Intra-party Democracy
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Add new strength to democracy
Chinese society is filled with high expectations that the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's annual plenary session, concluding today, will go down in history as a milestone in adding new strength to socialism and democracy. The strategy of the Communist Party central leadership, as Yu Keping, deputy director of the CPC's Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, recently said, is to use intra-Party democracy as a leading force in promoting social democracy. Major practices will likely be introduced one after another by the Party leadership to enhance ties with the citizens and their flourishing non-governmental organizations, so that the benefit of economic reform would be more evenly shared and distributed, he told China Daily. Related readings: Add new strength to democracy Party meets to build democracy, fight corruption Add new strength to democracy Inner-party democracy stressed Add new strength to democracy CPC chief Hu Jintao stresses inner-party democracy Since the beginning of the four-day plenary session, the Chinese language press has published many experts' opinions on how to strengthen the Communist Party's organizational improvement and intra-Party democracy. Since we are now at a new historical stage, the construction of intra-Party democracy acquires new and realistic significance, said Gao Xinmin, an expert on Party building with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. "With the diversification of the interests among all social groups and strata, the CPC should further absorb CPC members and even the general public towards participation in decision-making to guarantee that all major decisions are in the interests of the overwhelming majority of the common people," Gao told 21st Century Business Herald on Wednesday. In recent years, the CPC has advocated the establishment of a democratic and scientific system and procedure on promoting Party officials and has also done a lot of work in pushing for the openness of Party governance and affairs. Both these aspects are extremely relevant to the construction of the CPC's internal democracy. "That the CPC stresses using the improvement of intra-Party democracy to prompt the development of social democracy indicates its aspiration to resolve accumulated issues and contradictions produced by six decades of governance of China," he said. In fact, experts say, how to effectively promote intra-Party democracy and press for its organizational improvement has become one of the most immediate challenges to the ruling Party under the new situations at home and abroad. The resolution on Party building produced by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee is expected to further boost the Party's development in these two aspects - two crucial issues that will decide whether the CPC can exercise a more effective governance of the world's most populous nation and the third largest economy. "The themes of the CPC Central Committee's annual session this year are within expectations and have been earnestly awaited by all Party members," said Ye Duchu, a professor with the CPC Central Committee's Party School. "Despite facing a string of complicated tasks under ever-changing conditions, the advancement of the CPC's organization building in an orderly and well-mapped direction will help the ruling Party lead the whole nation to pioneer the great socialist cause with Chinese characteristics," said Ye, also a prestigious authority on Party building. "This is a continuation of the CPC's spirits on Party building since the First Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee in 2007." At last year's meeting in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee in 1978, a milestone conference that catalyzed the birth of the country's historical reform and opening-up policy, CPC Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao said the Party should combine the development of China's socialist cause with the Party's organizational construction. Also, at a CPC Central Committee Political Bureau conference on June 29, Hu once again pointed out that "we should attach great importance to and actively push for intra-Party democracy". "It is important for the CPC to acknowledge existing problems facing intra-Party democracy and organizational improvement, and then start resolving them," said Wang Guixiu, also a professor with the CPC Central Committee's Party School. "The CPC has conducted various kinds of experiments in intra-Party practices at local levels in recent years, such as the establishment of the tenure system for deputies to Party congresses as well as the standing deputy system at grassroots Party congresses. All these innovative reforms will provide the necessary experience for the promotion of intra-Party democracy on a broader scale," Wang said. In this aspect, Taizhou has set up an example for regions beyond. The establishment of the deputy tenure system and the standing deputy system in the small city in eastern Zhejiang province, has made them more active. Now, some local CPC committees across Sichuan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Guangdong and other provinces have followed in Taizhou's footsteps. Also, how to push for the reform of the Party congress is another new area for grassroots Party organizations to promote intra-Party democracy and strengthen their organizational improvement. In this field, Ya'an and other regions in Sichuan province have made active explorations and their successful experience - such as all participants of the local Party congress exercising equal voting power regardless of their official levels and posts - are expected to spread to the rest of the country.
