The Scientific Path for Implementing Democratic Centralism in the New Era

Democratic centralism is the fundamental organizational principle and leadership system of our Party, and the application of the mass line in Party life; the effectiveness of its implementation directly concerns the rise or fall of the Party and the state’s undertakings. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has produced a series of important discourses on upholding and improving democratic centralism, profoundly pointing out that “implementing democratic centralism requires efforts on both the cadre and the institutional fronts,” and emphasizing that “the system must be strictly enforced and democratic centralism comprehensively implemented.” This provides the fundamental guidance for upholding and applying this fundamental system on the new journey of the New Era. [n] Anchored in the new historical juncture, we must consciously take General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses as our guide, deeply grasp the contemporary value of democratic centralism, examine the real challenges it faces, strive to resolve the contradictions and problems in its implementation, and continuously raise the quality and level of democratic centralism building.

民主集中制是我们党的根本组织原则和领导制度，是群众路线在党的生活中的运用，其执行的效果直接关系党和国家事业的兴衰成败。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记围绕坚持和完善民主集中制作出一系列重要论述，深刻指出“贯彻民主集中制，要从干部和机制两方面努力”，并强调“要严格制度执行，全面贯彻民主集中制”，这为新时代新征程坚持和运用好这一根本制度提供了根本遵循。立足新的历史方位，必须自觉以习近平总书记的重要论述为指引，深刻领会民主集中制的时代价值，审视其面临的现实挑战，着力破解执行中的矛盾和问题，不断提升民主集中制建设的质量和水平。

I. The Great Significance and Problematic Examination of Implementing Democratic Centralism in the New Era

一、新时代贯彻民主集中制的重大意义与问题审视

Democratic centralism occupies an irreplaceable and important position in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and advancing the great new project of Party building. However, in practice, the implementation of this system still faces many real challenges. Deeply examining these problems and exploring systematic pathways for resolution has become an urgent and critical issue of the times.

民主集中制在新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义、推进党的建设新的伟大工程中具有不可替代的重要地位。然而，实践中该制度的执行仍面临诸多现实挑战。深入审视这些问题、探寻系统性破解路径，已成为一项紧迫而关键的时代课题。

(I) The Great Significance of Implementing Democratic Centralism in the New Era

（一）新时代贯彻民主集中制的重大意义

Against the backdrop of the New Era, accurately grasping and firmly implementing democratic centralism has great and far-reaching significance for maintaining the Party’s unity and solidarity, enhancing the effectiveness of national governance, and optimizing the Party’s leadership methods.

在新时代背景下，准确把握并坚定贯彻民主集中制，对维护党的团结统一、提升国家治理效能、优化党的领导方式具有重大而深远的意义。

First, it is the fundamental principle for upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership. Democratic centralism is the institutional cornerstone for upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership. Its core principle of the “four obediences” [n] establishes the authoritative status of the Party Central Committee at the levels of organizational system and political discipline, ensuring the entire Party maintains a high degree of unity with the Party Central Committee in thought, politics, and action. This institutional arrangement enables the efficient implementation of the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments, effectively overcoming decentralism and departmentalism. The practice of the New Era has fully proven that only by adhering to democratic centralism can the entire Party form unified will and action, maintain strategic resolve in a complex environment, and provide a strong political guarantee for the development of the Party and the state’s undertakings.

第一，是维护党中央权威和集中统一领导的根本原则。民主集中制是维护党中央权威和集中统一领导的制度基石。其核心“四个服从”原则，从组织制度和政治纪律层面确立了党中央的权威地位，保障全党在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致。这一制度安排使党中央决策部署得以高效落实，有效克服了分散主义与本位主义。新时代实践充分证明，唯有坚持民主集中制，全党才能形成统一意志与行动，在复杂环境中保持战略定力，为党和国家事业发展提供坚强政治保证。

Second, it is the core support for advancing the modernization of national governance. Democratic centralism has been deeply integrated into the national institutional system, becoming a key support for the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. This system achieves an organic unity of extensive democracy and efficient centralization: on the one hand, it extensively absorbs public opinion through sound channels, solidifying the foundation for decision-making; on the other hand, through scientific centralization, it transforms public opinion into unified action. This mechanism guarantees the democratic nature of governance while enhancing governance efficiency. From medium- and long-term planning to the implementation of major strategies, democratic centralism demonstrates the unique advantage of “the whole nation is one chessboard,” providing an institutional guarantee for the effective governance of an ultra-large-scale country.

