A New Blueprint: New Thinking on Improving the System of Whole-Process People’s Democracy

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made a far-sighted deployment for improving the system of whole-process people’s democracy, manifesting a new blueprint. The “Decision” states: “Upholding the Party’s overall leadership, adhering to a people-centered approach, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and taking institutional improvement as the main thread,” “strengthening the institutional building that ensures the people are the masters of the country,” “improving the mechanisms for consultative democracy,” “improving the institutions for grassroots democracy,” and “perfecting the framework of the grand united front.” These important expositions elucidate a systematic new line of thinking for continuing to deepen reform comprehensively and promoting the high-quality development of the system of whole-process people’s democracy.

党的二十届三中全会对健全全过程人民民主制度体系作出了高屋建瓴的部署，彰显了新布局。《决定》指出：“坚持党的全面领导、坚持以人民为中心、坚持守正创新、坚持以制度建设为主线”，“加强人民当家作主制度建设”，“健全协商民主机制”，“健全基层民主制度”，“完善大统战工作格局”。这些重要论述，阐明了继续全面深化改革和推动建设全过程人民民主制度体系高质量发展的系统化新思路。

Upholding and Strengthening the Party’s Overall Leadership

坚持和加强党的全面领导

From the structure of the system of whole-process people’s democracy, it is evident that the leadership system of the Communist Party of China is ranked first. Strengthening Party leadership means ensuring that whole-process people’s democracy carries out top-level design under the Party’s leadership, advancing the systematic building of institutions in step with the times; it means implementing the integration of Party leadership into the operation of whole-process people’s democracy, enabling the concentration of all forces, resources, and wisdom to guarantee the realization of democratic values, democratic functions, and democratic performance. Enhancing the Party’s political leadership means firmly grasping the correct direction of development for whole-process people’s democracy, fully embodying the people’s will, safeguarding the people’s rights and interests, and stimulating the people’s creativity, using the institutional system to ensure that the people are the masters of the country; it means using the Party’s political leadership to advance and plan holistic whole-process people’s democracy construction, playing a role that governs fundamentals, the overall situation, and the long term; it means strengthening the political theoretical literacy and practical operational capabilities of Party and government cadres, raising their ability to “set the direction, plan the overall situation, formulate policies, and promote reform” in thought and action, and advancing whole-process people’s democracy to achieve notable results. Playing the exemplary and leading role of the Party refers to the Party’s significant influence in implementing democratic centralism and intra-Party democracy, which can lead the people forward together. Using intra-Party democracy to promote people’s democracy is an important pathway for the Party to develop socialist democracy. The Communist Party of China is an advanced proletarian political party organized according to the principle of democratic centralism, possessing the consciousness and initiative to develop intra-Party democracy. When intra-Party democracy is strengthened, it will empower the better development of whole-process people’s democracy.

从全过程人民民主制度体系的结构中可知，中国共产党的领导制度是列为第一位的制度。加强党的领导，是要保证全过程人民民主在党的领导下进行顶层设计，与时俱进地推进制度的系统性建设；是要落实党的领导融入全过程人民民主的运行之中，能够集中一切力量、资源和智慧，保障民主价值、民主功能、民主绩效的实现。提升党的政治领导力，是要牢牢地把握全过程人民民主正确的发展方向，充分地体现人民意志、保障人民权益、激发人民创造力，用制度体系保证人民当家作主；要以党的政治领导力推进和谋划整体性的全过程人民民主建设，起到管根本、管全局、管长远的作用；要加强党政干部的政治理论素养和实际操作能力，从思想和行动上提高党政干部“把方向、谋大局、定政策、促改革”的能力，推进全过程人民民主取得显著成效。发挥党的表率示范的引领作用，是指党在贯彻民主集中制和党内民主方面具有重大影响力，可以带领人民一道前进。以党内民主促进人民民主，是党发展社会主义民主的一个重要途径。中国共产党是按照民主集中制原则组织起来的无产阶级先进政党，具有发展党内民主的自觉性和积极性。党内民主增强了，就会赋能全过程人民民主更好地发展。

