Political Restructuring -- an Arrow Poised for Flight
By WANG CHANGJIANG
China's reforms have reached the "make or break" stage wherein issues of great profundity that make high demands on China's political system have appeared. The call for escalated political restructuring has grown louder, both within the Communist Party of China and among the general public. The 18th CPC National Congress was consequently a hotly anticipated event.
Political Restructuring Imperative
Why was it that political restructuring took center stage at talks held on the eve of the national congress? As China's reforms proceed they expose deeper social conflicts that are ultimately attributable to faults in the political system. Changes to it in efforts to find solutions, therefore, are inevitable.
Such reforms are neither the pre-set mission nor subjective decision of any individual. The country's three-decade-long high-speed economic growth has fostered a growing appetite for democracy. It is logical that, after economic development has reached a certain point, the economic needs of the people take second place in their priorities to those of a good living environment, high quality of life, security, dignity and all-round contentment. As these needs cannot be met through individual efforts they fall to the government. People consequently have higher expectations of the political system and of government performance. The matters at hand, therefore, are not those of livelihood or economic growth but of political procedure, or of a greater extent of democratic participation in the composition of government, policy making and administration--issues that cannot be solved by GDP growth alone.
Recent mass incidents such as those in Wukan Village of Guangdong Province, in Qidong City of Jiangsu Province and in Shifang City of Sichuan Province all demonstrate the public's desire for political participation. Although triggered by separate events they have a common origin -- that of the failure of the existing political system to offer an appropriate platform for orderly participation of the masses and the resultant overspill into mass activities. That there is a higher incidence of such incidents in the better-off eastern provinces is notable; it highlights the gap between the progress of political restructuring and public demands for democratic development.
As the ruling party of a country exercises state power it is hence expected to take responsibility for all events within it. This is particularly so in China, where the CPC is the sole ruling party. Inter-party reforms, therefore, are at the core of political restructuring. To be more specific, promoting democracy within the CPC is a key element of China's political restructuring.
Promoting democracy within the CPC is perceived as a feasible approach to advancing democracy in the country at large in an orderly manner, because it can play an exemplary role and lead the way. Democracy within the Party has made progress over the past years, but at a slower pace than widely expected. This is clear by virtue of the fact that in spite of the raft of mechanisms China has constructed and put into practice at local levels to ensure democracy in policy making, public participation and supervision, the situation remains little changed, insofar as the higher authorities, rather than the masses, endow power on public officials. In the continued absence of conduits necessary to influence the exercise of public authority, the public can do little to prevent power abuse and the damage it inflicts. This lack of voice erodes citizens' trust in public officialdom, and is a main cause of tension between the Party and the people and of growing social conflicts.
Facing squarely the problems involved in China's reforms by no means entails denial of them. Celebrations of and accolades for achievements, including those in the political realm, are justified, particularly those upon the convening of the 18th CPC National Congress. Looking back on past accomplishments boosts our confidence in future reforms. Meanwhile, however, we must remain sober and alert to potential crisis.
Past reforms have been fruitful, but peripheral. We started with the easier tasks, leaving those more significant, complicated and with broader ramifications until a point that allowed for more detailed planning. The time has now come to deal with the tasks of magnitude that require deeper reforms, and where any misstep could bring grim consequences.
There is a tough battle ahead for China's reforms, but we have no choice but to press on. Procrastinating political restructuring would hinder that of other aspects of society and so threaten the entire reform process. This is why the public is so anxious that such reforms take place. In sum, political restructuring is both imperative and unquestionable; it is an arrow poised for flight.
