Advancing the Extensive, Multi-Tiered, and Institutionalized Development of Consultative Democracy

Under China’s socialist system, the true essence of people’s democracy lies in ensuring that matters are discussed properly and that the affairs of the many are handled by the many, thereby finding the greatest common divisor of the will and demands of the whole society. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that socialist consultative democracy is a distinctive form and unique strength of China’s socialist democratic politics, and an important embodiment of the mass line of the Communist Party of China in the political sphere. It is necessary to advance the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy. On the new journey of the New Era, we must always adhere to the correct political direction, insist on consultation before decisions are made and during their implementation, build a socialist consultative democracy system with reasonable procedures and complete links, focus on improving the mechanisms of consultative democracy, continuously expand the methods and platforms for consultation, actively create a favorable atmosphere and conditions, and steadily advance the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy.

在中国社会主义制度下，有事好商量、众人的事情由众人商量，找到全社会意愿和要求的最大公约数，是人民民主的真谛。习近平总书记指出，社会主义协商民主，是中国社会主义民主政治的特有形式和独特优势，是中国共产党的群众路线在政治领域的重要体现，要推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展。新时代新征程，要始终坚持正确政治方向，坚持协商于决策之前和决策实施之中，构建程序合理、环节完整的社会主义协商民主体系，着力健全协商民主机制，不断拓展协商方式和平台，积极营造良好氛围和条件，不断推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展。

The Extensive, Multi-Tiered, and Institutionalized Development of Consultative Democracy Highlights the Institutional Characteristics and Political Advantages of Chinese-Path Democracy

协商民主广泛多层制度化发展彰显中国式民主的制度特色与政治优势

Consultative democracy is an important form of democracy in which, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, various parties within the people conduct extensive consultation on major issues concerning reform, development, and stability, as well as practical issues involving the vital interests of the masses, both before decisions are made and during their implementation, striving to form consensus. Socialist consultative democracy is an important institutional design through which the Party leads the people in effectively governing the country and ensuring that the people are the masters of the country. It is also an important embodiment of the Party’s mass line in the political sphere, and a distinctive form and the greatest strength of Chinese-path democracy. Advancing the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy, comprehensively developing consultative democracy, improving the consultative democracy system, enriching the methods of consultative democracy, and promoting scientific and democratic decision-making are practical requirements for perfecting the institutional system of whole-process people’s democracy.

协商民主是在中国共产党领导下，人民内部各方面围绕改革发展稳定重大问题和涉及群众切身利益的实际问题，在决策之前和决策实施之中开展广泛协商，努力形成共识的重要民主形式。社会主义协商民主是党领导人民有效治理国家、保证人民当家作主的重要制度设计，也是党的群众路线在政治领域的重要体现，是中国式民主的特有形式和最大优势。推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展，全面发展协商民主，完善协商民主体系，丰富协商民主方式，促进决策科学化民主化，是健全全过程人民民主制度体系的现实要求。

Socialist consultative democracy upholds the leadership of the Party, fully embodying the political philosophy of the Communist Party of China that the Party is built for the public good and exercises power for the people. The consultation between the Communist Party of China and the various democratic parties and personages without party affiliation on major state policies and important affairs, both before decisions are made and during their implementation, is an important component of China’s new type of party system. Relying on the institutional arrangement of party consultation, the democratic parties and personages without party affiliation consistently focus on the central work of the state and the people’s aspiration for a better life, carrying out activities such as political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs. In particular, they engage in consultation at the time of major national decisions and reforms in various fields, fully leveraging their advantages in intellectual concentration, resource abundance, and broad connections. During the consultation process, the democratic parties are able to understand and accept the propositions of the Communist Party of China, consolidate political consensus, offer frank advice and sound suggestions for major decisions of Party committees and governments, and consistently serve as the “good advisors, good helpers, and good colleagues” of the Communist Party of China.

