Zhang Shuhua: The Concept of Democracy Contained in Chinese-Style Modernization
Democracy is a common value pursued by all of humanity and an important hallmark of the development and progress of human political civilization. Viewed through the historical practice of various countries, democracy is diverse, concrete, and evolving. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the opening ceremony of a study session for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level to study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress: "The unique worldview, values, and perspectives on history, civilization, democracy, and ecology contained within Chinese-path modernization, as well as its great practices, constitute major innovations in the theory and practice of global modernization." The contemporary Chinese view of democracy is a Marxist view of democracy. Based on Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods, it is rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture and has drawn upon the experiences and lessons of democratization from other countries and regions. It does not blindly copy Western-style democratic dogmas or political models; it is a correct, comprehensive, and scientific view of democracy. Holding high the banner of people's democracy, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has united and led the Chinese people to successfully blaze a path of socialist political development with Chinese characteristics. By proposing the major concept of whole-process people's democracy, the Party has highlighted the people-centered, autonomous, consensual, efficacious, and systemic nature of contemporary China's democratic outlook. This demonstrates a brand-new understanding of democracy as a common value for all humanity, contributes a Chinese solution for political development, and opens a new frontier for the development of human political civilization.
Essential Characteristics and Unique Advantages of Whole-Process People's Democracy
The most essential feature of Chinese democracy is that the people are the masters of the country. Whole-process people's democracy is the latest summary and unique expression of Chinese democracy and is one of the essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization. As a brand-new form of democracy, it highlights that the people are the creators of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the state.
Socialist democracy that puts the people first. Fundamentally different from Western-style oligarchy and plutocracy concealed under intermittent voting, the status of the people as masters of the country is the essence of socialist democratic politics. Whole-process people's democracy embodies the distinct characteristics of socialist democratic politics. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "If the people are only awakened at the time of voting and enter a dormant period elsewhere, or if they only have the right to vote but no right to extensive participation, such a democracy is formalistic." Whole-process people's democracy is not a narrow democracy of intermittent voting rights; rather, it adheres to a people-centered approach, aiming to guarantee and realize the people's broad rights in economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological spheres. Characterized by its "people's" foundation, it consistently uses people's satisfaction as the criterion for evaluation. While safeguarding the people's status as masters, it fully mobilizes the initiatives and agency of the people, helping to coalesce the wisdom and strength of hundreds of millions.
Autonomous democracy rooted in national soil. Since different countries have different socio-political environments and historical-cultural soils, the choice of democratic outlook, democratic path, and forms of democratic implementation depends on the choice of each country's people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that democracy is "a right of the people of all countries, not a patent held by a few nations. There are many ways to achieve democracy; it is impossible for one size to fit all." Through long-term independent exploration, the CPC has led the Chinese people to gradually establish a system of socialist democracy that fits China’s national conditions, meets the people's needs, and facilitates social progress, providing a solid institutional guarantee for the people truly becoming masters of the country.
Consensual democracy with comparative advantages. Socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics has two important forms: the people exercising their rights through elections and voting, and extensive consultation among all sectors of the people before major decisions are made to reach a consensus on common issues as much as possible. These two forms complement and enhance each other, constituting a vital feature of the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics and a major factor in its institutional advantages. Western-style democracy overemphasizes competitive elections and "ballot-box voting," which is an excessive simplification of democratic forms and a distortion of its substance. In countries practicing Western democratic systems, democracy almost always follows the "majority rule" principle, eventually evolving into a zero-sum game between different blocs, groups, or factions, leading to endless strife or even social tearing. Finding the "greatest common divisor" [1] of the will and demands of the entire society is the true essence of whole-process people's democracy. In China, major decisions are often produced through the collection of public opinion and democratic deliberation, extensively listening to views, scientific demonstration, and democratic decision-making. Opinions and suggestions from all levels—especially grassroots public opinion—are extensively incorporated into decision-making procedures through hearings, inquiries, symposiums, and "online government affairs" (网络问政).
Multi-form democracy with high efficacy. Whole-process people's democracy is an effective democracy committed to solving the problems the people care about. The evaluation of a country's political system must ultimately look at whether it can promote social development and truly improve the lives of the masses. If it cannot effectively promote development and guarantee people's livelihoods, no matter how beautifully designed or packaged the political system is, it remains a mere facade. Whole-process people's democracy possesses rich democratic content and necessitates various forms to ensure its effective implementation—such as the combination of direct and indirect democracy, and the combination of electoral democracy and consultative democracy. Meanwhile, it fully leverages the initiative of the people in grassroots governance, encouraging the masses to create new forms of democracy under the Party's leadership that fit the characteristics of grassroots governance, thereby building a social consensus and ensuring the people participate in the governance of national political life and social public affairs through various channels and forms in accordance with the law.