Celebrate Party democracy
The development of intra-Party democracy epitomizes the road the CPC has taken over the past 90 years, from a fledgling political entity to the world's largest ruling political force. Of all the things that have made this Party increasingly stronger and healthier, intra-Party democracy is the most worthy of mentioning, particularly during the past three decades. Democratic centralism has been consecrated as the basic principle for decision-making within the Party. Yet, there was a time when too much centralized power in the hands of individuals in the CPC history led to major mistakes which had adversely affected the country's social and economic development. To be honest, the CPC has been constantly promoting intra-Party democracy in various ways, as top leaders from Deng Xiaoping to Hu Jintao have realized how important democracy within the Party is if it is to continually improve its governing capability. "We will expand intra-Party democracy to develop people's democracy and increase intra-Party harmony to promote social harmony," said Hu Jintao at the opening of the 17th National Congress of the CPC in 2007. Deng Xiaoping, architect of China's economic reform and opening-up, set a good example by retiring from both his Party and government posts and setting up a retirement system for top leaders in the early 1980s. This was followed by the introduction of ways to democratically select officials within the Party, methods to increase the number of candidates for certain positions, the public or democratic recommendation of candidates and direct election of Party committees at village level and now township level on a trial basis in some parts of the country. The sixteenth National Congress of the CPC in 2002 pointed out that intra-Party democracy was the lifeblood of the Party. And it was further emphasized as a prerequisite for increasing the Party's vitality at the 17th National Congress of the CPC in 2007. Yet, its importance to the future of the CPC and the nation is yet to be fully realized despite the achievements that have been made in recent years. Further efforts need to be made to bring home the awareness among CPC members that economic growth alone will not bring about long-term stability and prosperity unless intra-Party democracy is further developed to really integrate the interests of the Party and the people. That is the most solid base for sustainable development and political stability. This is because more intra-Party democracy will be conducive to collective decision-making, tighter supervision over the exercise of power and thereby better coordination between the Party and the public. Last but not the least, the building of institutions and mechanisms for intra-Party democracy is of vital importance if the Party is to retain its historical vitality and lead the nation and its people to further prosperity. China Daily
Building democracy within the Party
Li Yuanchao, head of the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, wrote an article on intra-Party democratic construction in People's Daily. The following are excerpts: In his report to the 17th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Hu Jintao delivered an incisive exposition on the construction of intra-Party democracy and stressed that we should "expand intra-Party democracy and focus on enhancing the Party's solidarity and unity". The report summed up the spectacular innovations that have occurred in this area; made clear the basic concepts, major principles and important measures of intra-Party democratic construction; expanded its channels; diversified its forms; enriched its content; and further charted the course for building intra-Party democracy under new historical conditions. This should arouse the initiative of all Party members in promoting the great project of Party construction and advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party's more than 80-year history has proven that intra-Party democracy is the source of life for the Party. The report pointed out that: "Intra-Party democracy provides an important guarantee for improving the Party's creativity and reinforcing its solidarity and unity." This is a scientific conclusion made upon historical experiences. Intra-Party democracy is the basic political principle of the Party of the working class. From the very beginning, the Communist Party has always been a democratic party for the working class with a democratic political structure and organization principles. Intra-Party democracy provides an important guarantee keeping the Party flourishing. Only by fully advancing intra-Party democracy can the initiative and creativity of Party members be aroused to the maximum extent in realizing the Party's basic line, program and goals. The report reviewed our experiences, both historically and at present, in advancing intra-Party democracy and set new requirements for further advancements, including guaranteeing Party members' democratic rights and improving the institutions for democracy. We need to respect the principal position of Party members. This is the first time that the Party Congress report makes such a statement. And the principal position will be realized by guaranteeing Party members' democratic rights. Defining institutions and standards is the key to developing a mature intra-Party democracy. We should strictly implement democratic centralism. The wills of Party organizations at all levels and Party members shall be fully expressed to prevent arbitrary decision-making. And democracy-based centralism should be enhanced to prevent extreme democratization. We will expand intra-Party democracy to develop people's democracy and increase intra-Party harmony to promote social harmony. This is an effective way to build a socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics. We should proceed from actual conditions step-by-step in advancing intra-Party democracy. Intra-Party democracy should advance together with the Party's ideology-building, organization-building, improvement of the style of work and institution-building. And it should build a mutually promoting relationship with the socialist economic, political, cultural and social constructions. A series of important measures should be taken to advance intra-Party democracy. First, we should respect the principal positions of Party members and guarantee their democratic rights. The