Adhering to Institutional Improvement as the Main Thread

坚持以制度建设为主线

Adhering to institutional improvement as the main thread must highlight three key points: First, the perfection of institutions. In the process of developing whole-process people’s democracy, relevant state and local departments have already introduced many institutions. However, after practice, various problems are always discovered, necessitating timely revision, improvement, and enrichment to make them sound and consolidated. Second, the innovation of institutions. As comprehensive deepening of reform continues to advance, many new fields, new practices, new situations, and new problems will emerge, naturally revealing that existing institutions are insufficient. This requires adding new institutions, filling gaps and omissions in the institutional framework, increasing the supply of institutions, and meeting the needs of the practice of developing whole-process people’s democracy in reality. Third, the reform and improvement of institutions. In the course of development, some previously established institutions have become outdated and lagging behind; others, while still useful, have certain provisions that contradict or conflict with actual conditions. This necessitates bold reform tailored to the times and local conditions, whether abolishing the old and establishing the new, or adding, deleting, and adjusting. It is also necessary to continue improving institutional mechanisms in all aspects. The institutional mechanisms referred to here include those at the macro, meso, and micro levels. However, regardless of the level, the improvement of institutions and mechanisms must pay attention to details. If details are unclear or contain serious flaws, it will render the institutions and mechanisms difficult to operate and implement. The result is that even the best-designed institutions and mechanisms cannot be put to use.

坚持以制度建设为主线必须突出三个要点：一是制度的健全。在发展全过程人民民主的过程中，国家和各地的有关部门已经出台了不少制度，然而，经过实践之后总会发现存在这样那样的问题，因而需要进行及时的修订和改进、充实，使其健全、巩固。二是制度的创新。随着全面深化改革的不断深入，会出现很多的新领域、新实践、新情况、新问题，自然就会发觉现有的制度不够用了，这就需要增加新的制度，填补制度的空白、缺漏，加大制度的供给力度，满足现实中发展全过程人民民主实践的需要。三是制度的改革与完善。以往建立的制度在发展的进程中，有的不合时宜滞后了，有的虽然还管用，但一些条文规定与现实情况相悖或出现冲突，这就需要因时制宜、因地制宜地进行大胆的改革，或废旧立新，或增删调整。还要继续完善各方面的制度机制。这里讲的制度机制，既包含宏观、中观层面的制度机制，也包含微观层面的制度机制，但无论是哪一个层面的制度与机制的完善，都要注重细节问题，如果细节不详，甚至有严重的纰漏，就会导致制度和机制难以运转执行，其结果是，即使制定了再好的制度机制也不能派上用场。

Must Strengthen the Institutional Building That Ensures the People Are the Masters of the Country

必须加强人民当家作主制度建设

In the process of developing whole-process people’s democracy, strengthening the institutional building that ensures the people are the masters of the country holds a paramount position. The most important aspect of this is strengthening the construction of the people’s congress system. The most distinctive feature of the people’s congress system is that it stipulates that people’s congresses are the representative organs of the people, fundamentally embodying the people’s character. Therefore, strengthening the institutional building that ensures the people are the masters of the country requires that people’s congresses firmly establish a sense of purpose and maintain close ties with the masses. People’s congresses at all levels and their standing committees must genuinely exercise power for the people, perform their duties for the people, and serve the people. As deputies to people’s congresses, they must represent the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people, propose motions and suggestions related to people’s livelihoods on behalf of the people, and participate in the exercise of state power according to law. Deputies should establish grassroots contact points, deputy liaison stations, and other methods to act as vanguards in developing whole-process people’s democracy, fully leveraging their characteristics and advantages of coming from and taking root among the people, becoming a “window for public opinion” and a “bridge of connection” between the masses and people’s congress organizations. To continue strengthening and intensifying the institutional building that ensures the people are the masters of the country, it is necessary to further “improve the rules of procedure for people’s congresses and the systems for deliberation, evaluation, assessment, review, and hearings. Enrich the content and forms of contact between deputies and the people. Improve the working mechanisms for soliciting public opinion and pooling collective wisdom.”