社会主义协商民主坚持党的领导，充分体现了中国共产党立党为公、执政为民的政治理念。中国共产党同各民主党派和无党派人士就党和国家重大方针政策和重要事务，在决策之前和决策实施之中的协商是我国新型政党制度的重要组成部分。依托政党协商的制度安排，民主党派和无党派人士始终紧紧围绕国家中心工作、围绕人民群众对美好生活的向往，开展政治协商、民主监督、参政议政等履职活动，特别是在国家重大决策部署和各领域的改革决策之时开展协商，充分发挥了智力密集、资源丰富、联系广泛等优势。在协商过程中，民主党派能够了解和接受中国共产党的主张，凝聚政治共识，为党委和政府重大决策建诤言、献良策，始终做好中国共产党的“好参谋、好帮手、好同事”。

Socialist consultative democracy promotes social integration and consolidates the ideological foundation for united struggle. The essence of consultation is to seek common ground on interests, to find the greatest “common divisor,” to take care of the interests of all parties, and to draw the largest concentric circle with fundamental interests as the center. The Communist Party of China represents the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the democratic parties and personages without party affiliation engage in consultation on major issues, coordinate the interests of all parties, and integrate various party forces. As a broad model of political participation, consultative democracy covers both traditional methods and digital channels, absorbs social conditions and public opinion, allows different social groups within the social structure to express their respective demands and safeguard their own interests, while also assuming the responsibility of serving society. It effectively regulates different social interests and contradictions, achieves the unity of “respecting the majority” and “taking care of the minority,” finds the greatest common divisor of what the whole society desires and demands, promotes the overall development of society, and realizes social fairness and justice.

社会主义协商民主推动社会整合，巩固团结奋斗的思想基础。协商的本质是寻求利益交集，寻求最大“公约数”，照顾各方利益，以根本利益为圆心画出最大同心圆。中国共产党代表着最广大人民的根本利益。在中国共产党的领导下，民主党派、无党派人士在重大问题上进行协商，协调各方利益，整合各种政党力量。协商民主作为一种广泛的政治参与模式，覆盖了传统方式和数字化渠道，吸纳社情民意，让社会结构中不同的社会群体都有机会表达各自的诉求，维护自身的利益，同时担当起服务社会的责任，有效调节了不同的社会利益和矛盾，实现了把“尊重多数”和“照顾少数”统一起来，找到全社会所盼所要求的最大公约数，推动社会整体发展、实现社会公平公正。

Socialist consultative democracy promotes democratic supervision, enhancing the quality of democracy and the level of decision-making. Consultative democracy allows various opinions to be fully expressed, and through exchange and discussion, enables these opinions to complement each other, avoiding one-sidedness, minimizing differences, and accumulating consensus as much as possible. Under the socialist consultative democracy system, participating parties conduct supervision through the form of consultation, integrating democratic supervision throughout the entire process and all areas of consultation. Democratic supervision is a full guarantee of the authenticity and extensiveness of consultative democracy. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, only through various forms of consultation, extensive listening to opinions and suggestions, and extensive acceptance of criticism and supervision can the drawbacks of different political forces competing for interests, stubbornly adhering to their own views, and excluding dissidents be avoided. Through consultation before decisions are made and during their implementation, and through democratic supervision carried out from multiple aspects, we can extensively gather people’s words, pool people’s wisdom, and seek good policies, more broadly form mechanisms for discovering and correcting errors and mistakes, and more broadly form mechanisms for the people to participate in management and governance at various levels. This enables the decisions of the Party and government to be more in line with public opinion and more suited to actual needs.