Party Constitution and the regulations protecting Party members' rights set the democratic rights of Party members, including the rights to participation, election, decision-making and supervision. We should constantly expand the channels for members to know about Party affairs and guarantee their rights. Second, we should increase transparency in Party affairs and create favorable conditions for democratic discussions within the Party. Transparency in Party affairs is the prerequisite for intra-Party democracy. Important decisions about the Party or the nation's affairs should be made after full discussions within the Party; leading committees should make resolutions after soliciting opinions from grassroots branches; grassroots Party groups should make decisions after soliciting opinions from Party members so that the wide participation and effective supervision by grassroots branches and Party members can be realized. Third, the system of Party congresses and the working mechanisms of local Party committees at all levels and their standing committees should be completed. It is necessary to adopt a tenure system for the delegates of the Party congress system, which provides a basis for delegates to fulfill their duties between sessions; to implement a system of Party congresses with a fixed term on a trial basis in selected counties, cities and districts, which aims to innovate the forms and regulate procedures and provide a theoretical and practical basis for its full implementation; to improve the working mechanisms of local Party committees at all levels and their standing committees and let the Party committees make decisions on major issues, regulating the relations between Party committees and their standing committees, and will promote the scientific and democratic decision-making of local Party committees. Fourth, we should establish a sound system under which the Political Bureau of the Central Committee regularly reports its work to plenary sessions of the Central Committee and accepts their supervision, and the standing committees of local Party committees at all levels do likewise to plenary sessions of local Party committees and accept their supervision. The stipulation attaches great importance to strengthening intra-Party supervision and guaranteeing proper power exertion. Fifth, we will introduce a system of voting by local Party committees in discussing and deciding on major issues and appointing cadres to important positions. Such a system will enable all members of the leading bodies to fully express their opinions and avoid arbitrary decision-making. Sixth, the intra-Party electoral system should be reformed. The rights to vote and to be elected are the basic democratic rights of Party members. The electoral system is a basic system of intra-Party Democracy. The report of the 17th National Congress called for the improvement of the system for nominating candidates and electoral methods. This reflects the wishes of the Party members and the requirement of the times and pointed out the direction of the reform. Seventh, the various ways to expand intra-Party democracy at the primary level should be explored. This is a basic and important point to advance intra-Party democracy. Provinces like Jiangsu and Sichuan have successfully tried direct elections of leading members of township Party committees in recent years. Such a method has allowed common Party members' right to know, to participate, to vote and to supervise, aroused their political enthusiasm and the grassroots cadres' initiatives to serve the people. The report pointed out that: "We will spread the practice in which candidates for leading positions in primary Party organizations are recommended both by Party members and the public in an open manner and by the Party organization at the next higher level, gradually extend direct elections of leading members in primary Party organizations to more places and explore various ways to expand intra-Party democracy at the primary level." This has opened more space for Party organnizations at all levels to enhance intra-Party democracy in a spirit of reform and innovation. The Party's solidarity and unity are also its source of life. The report of the 17th National Congress clearly requires that: "All Party members must firmly uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party, conscientiously abide by the Party's political discipline, always be in agreement with the Central Committee and resolutely safeguard its authority to ensure that its resolutions and decisions are carried out effectively." To enhance the solidarity and unity of the Party is to guarantee that we will achieve new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The basic interest of the Chinese people lies in the solidarity and unity of the Party. Only by maintaining the Party's solidarity and unity and increasing the Party's creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness can we guarantee national unity, ethnic solidarity and social harmony. All Party members should always take it as their duty to enhance the solidarity and unity of the Party and always be in accordance with the Central Committee in guiding principles and work objectives. All Party members must consciously abide by the principle that individual Party members are subordinate to the organization, that the minority is subordinate to the majority, that lower Party organizations are subordinate to the higher ones and that all the constituent organizations and members of the Party are subordinate to its National Congress and Central Committee. Party committees and branches at all levels and all Party members should work innovatively, integrate partial and local interests with overall interests and create new situations in building an overall well-off society along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
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Examples
1 The margins are higher than at the 16th CPC National Congress in 2002, indicating a sign of progress of intra-Party democracy.
2 After that, competitive elections were written into the Party's Constitution to improve intra-Party democracy.
3 "Improving intra-Party democracy is the fundamental approach to promoting democratic governance and really making the people masters of the country," said Tian Peiyan, a senior theorist at the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee.