theoretical horizon. Third, regarding the pathways to consolidate the foundation of governing legitimacy and the mass foundation, the book summarizes them as "one fundamental point and five dimensions," an innovative approach. Specifically, the "Point" refers to interest representation as the fundamental point for consolidating the mass foundation and enhancing the CPC’s governing legitimacy. The "Five Dimensions" involve strengthening five areas of legitimacy—performance, legal-rationality, culture, integrity, and institutions—to comprehensively consolidate the mass foundation.
In terms of methodology, this book emphasizes the guidance of Marxist party theory, adopts a multi-disciplinary comparative research method, and focuses on objective empirical research.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Basic Concepts of the Relationship Between the Party and the Masses I. Analysis of the Basic Concepts of Political Parties and the Masses (i) The Concept and Positioning of Political Parties (ii) Discriminating the Concept of "the Masses" (iii) Party-Mass Relations: The Inseparable Link Between the Party and the Masses II. The Substance of Party-Mass Relations and the Research Framework (i) Governing Legitimacy: The Substance of Party-Mass Relations (ii) Framework for Researching Party-Mass Relations III. Research Status and Paradigmatic Innovation (i) Overview of Current Research (ii) Research Paradigms and Innovations
Chapter I: Performance as the Core of Gaining the People’s Hearts I. Interest Representation as the Primary Function of a Political Party (i) The Concept of Interests (ii) Interest Representation: The Foundation of Party-Mass Relations II. Economic Performance: The Guarantee of Realizing the Interests of the Masses (i) Development as the Fundamental Link Between the Governing Party and the Masses (ii) Unswervingly Promoting Development III. Realizing the Interests of the Masses Through Interest Integration (i) Interest Integration as the Key Link in Close Party-Mass Relations (ii) Principles and Frameworks for Interest Integration
Chapter II: Handling Party-Mass Relations Amidst Social Transformation I. Social Transformation: A Necessary Response for Party-Mass Relations (i) Social Factors in Political Party Transformation (ii) Observing Party-Mass Relations from the Perspective of Civil Society II. Civil Society Promotes the Political Participation of the Masses (i) Closing Party-Mass Ties Requires Expanding Mass Political Participation (ii) Chinese Civil Society and Mass Political Participation III. Broadening the Channels for the Governing Party to Connect with the Masses (i) Utilizing Interest Groups to Improve Interest Expression (ii) How the Governing Party Utilizes Interest Groups to Rally the Masses
Chapter III: Establishing Moral Legitimacy Based on Mass Support I. Civic Culture Facilitates the Harmonization of Party-Mass Relations (i) The Influence of Political Culture on Chinese Politics (ii) Civic Culture Promotes the Development of Party-Mass Relations II. Ideological Inclusivity as the Intellectual Basis for Harmonious Party-Mass Relations (i) Theory of Political Party Ideological Spectrum Distribution (ii) Ideological Inclusivity and Expanding Mass Support III. Strengthening Ideological and Political Work Among the Masses (i) Ideological and Political Work Must Be Targeted (ii) Utilizing Modern Media to Connect with the Masses
Chapter IV: Winning Public Trust Through Governance with Integrity I. The Impact of Power on Party-Mass Relations (i) Power is a Double-Edged Sword (ii) The Impact of Corruption on Party-Mass Relations II. Revelations from Acton’s Law: Winning Public Trust by Restraining Power (i) Revelations from Acton’s Law …… Chapter V: Improving Institutional Guarantees for Governing for the People Main Bibliography