社会主义协商民主促进民主监督，提高民主质量和决策水平。协商民主可以让各种意见充分发表出来，通过交流讨论使各种意见取长补短，避免片面性，尽可能地减少分歧、积累共识。在社会主义协商民主制度下，参政党通过协商的形式进行监督，将民主监督贯穿协商的全过程、全领域。民主监督是协商民主真实性、广泛性的充分保障。在中国共产党的领导下，通过多种形式的协商、广泛听取意见和建议、广泛接受批评和监督，才能避免不同政治力量争夺利益、固执己见、排斥异己的弊端。通过决策之前和决策实施之中的协商，通过多方面展开的民主监督，广纳民言、广集众智、广求良策，更广泛地形成发现和改正失误和错误的机制，更广泛地形成人民群众参与各层次管理和治理的机制，从而使党和政府的决策更顺应民意、更切合实际需要。

The Practice of Extensive, Multi-Tiered, and Institutionalized Development of Consultative Democracy Runs Through the National Governance System

协商民主广泛多层制度化发展实践贯穿国家治理体系

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, consultative democracy has developed extensively, in a multi-tiered and institutionalized manner, gradually forming composite and systematic consultative carriers and platforms, which continue to develop and self-improve. From the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee to grassroots practice, Party committees and governments at all levels have implemented the requirements of consultative democracy in all levels, fields, and aspects of national governance, integrating the principle of “the affairs of the many are handled by the many” throughout the entire process of reform, development, and social governance.

党的十八大以来，协商民主广泛多层制度化发展，逐步形成复合型、系统性的协商载体和平台，并不断发展和自我完善。从党中央决策部署到基层实践，各级党委和政府将协商民主的要求落实在国家治理各层次、各领域、各方面，将“众人的事情由众人商量”贯穿改革发展和社会治理的全过程。

Strengthening the construction of socialist consultative democracy, building a socialist consultative democracy system with reasonable procedures and complete links, ensuring that consultative democracy has institutions to rely on, rules to abide by, regulations to follow, and order to observe, continuously improving the scientific nature and effectiveness of consultative democracy, and injecting new vitality into China’s socialist democratic politics. Enriching the forms of consultative democracy, expanding the channels of consultative democracy, broadening the consultative channels of state organs, political consultative organizations, party groups, grassroots organizations, and social organizations, deeply carrying out legislative consultation, administrative consultation, democratic consultation, participatory consultation, and social consultation, continuing to focus on strengthening party consultation, government consultation, and political consultative conference consultation, and actively carrying out people’s congress consultation, grassroots consultation, and people’s organization consultation.

加强社会主义协商民主建设，构建程序合理、环节完整的社会主义协商民主体系，确保协商民主有制可依、有规可守、有章可循、有序可遵，不断提高协商民主的科学性和实效性，为我国社会主义民主政治注入新的活力。丰富协商民主形式，拓展协商民主渠道，拓宽国家政权机关、政协组织、党派团体、基层组织、社会组织的协商渠道，深入开展立法协商、行政协商、民主协商、参政协商、社会协商，继续重点加强政党协商、政府协商、政协协商，积极开展人大协商、基层协商、人民团体协商。

Consultation before decisions are made and during their implementation is the basic principle for perfecting the socialist consultative democracy system. Consultation must be genuine, and genuine consultation requires that consultation runs through the process of policy formulation and implementation, and is guaranteed by a complete set of effective institutional mechanisms and platform carriers. The institutionalized platforms of the socialist consultative democracy system include seven aspects: party consultation, people’s congress consultation, government consultation, political consultative conference consultation, people’s organization consultation, grassroots consultation, and social organization consultation. These seven major platforms for consultative democracy always take the leadership of the Party as the core, and through rich and diverse forms and carriers of consultation, allow various consultative channels to play to their strengths and complement each other. Through multi-tiered and synergistic mechanisms, they implement the important principles of consultative democracy, better promoting the effective participation of all sectors of society in the management of national and social affairs.

协商于决策之前和决策实施之中是完善社会主义协商民主体系的基本原则。协商就要真协商，而真协商就要协商贯穿政策制定和执行的过程之中，并以一整套运行有效的体制机制和平台载体加以保障。社会主义协商民主体系的制度化平台包括了政党协商、人大协商、政府协商、政协协商、人民团体协商、基层协商以及社会组织协商七个方面。七大协商民主的平台始终以党的领导为核心，通过丰富多样的协商形式和载体，让各种协商渠道发挥所长、互相补充，通过多层次、协同性的机制落实协商民主的重要原则，更好地促进社会各界在国家社会事务管理中有效参与。

Institutionalized party consultation is a fundamental component of the socialist consultative democracy system. The “Regulations of the United Front Work of the Communist Party of China” and the “Regulations on the Political Consultation Work of the Communist Party of China” provide a legal basis for the institutionalized construction of party consultation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to and taken the lead in setting an example, successively consulting with non-Party figures on the contents of reports to the National Congress of the Communist Party of China and plenary sessions of the Central Committee, engaging in sincere consultation and listening to opinions, ensuring that decisions on major issues are more scientific and democratic. The Central Committee of the CPC entrusts the central committees of the democratic parties each year to conduct key investigation and research on major issues of economic and social development, supports the central committees of the democratic parties in conducting regular investigation and research based on their own characteristics, organizes special report meetings and briefings on the research results and suggestions of the democratic parties, invites democratic parties to attend relevant work meetings, and participate in special investigations and inspection and supervision work. Local Party committees at all levels, in light of actual conditions, conduct consultation with local organizations of the democratic parties on local major issues, actively promoting local economic and social development. Democratic consultation before decisions and democratic supervision during their implementation fully reflect the scientific, democratic, and legal requirements for the formulation of major state policies, effectively ensuring the implementation and effectiveness of major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee.

制度化的政党协商是社会主义协商民主体系的基础性构成。《中国共产党统一战线工作条例》《中国共产党政治协商工作条例》等为政党协商的制度化建设提供了法治依循。党的十八大以来，党中央高度重视、率先垂范，先后就中国共产党全国代表大会和中央全会报告等内容与党外人士共商国是，真诚协商、听取意见，确保重大问题决策更加科学、民主。中共中央每年委托民主党派中央就经济社会发展重大问题开展重点考察调研，支持民主党派中央结合自身特色开展经常性考察调研，围绕民主党派调研成果和建议组织专题报告会和情况通报会，邀请民主党派列席相关工作会议、参加专项调研和检查督导工作。中共各级地方党委结合实际，就地方重大问题同民主党派各级地方组织进行协商，积极推动了当地经济社会发展。决策之前的民主协商与决策实施之中的民主监督充分体现了党和国家重大方针政策制定的科学性、民主性和法治性要求，切实保障了党中央重大决策部署的落实见效。

The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an important channel and specialized consultative body for socialist consultative democracy, and a vital component of the national governance system. Before the formulation of every medium- and long-term plan for national economic and social development, the National Committee of the CPPCC, through various forms of consultative and deliberative activities, member proposals, and channels such as information on social conditions and public opinion, fully absorbs the opinions and suggestions of representatives from all walks of life. Many of these suggestions are adopted and transformed into policy measures that drive economic and social development, providing important references for the Party and government’s scientific and democratic decision-making. During the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan [3]3 The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) is China’s national economic and social development plan, formally titled the “Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035,” adopted by the National People’s Congress in March 2021., the National Committee of the CPPCC not only continuously offered advice and built consensus through study, research, proposals, and publicity, but also carried out planned special democratic oversight. The performance of duties by the CPPCC ran through the entire process of formulating and implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan, forming an interactive mechanism between consultations at all levels of the CPPCC and the decision-making, implementation, and feedback of Party committees and governments.

人民政协是社会主义协商民主的重要渠道和专门协商机构，是国家治理体系的重要组成部分。每到国家经济社会发展中长期规划的编制之前，全国政协都通过多种形式的协商议政活动、委员提案、社情民意信息等载体，充分吸收各界代表人士的意见建议，其中不少建议得到采纳，转化为推动经济社会发展的政策举措，为党和政府科学民主决策提供了重要参考。在“十四五”规划实施过程中，全国政协不仅通过学习、调研、提案、宣介等形式持续建言资政、凝聚共识，还开展了有计划的专项民主监督，人民政协的履职贯穿了“十四五”规划编制和实施的全过程，形成了各级政协协商与党委和政府决策、执行、反馈的互动机制。

Grassroots consultative democracy is a common form of grassroots democratic practice and an important vehicle for grassroots governance. The “multi-tiered” institutional practice of consultative democracy is reflected in the coordinated development of different consultative channels in grassroots society, forming a combined force for grassroots governance. Grassroots governance is the foundation of national governance. In recent years, the interest demands of grassroots social groups have become increasingly differentiated, and the service needs of new business forms, new models, and new groups have continuously emerged. Resolving conflicts and disputes at the grassroots level is the driving force behind the development of grassroots consultative democracy. Developing grassroots consultative democracy can not only better regulate interest relations and resolve grassroots social conflicts and disputes, but also better enable different social groups to express their needs and promote orderly political participation. The practice of grassroots consultation includes both the deliberative and consultative mechanisms in the decision-making process of grassroots mass self-governance under the leadership of Party organizations, and the broader democratic consultative activities and the construction of governance communities involving multiple subjects such as grassroots governments, people’s congresses, CPPCC committees, judicial departments, and people’s organizations. Currently, localities, based on actual conditions, have explored a rich variety of consultative forms, such as democratic deliberation meetings, villager council meetings, and resident forums, effectively playing the important role of grassroots consultative democracy in understanding people’s conditions, resolving their concerns, and warming their hearts.

基层协商民主是基层民主实践的常见形式，也是基层治理的重要载体。协商民主的“多层”制度实践体现在基层社会中不同协商渠道协同发展，形成基层治理的合力。基层治理是国家治理的基础。近年来基层社会群体的利益诉求日益分化，新业态新模式新群体的服务需求不断涌现，将矛盾纠纷化解在基层是基层协商民主发展的推动力。发展基层协商民主不仅可以更好地调节利益关系、化解基层社会矛盾纠纷，也能够更好地让不同社会群体表达各自的需要、推动实现有序的政治参与。基层协商的实践，既包括了党组织领导下基层群众自治决策过程中的议事协商机制，也包括了更广泛意义上的基层政府、人大、政协、司法部门以及人民团体等多方主体参与的民主协商活动与治理共同体的构建。当前，地方结合实际探索出民主恳谈会、村民议事会、居民论坛等一系列丰富多样的协商形式，有效发挥了基层协商民主在察民情、解民忧、暖民心上的重要作用。

Actively promoting the implementation and effectiveness of the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy

积极推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展落地见效

The socialist consultative democracy system has formed a consultative mechanism from the central to local levels, covering all industries and fields, with a clear institutional framework, diverse platforms and forms, and increasingly robust systems and mechanisms. Actively promoting the implementation and effectiveness of the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy requires not only the democratic spirit and democratic work style of all consultative subjects, but also institutional principles, regulations, and institutional guarantees.

社会主义协商民主体系已经形成了从中央到地方，覆盖各行业各领域的协商机制，制度框架清晰，平台形式多样，体制机制更加健全。积极推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展落地见效，既需要各协商主体的民主精神和民主作风，也需要有制度性原则规定和体制机制保障。

Carry forward the democratic spirit, take Party consultation and CPPCC consultation as the main channels, and promote the interconnection and coordinated发力 [4]4 发力 (fālì) is a Chinese term meaning “to exert force” or “to make a concerted effort,” often used in political discourse to describe coordinated action toward a goal. of various consultative channels. Fully leverage the political efficacy of consultative democracy, and further improve the implementation mechanism for consultation both before decision-making and during decision implementation. Continuously improve mechanisms such as the mechanism for understanding the situation and clarifying policies, and the mechanism for the application and feedback of consultative outcomes, to achieve understanding of consultation, proficiency in consultation, and genuine consultation, and comprehensively enhance the overall capacity of democratic parties to participate in deliberation and governance.

发扬民主精神，以政党协商与政协协商为主要渠道，促进各协商渠道相互联系、协同发力。充分发挥协商民主的政治效能，进一步健全协商于决策之前和决策实施之中的落实机制。持续完善知情明政机制、协商成果运用与反馈机制等，做到懂协商、会协商、真协商，全面提升民主党派协商议政的整体能力。

Ensure that consultative democracy has laws to rely on, rules to abide by, regulations to follow, and order to observe. Make promoting the extensive, multi-tiered, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy an important part of political system reform, emphasizing that, under the leadership of the Party, extensive consultation should be carried out throughout society on major issues of economic and social development and practical issues concerning the vital interests of the people, and insisting on consultation both before decision-making and during decision implementation.

确保协商民主有制可依、有规可守、有章可循、有序可遵。把推进协商民主广泛多层制度化发展作为政治体制改革的重要内容，强调在党的领导下，以经济社会发展重大问题和涉及群众切身利益的实际问题为内容，在全社会开展广泛协商，坚持协商于决策之前和决策实施之中。

To implement democratic consultation well, all participating consultative subjects need to work together under the leadership of the Party. The Communist Party of China is the ruling party and should be open-minded, pool collective wisdom, actively create a relaxed, democratic, and harmonious consultative environment, encourage the exchange and discussion of different opinions, and truly foster an atmosphere where everything is said without reservation. Continue to build more platforms and create better conditions for non-Party personnel, and support them in conducting research and investigation well. For democratic parties, they must strive to enhance their capacity for Party consultation and shoulder the political responsibility of being participants, practitioners, and promoters of Party consultation.

落实好民主协商，需要在党的领导下，各参加协商主体共同努力。中国共产党是执政党，应该虚怀若谷、集思广益，积极营造宽松民主和谐的协商环境，鼓励不同意见交流和讨论，真正形成知无不言、言无不尽的氛围。继续为党外人士搭建更多平台、创造更好条件，支持大家做好调查研究。对民主党派而言，要努力提高政党协商能力，担负起政党协商参与者、实践者、推动者的政治责任。

Improve the content and form of democratic consultation, establish and improve mechanisms for information disclosure and feedback, and increase platforms and opportunities for discussion and exchange. Before consultation, relevant Party committee and government departments should brief the parties on relevant circumstances. During consultation, there should be interaction and deliberation to ensure that consultation plays a role in building consensus and optimizing decision-making.

完善民主协商的内容和形式，建立健全知情和反馈机制，增加讨论交流的平台和机会。协商前，党委和政府有关部门要通报相关情况。协商中要有互动、有商量，使协商对凝聚共识、优化决策起到作用。

On the new journey of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, fully leveraging the political efficacy of consultative democracy, gathering the wisdom and strength of all sectors of society, and implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee are what the times require and what the people hope for. The socialist consultative democracy system grows on Chinese soil, bathed in the sunshine and rain of the Party, and constitutes a bright landscape in the garden of human political civilization. It will surely shine brilliantly on the great journey of Chinese-path modernization.

在以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的新征程中，充分发挥协商民主的政治效能，把社会各方面的智慧和力量凝聚起来，把党中央决策部署落实到位，是时代所需、人民所盼。社会主义协商民主体系成长在中国大地上，沐浴着党的阳光雨露，构成了人类政治文明百花园中的亮丽景观，必将在中国式现代化的伟大征程中绽放光彩。

(The author is the Executive Vice President of the Chinese Political Science Association and the Director of the Institute of Political Science at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者系中国政治学会常务副会长、中国社会科学院政治学研究所所长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心