Systemic democracy that advances with the times. Unlike the confrontational and divisive nature exposed in the democratic politics of some countries, the democratic outlook inherent in Chinese-path modernization demonstrates a distinct nature of consensus and unity. As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has evolved. The people’s aspiration for a better life has grown stronger, leading not only to higher demands for material and cultural life but also growing demands for democracy and the rule of law. Whole-process people's democracy satisfies these needs by continuously improving democratic institutions, enriching democratic forms, and broadening democratic channels. The development of Chinese-style democracy increasingly manifests diversity in form and efficacy in results. The masses express their demands and participate in social governance through various platforms. Grassroots democratic practices have become more extensive and vivid, with various forms such as "villagers’ councils" (村民理事会), "supervisory committees" (监事会), and "deliberative assemblies" (议事会) flourishing in urban and rural communities. Modern channels of grassroots democracy, such as televised, radio, print, and online government inquiries, continue to broaden. Whole-process people's democracy is increasingly enriched and developed in practice.
Adhere to a Correct View of Democracy; Develop Whole-Process People's Democracy
The democratic outlook within Chinese-path modernization shows a distinct people-centered character. Democracy must be adapted to a country's basic conditions, serve the people's needs, be practiced by the people, and be tested by the people. Whole-process people's democracy has deepened the understanding of the laws governing the development of democratic politics, enriched socialist political theory, and pointed the way forward for building a socialist political civilization. China has proven through its successful practice that democracy does not have only one path or model.
Develop whole-process people's democracy to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Whole-process people's democracy and national governance possess a high degree of theoretical alignment and practical interactivity. By adhering to the unity of democracy and centralism, respecting the people’s principal status, and extensively gathering social consensus, China has achieved comprehensive coverage of the people's rights to information, participation, expression, and supervision. It promotes the mutual reinforcement of intra-Party democracy and people's democracy, as well as national governance and grassroots governance. This effectively modernizes the national governance system and governance capacity.
Develop whole-process people's democracy to promote Chinese-path modernization. Democracy is an important component of modernization and a hallmark of its success; it can be said that without democracy, there is no modernization. In exploring the path to modernization and democracy, every country should possess autonomy, dialogue, and innovation rather than following a single fixed model. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "There is no single path to governing a country and promoting its modernization. Countries can absolutely blaze their own trails. We have, with facts, declared the bankruptcy of the 'End of History' [2] thesis and the bankruptcy of the unilinear view of history that all countries must eventually converge on the Western institutional model." Under the Party's leadership, whole-process people's democracy highlights the people-centered direction of modernization, the diversity of modernizing paths, the continuity of the process, and the inclusive nature of its results.
Develop whole-process people's democracy and showcase the brilliance of Chinese political civilization. Chinese civilization has lasted for thousands of years, possessing deep value foundations and humanistic care. The Chinese people have created a unique political civilization. Chinese culture upholds the ideas that "the people are the foundation of the state, and when the foundation is solid, the state is at peace" (民为邦本，本固邦宁) [3], "do not do to others what you would not have them do to you" (己所不欲，勿施于人) [4], and "harmony without uniformity" (和而不同) [5]. These concepts contain value pursuits that the common people "practice daily without realizing" (日用而不觉) [6]. They advance with the times while maintaining continuity and stability, reflecting distinct Chinese characteristics and timeless spiritual value. Chinese democratic politics emphasizes understanding and incorporating public opinion, ensuring the masses can participate in decision-making and reach the broadest consensus. This is a prominent feature distinguishing it from Western-style democracy.
Develop whole-process people's democracy to enrich the "garden of human political civilization" through "China's governance" (中国之制). At the end of the Cold War, Western society preached that the Western liberal democratic model was universal and the only path to a happy world. However, history did not "end." Instead, it has shown an increasingly diversified developmental trend, while failing Western democratic systems face growing crises. This proves that democracy is historical, evolving, and concrete; it is growing and diverse. No single country can monopoly the criteria for evaluating the quality of democracy or turn democracy into an absolute, rigid model. Whole-process people's democracy provides a successful paradigm for other countries exploring democratic systems and contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to the world.
As we move forward, the "garden of human political civilization" will become more colorful as whole-process people's democracy develops. The democratic outlook inherent in Chinese-path modernization both possesses distinct Chinese characteristics and absorbs the achievements of human political civilization. It conforms to the laws of political development and demonstrates powerful vitality and superiority in practice.