在发展全过程人民民主的进程中，加强人民当家作主制度建设具有至高无上的地位。加强人民当家作主制度建设，最重要的就是加强人民代表大会制度建设。人民代表大会制度的最鲜明特征就在于它规定了人民代表大会是人民的代表机关，从根本上体现了人民属性。因此，加强人民当家作主制度建设，要求人大牢固树立宗旨意识，始终同人民群众保持密切联系。各级人大及其常委会要切实地为人民用权、为人民履职、为人民服务。作为人大代表，要代表最广大人民的根本利益，代表人民提出关系民生的议案、建议，依法参加行使国家权力。人大代表要通过建立基层联系点、代表联络站等方式方法，做好发展全过程人民民主的排头兵，充分发挥来自人民、扎根人民的特点和优势，成为人民群众和人大组织的“民意窗”“连心桥”。继续加强和发力人民当家作主制度建设，就要进一步“健全人大议事规则和论证、评估、评议、听证制度。丰富人大代表联系人民群众的内容和形式。健全吸纳民意、汇集民智工作机制”。

Must Improve the Mechanisms for Consultative Democracy

必须健全协商民主机制

Consultative democracy is a unique advantage and distinctive feature of whole-process people’s democracy. Consultative democracy means extensive discussion, full deliberation, seeking consensus, and striving for the optimal outcome. At present, consultative democracy has great utility in state governance, in comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization, and in promoting the high-quality development of whole-process people’s democracy. To improve the mechanisms for consultative democracy, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) bears significant responsibility. To this end, it is necessary to further enhance the work efficiency of the CPPCC and promote the high-quality, high-level development of its work. The CPPCC should, based on actual conditions, better expand the scope of public democratic participation in affairs, make substantial efforts to establish procedural and long-term mechanisms for political consultation and grassroots consultation, and also better improve the docking mechanisms and regular consultation mechanisms between the CPPCC and Party committees, people’s congresses, and government departments. It is also necessary to improve the system for CPPCC members to maintain contact with the masses, establish and improve “interactive participation” mechanisms between CPPCC members and grassroots people. CPPCC members should go deep into grassroots units, various organizations, and enterprises for targeted visits and research, obtaining their opinions, suggestions, and demands, making CPPCC consultation more grounded, more vibrant, and more insightful. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish and improve institutionalized platforms for consultation by people’s organizations, grassroots consultation, and consultation by social organizations, strengthen the coordination and cooperation among various consultative channels, improve the implementation mechanisms for consultation before and during decision-making, and perfect the mechanisms for the adoption, implementation, and feedback of consultation outcomes.

协商民主是全过程人民民主的独有优势和鲜明特色。协商民主就是广泛商量，充分酝酿，寻求共识，力争最优。当下，协商民主在治国理政中，在全面深化改革和推进中国式现代化中，在推进全过程人民民主的高质量发展中都大有用武之地。要健全协商民主机制，人民政协肩负重任。为此，必须进一步提升人民政协的工作效率，推动政协工作高质量、高水平地发展。人民政协要根据实际情况，更好地扩大公众民主参与的事务范围，下大力气建立政治协商和基层协商的程序机制和长效机制，也要更好地完善政协与党委、人大、政府部门的对接机制和定期协商机制等。还要完善政协委员联系群众制度，建立健全政协委员和基层群众的“互动参与”机制，政协委员要深入基层、各单位、各企业进行针对性的走访和调研，获取他们的意见、建议和要求，使政协协商更接地气、更具生气、更有灵气。除此之外，还要建立健全人民团体协商、基层协商以及社会组织协商的制度化平台，加强各种协商渠道协同配合，健全协商于决策之前和决策实施之中的落实机制，完善协商成果的采纳、落实、反馈机制。

Must Improve the Institutions for Grassroots Democracy

必须健全基层民主制度

Grassroots democracy is the most direct, most extensive, richest, and most vivid democratic practice in China’s whole-process people’s democracy. Although grassroots democratic institutions are rooted at the grassroots level, they connect with and support the national-level people’s congress system, the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy. The democratic rights of the Chinese people to be masters of the country are not only reflected in indirect management at the national level of political, economic, and cultural undertakings but also in direct management at the grassroots level of social life and social affairs. This is democracy that can be seen, touched, and personally experienced. The importance and role of the grassroots democratic institutional system also lie in the fact that it is the foundational system within the system of whole-process people’s democracy, performing foundational functions. To continue advancing and improving the grassroots democratic institutional system and work system, it is necessary to follow the “Decision,” which points out: “Broaden the channels for orderly participation of various grassroots organizations and the masses in grassroots governance. Improve the system of openness in handling affairs. Improve the democratic management system in enterprises and public institutions with the workers’ congress as its basic form, and improve effective forms for enterprise employees to participate in management.” At the same time, it is also necessary to advance and improve the system of villagers’ self-governance in rural areas and the system of urban community residents’ self-governance.

基层民主是我国全过程人民民主中最直接、最大量、最丰富、最生动的民主实践。基层民主制度虽然扎根基层，但是它衔接并承载着国家层面的人民代表大会制度、中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度、民族区域自治制度。我国人民群众的当家作主的民主权利，不仅体现于国家的政治、经济和文化事业层面的间接管理，而且体现于基层的社会生活和社会事务层面的直接管理，这是看得见、摸得着、可以感同身受的民主。基层民主制度体系的重要性和作用还在于，它是全过程人民民主制度体系中的基础性制度，发挥基础性功能。继续推进和完善基层民主制度体系和工作体系，要依据《决定》指出的：“拓宽基层各类组织和群众有序参与基层治理渠道。完善办事公开制度。健全以职工代表大会为基本形式的企事业单位民主管理制度，完善企业职工参与管理的有效形式。”同时，还要推进和完善农村村民自治制度和城市社区居民自治制度。

Must Perfect the Framework of the Grand United Front

必须完善大统战工作格局

Originally, united front work is the responsibility of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is China’s patriotic united front organization and an important institution for multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Therefore, the united front falls within the category of consultative democracy. However, the *Decision* [of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee] [3]3 The *Decision* refers to the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Promoting Chinese-Path Modernization,” adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC in July 2024. lists it separately as part of the system for improving whole-process people’s democracy. As I understand it, this does not change the nature of united front work as political consultation, nor does it alter its subordinate relationship; rather, it greatly highlights its status and importance. The greatest feature of the grand united front work pattern envisioned by the *Decision* lies in the “vastness” of its work coverage and cross-domain scope, involving relations among political parties, ethnic groups, religions, social strata, and compatriots at home and abroad, reaching an unprecedented scale of cooperators and participants. To uphold and improve the grand united front work pattern, institutional construction must be strengthened. The *Decision* proposes seven directions for institutional and mechanism building: uphold, develop, and improve China’s new type of political party system; improve the system for building up the ranks of non-Party representatives; improve the institutional mechanisms for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation; strengthen the rule-of-law-based governance of religious affairs; improve the political guidance mechanism for non-Party intellectuals and representatives of new social strata; improve the working mechanisms for promoting the healthy development of the non-public sector of the economy and the healthy growth of those working in it; and improve the working mechanisms for affairs related to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese. These seven institutional mechanisms constitute a systematic and complete grand united front work pattern, giving play to the political role of the united front in rallying people’s hearts and gathering strength, and presenting another bright landscape in the development of whole-process people’s democracy.

本来，统一战线工作是人民政协的职责，人民政协就是中国的爱国统一战线组织，是中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商的重要机构。因此，统一战线归属于政治协商民主的范畴。但是，《决定》却把它单独地列为健全全过程人民民主制度体系的一部分，我理解，这并没有改变统一战线工作的政治协商性质，也没有改变统一战线工作的隶属关系，反而是极大地突出了它的地位和重要性。《决定》谋划的大统战工作格局，其最大的特点就在于工作覆盖面和跨域性之“巨大”，它涉及政党关系、民族关系、宗教关系、社会阶层关系和海内外同胞关系，所包含的合作者、参与者达到了空前的人数规模。坚持和完善大统战工作格局，必须着力加强制度建设，《决定》提出了七大制度机制建设方向：坚持好、发展好、完善好中国新型政党制度；健全党外代表人士队伍建设制度；健全铸牢中华民族共同体意识制度机制；加强宗教事务治理法治化；完善党外知识分子和新的社会阶层人士政治引领机制；健全促进非公有制经济健康发展、非公有制经济人士健康成长工作机制；完善港澳台和侨务工作机制。这七大制度机制构成了系统、完备的大统战工作格局，发挥了统一战线凝聚人心、汇聚力量的政治作用，展现了全过程人民民主发展的又一道亮丽的风景线。

(The author is a Distinguished Professor of the School of Marxism at Fujian Normal University and a First-Class Professor of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance).)

（作者为福建师范大学马克思主义学院特聘教授、中共中央党校（国家行政学院）一级教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心