第二，是推进国家治理现代化的核心支撑。民主集中制已深度融入国家制度体系，成为国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的关键支撑。该制度实现了广泛民主与高效集中的有机统一：一方面通过健全的渠道广泛吸纳民意，夯实决策基础；另一方面通过科学集中，将民意转化为统一行动。这种机制既保障治理的民主性，又提升治理效能。从中长期规划到重大战略实施，民主集中制彰显了“全国一盘棋”的独特优势，为超大规模国家的有效治理提供了制度保证。

Third, it is the key mechanism for achieving the integration of scientific decision-making and efficient implementation. Democratic centralism is an important guarantee for the integration of scientific decision-making and efficient implementation. Under this mechanism, the decision-making link ensures scientific decisions through promoting democracy and in-depth investigation; the implementation link, through centralized unity, transforms collective wisdom into unified will, ensuring policies are put into practice. This mechanism both raises the quality of decision-making and strengthens the force of implementation, demonstrating strong organizational mobilization capacity and resource allocation efficiency. It is a key guarantee for advancing the Party and the state’s undertakings.

第三，是实现科学决策与高效执行相结合的关键机制。民主集中制是科学决策和高效执行相结合的重要保障。在这一机制下，决策环节通过发扬民主、深入调研，确保决策科学；执行环节通过集中统一，将集体智慧转化为统一意志，确保政策落地。这一机制既提升了决策质量，又强化了执行力度，展现出强大的组织动员能力和资源配置效率，是推动党和国家事业发展的关键保障。

Fourth, it is the solid foundation for fostering a clean and upright political ecosystem within the Party. In the process of advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in depth, democratic centralism is the fundamental guarantee for creating a healthy intra-Party political ecosystem. Through strict institutional norms, it establishes basic guidelines for intra-Party political life: on the one hand, it fully promotes democracy, safeguards Party members’ rights, strengthens intra-Party supervision, and prevents individual arbitrariness and abuse of power; on the other hand, it maintains centralized unity, enforces strict discipline and rules, and corrects tendencies toward laxity and acting independently. Practice has proven that only by upholding and improving democratic centralism can the political ecosystem be continuously purified and the Party’s core leadership role be consolidated.

第四，是涵养风清气正党内政治生态的坚实根基。在全面从严治党向纵深推进的过程中，民主集中制是营造健康党内政治生态的根本保障。通过严格制度规范，它为党内政治生活确立了基本遵循：一方面充分发扬民主，保障党员权利，加强党内监督，防范个人专断与权力滥用；另一方面维护集中统一，严明纪律规矩，纠正自由散漫、各行其是的倾向。实践证明，只有坚持和完善民主集中制，才能持续净化政治生态，巩固党的领导核心地位。

(II) Main Problems in the Implementation of Democratic Centralism

（二）民主集中制执行中存在的主要问题

Since the New Era, the entire Party’s consciousness and capacity to implement democratic centralism have significantly increased, and the institutional system has been continuously improved. However, compared with the high standards and strict requirements of the Party Central Committee, there are still some prominent problems in practice that urgently need resolution.

新时代以来，全党贯彻民主集中制的自觉性和能力显著增强，制度体系不断完善。然而，对照党中央的高标准严要求，实践中仍存在一些亟待解决的突出问题。

As early as June 28, 2013, at the National Conference on Organizational Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that “to make serious intra-Party life, the most fundamental thing is to earnestly implement the Party’s democratic centralism,” and he specifically emphasized the need to “focus on solving the problems of insufficient promotion of democracy, insufficient correct centralization, insufficient criticism, and insufficient strict discipline.” [n] Subsequently, at a series of important meetings and occasions, including his participation in the special topic democratic life meeting of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee in September 2013, his attendance at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on January 12, 2016, and when he presided over the 33rd collective study session of the 18th Central Political Bureau on June 28, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping further profoundly analyzed these problems.

早在2013年6月28日，习近平总书记在全国组织工作会议上就深刻指出，“严肃党内生活，最根本的是认真执行党的民主集中制”，并特别强调要“着力解决发扬民主不够、正确集中不够、开展批评不够、严肃纪律不够等问题”。此后，在一系列重要会议和场合，包括2013年9月参加河北省委常委班子专题民主生活会、2016年1月12日出席十八届中央纪律检查委员会第六次全体会议，以及2016年6月28日主持十八届中央政治局第三十三次集体学习时，习近平总书记对这些问题进一步作了深刻剖析。

Insufficient promotion of democracy. This is mainly manifested in the fact that some leading cadres in leading bodies, especially the top leader, emphasize centralization without democracy, placing themselves above the organization, acting arbitrarily and autocratically, engaging in paternalism and “one-man rule,” and even treating their localities or areas under their jurisdiction as “independent kingdoms” or “private domains.” Some top leaders habitually set the tone first in discussions and decision-making, making arbitrary decisions on major issues without full deliberation and discussion among leading body members, disregarding the opinions of the majority, rendering the democratic process a mere formality.

发扬民主不够。主要表现为，有的领导班子成员特别是一把手只讲集中不讲民主，将个人凌驾于组织之上，独断专行，搞家长制、一言堂，甚至把所在地方和分管领域当作“独立王国”“私人领地”。有的一把手在议事决策中习惯于先定调，重大问题不经班子成员充分酝酿和讨论就擅自拍板，漠视多数人意见，造成民主程序形同虚设。

Insufficient correct centralization. This is manifested in the fact that some leading cadres emphasize democracy without centralization, lacking the capacity for scientific decision-making and effective centralization, leading to prolonged discussions without resolution when leading bodies deliberate on major issues due to divergent opinions, or handling principled issues by simple majority vote, ultimately resulting in a situation where discussions lead to no decisions and decisions lead to no action. Other leading cadres have serious individualist or departmentalist thinking; once their personal opinions are not adopted, they develop resistance, arguing endlessly over power, affecting the unity of the leading body and decision-making efficiency.

正确集中不够。这表现为，有的领导干部只讲民主不讲集中，科学决策、有效集中的能力不足，导致班子在讨论重大事项时常因意见分歧而久议不决，或以简单多数票处理原则性问题，最终造成议而不决、决而不行的局面。还有的领导干部个人主义、本位主义思想严重，一旦个人意见未被采纳就产生抵触情绪，为了手中的权力争执不休，影响班子团结和决策效率。

Insufficient criticism. Criticism and self-criticism is an important weapon in intra-Party political life and a key link in implementing democratic centralism. However, in some Party organizations, this weapon has not been effectively used: some cadres, when criticizing others, evade the main issues, talking more about work and less about touching on ideology; when engaging in self-criticism, they avoid the substantive and dwell on the superficial, talking more about achievements and less about examining problems. Especially regarding incipient, trending, or even principled problems that violate democratic centralism, some cadres lack a fighting spirit, causing criticism to become a mere formality, failing to play a role in nipping problems in the bud.

开展批评不够。批评和自我批评是党内政治生活的重要法宝，也是贯彻执行民主集中制的关键环节。然而在一些党组织中，这一武器未能得到有效运用：有的干部在批评他人时避重就轻，谈工作多、触及思想少；在自我批评时避实就虚，讲成绩多、查问题少。尤其对于违背民主集中制的苗头性、倾向性甚至原则性问题，部分干部缺乏斗争精神，导致批评流于形式，未能起到防微杜渐的作用。

Insufficient strict discipline. Democratic centralism is a serious organizational principle and an iron political discipline. However, some Party committees (Party leadership groups) fail to fulfill their responsibilities in grasping implementation and enforcement, lacking regular analysis and assessment of the implementation situation of the leading bodies and their members under their jurisdiction, and failing to provide timely educational guidance and organizational measures. Some Party organizations even violate the fundamental principle of the “four obediences,” implementing decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and higher-level Party organizations only when they suit them, and discounting or altering them when they do not. Still other Party members and cadres have a weak sense of organizational discipline, refusing to submit to Party organizational decisions, treating the Party organization as a “private club” for acting as they please. All such phenomena seriously damage the authority and enforceability of the system.

严肃纪律不够。民主集中制是严肃的组织原则和铁的政治纪律。然而，一些党委（党组）在抓贯彻、抓落实上责任落实不到位，对所管辖领导班子及其成员的执行情况缺乏经常性分析和考核评估，教育引导和组织措施未能及时跟上。有的党组织甚至违背“四个服从”的根本原则，对党中央和上级决策部署合意的就执行、不合意的就打折扣、搞变通。还有的党员干部组织观念淡漠，不服从组织决定，把党组织当成自行其是的“私人俱乐部”。凡此种种，严重损害了制度的权威性和执行力。

It must be clearly recognized that solving these “four insufficiencies” is by no means an overnight task; it requires the sustained efforts of the entire Party, working persistently over time.

必须清醒地认识到，解决这“四个不够”的问题，绝非一朝一夕之功，需要全党持续努力、久久为功。

(III) Analysis of the Causes of the Problems

（三）问题产生的原因分析

The formation of the “four insufficiencies” problem is related both to deviations in the ideological understanding of some leading cadres and to the incompleteness and imperfection of the institutional mechanisms.

“四个不够”问题的形成，既有部分领导干部思想认识层面的偏差，也与体制机制层面的不健全、不完善相关。

First, weak Party spirit. A strong Party spirit is the fundamental prerequisite for implementing democratic centralism. At present, some leading cadres’ Party spirit has weakened; they lack a high degree of identification with the Party’s theory, line, and original aspiration, leading to unstable political stances and a tendency toward lax organizational discipline. Once the ideological foundation is unsound, it becomes easy in concrete work to place personal will above organizational principles, or to adopt a utilitarian, selective attitude toward collective decisions. This fundamentally undermines the practical efficacy of democratic centralism.

其一，党性修养不强。坚强的党性是执行民主集中制的根本前提。当前部分领导干部党性观念有所弱化，对党的理论、路线和宗旨缺乏高度认同，导致政治立场不够坚定、组织纪律观念趋于松弛。思想根基一旦不牢，在具体工作中就容易将个人意志凌驾于组织原则之上，或对集体决策采取功利化、选择性的态度，这从根本上削弱了民主集中制的实践效能。

Second, unclear theoretical understanding. Accurately grasping the dialectical relationship between democracy and centralism is the ideological foundation for correctly implementing democratic centralism. In reality, some leading cadres do not have a deep understanding of its theoretical content and fail to truly grasp the organically unified, non-negotiable relationship between “centralism on the basis of democracy” and “democracy under the guidance of centralism.” [1]1 The New Era (新时代) refers to the period beginning with the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, characterized by the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology. This fuzziness in theoretical understanding directly leads to fragmentation and opposition in practice, resulting in deviations such as “only emphasizing democracy, not centralism” or “only emphasizing centralism, not democracy.”

其二，理论认知不清。准确把握民主与集中的辩证关系，是正确贯彻民主集中制的思想基础。现实中，一些领导干部对其理论内涵理解不深，未能真正把握“民主基础上的集中”与“集中指导下的民主”之间有机统一、不可偏废的关系。理论认知的模糊，直接导致实践中的割裂与对立，出现“只讲民主不讲集中”或“只讲集中不讲民主”的偏差。

Third, imprecise institutional construction. The vitality of an institution lies in its implementation, and the effectiveness of implementation fundamentally depends on the clarity and operability of institutional provisions. At present, on the one hand, there is the problem of weak implementation of existing intra-Party regulations; on the other hand, relevant supporting institutions are still incomplete. For example, the scope of “major matters” is not clearly defined, and the norms for议事决策程序 [2]2 The “four obediences” (四个服从) are: the individual is subordinate to the organization, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower level is subordinate to the higher level, and the entire Party is subordinate to the Central Committee. are not clearly specified. This leads to excessive flexibility and insufficient rigidity in the implementation of institutions, leaving room for arbitrary adaptation and selective implementation.

其三，制度建构不精。制度的生命力在于执行，而执行的有效性，根本上取决于制度规定的清晰性与可操作性。当前，一方面存在对既有党内法规执行不力的问题；另一方面，相关配套制度尚不完善，如“重大事项”的范围界定不清、议事决策程序规范不明，导致制度在执行中弹性过大、刚性不足，为随意变通、选择性落实留下了空间。

Fourth, lax enforcement of discipline and accountability. Strict enforcement of discipline and accountability is an important support for maintaining the authority of democratic centralism and ensuring its effective operation. In practice, if violations of the principles of democratic centralism are not dealt with firmly, if discipline is applied too leniently or softly, or even if such violations are condoned, it is easy to create a “broken windows effect,” [3]3 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the National Conference on Organizational Work, June 28–29, 2013. weakening the rigid constraints of discipline. This phenomenon not only encourages the侥幸心理 [4]4 "Being resourceful and making sound decisions" (多谋善断): A classical Chinese idiom, meaning to be both resourceful in deliberation and decisive in judgment. Mao Zedong used it to describe the ideal application of democratic centralism. of individual cadres but will also fundamentally erode the seriousness of democratic centralism as the Party’s fundamental organizational principle, undermining its institutional deterrent power.

其四，执纪问责不严。严格的执纪问责是维护民主集中制权威、保障其有效运行的重要支撑。实践中，对违反民主集中制原则的行为若不敢动真碰硬、失之于宽、失之于软，甚至姑息迁就，就容易形成“破窗效应”，弱化纪律的刚性约束。这种现象不仅助长了个别干部的侥幸心理，更会从根本上侵蚀民主集中制作为党的根本组织原则的严肃性，削弱其制度威慑力。

II. Firmly Grasp the “Key Minority” of Leading Cadres

二、紧紧抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”

In implementing democratic centralism, leading cadres are the subjects of practice and responsibility; the depth of their understanding and the strength of their practice directly determine the effectiveness of institutional implementation. Firmly grasping the “key minority” of leading cadres is the key to ensuring that democratic centralism is truly implemented. Leading cadres at all levels must adhere to the unity of knowledge and action, both promoting action through knowledge and promoting knowledge through action, striving to internalize democratic centralism in the mind and externalize it in conduct.

贯彻民主集中制，领导干部是实践主体与责任主体，其认知深度与实践力度直接决定着制度的执行效能。紧紧抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”，是确保民主集中制落到实处的关键。各级领导干部必须坚持知行合一，既以知促行，又以行促知，努力将民主集中制内化于心、外化于行。

(I) Promoting Action through Knowledge: Strengthening Education and Training on Democratic Centralism

（一）以知促行：加强民主集中制教育培训

Education and training are the foundational link in implementing democratic centralism. As early as October 1938, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party: “Education concerning democratic life must be carried out within the Party, so that Party members understand what democratic life is, what the relationship between democracy and centralism is, and how to implement democratic centralism.” [5]5 "The Working Methods of Party Committees": A text written by Mao Zedong in 1949, outlining methods for collective leadership and democratic decision-making within Party committees. In September 2013, at the special forum on democratic life of the Standing Committee of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Every leading cadre must receive education and training on democratic centralism, so that everyone is familiar with the rules of democratic centralism and understands the methods of democratic centralism.” These important expositions profoundly clarify the foundational role of education and training. Cadre training institutions at all levels, such as Party schools (schools of administration), must implement this requirement, making democratic centralism a core course to comprehensively enhance the relevant literacy and capabilities of leading cadres.

教育培训是贯彻民主集中制的基础环节。早在1938年10月，毛泽东同志在党的六届六中全会上就指出：“必须在党内施行有关民主生活的教育，使党员懂得什么是民主生活，什么是民主制和集中制的关系，并如何实行民主集中制。”2013年9月，习近平总书记在参加河北省委常委班子专题民主生活会时强调：“对每个领导干部，都要加强民主集中制的教育培训，使大家熟悉民主集中制的规矩，懂得民主集中制的方法。”这些重要论述深刻阐明了教育培训的基础性地位。各级党校（行政学院）等干部培训机构必须落实这一要求，将民主集中制作为核心课程，全面提升领导干部的相关素养和能力。

Carry out education and training on basic theory. The principle of democratic centralism germinated in the era of Marx and Engels, was initially established by Lenin, and was continuously enriched and developed by the Chinese Communist Party in the long-term practice of revolution, construction, and reform. History shows that upholding and developing democratic centralism is the best organizational principle and leadership system for a proletarian party to meet the demands of the times and achieve its political goals. While inheriting the theoretical essence of Marxism-Leninism on this matter, the Chinese Communist Party has particularly highlighted and profoundly expounded the dialectically unified relationship between democracy and centralism. According to the provisions of the Constitution of the Chinese Communist Party, democratic centralism includes six basic principles: the principle of the “four obediences,” [6]6 "Sixteen-Character Guideline": The principle "collective leadership, democratic centralism, individual deliberation, and decision by meeting" (集体领导、民主集中、个别酝酿、会议决定), stipulated in the Party Constitution as the operational rule for Party committee decision-making. the principle of intra-Party elections, the principle of the Party’s leadership system, the principle for handling relations between higher and lower Party organizations, the principle of collective leadership of the Party, and the principle prohibiting the cult of personality. These six principles systematically regulate the basic order of intra-Party life, profoundly embody the essential requirement of combining centralism on the basis of democracy with democracy under the guidance of centralism, and are the core essentials that leading cadres must master.

抓好基本理论教育培训。民主集中制原则萌芽于马克思、恩格斯时代，经列宁初步确立，并由中国共产党在长期革命、建设和改革实践中不断丰富和发展。历史表明，坚持和发展民主集中制，是无产阶级政党顺应时代要求、实现政治目标的最佳组织原则和领导制度。中国共产党在继承马列主义相关理论精髓的基础上，尤为突出并深刻阐述了民主与集中二者辩证统一的关系。根据《中国共产党章程》规定，民主集中制包含六条基本原则，即“四个服从”原则、党内选举原则、党的领导体制原则、处理上下级组织关系原则、党的集体领导原则及禁止个人崇拜原则。这六条原则系统规范了党内生活的基本秩序，深刻体现了民主基础上的集中与集中指导下的民主相结合的本质要求，是领导干部必须掌握的核心要义。

Carry out education and training on relevant rules. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The intra-Party rules of our Party are the behavioral norms and rules that all Party organizations and all Party members must abide by,” emphasizing that “we must focus on strengthening education and training on democratic centralism, so that all leading bodies establish good rules.” These rules cover four levels: First, the six basic principles stipulated in the Party Constitution, among which the “four obediences” are the most fundamental political discipline and political rules, “combining collective leadership with individual responsibility based on division of labor” is the core rule for the work of Party committees, and “prohibiting any form of the cult of personality” is the key rule for handling the relationship between leaders and the masses. Second, the “Several Guidelines on Intra-Party Political Life under the New Situation,” [7]7 The Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation (关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则) is a key intra-Party regulation adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC in October 2016, aimed at strengthening and standardizing political life within the Party. in which the section “Adhere to the Principle of Democratic Centralism” clarifies specific requirements for the collective leadership system, the responsibilities of leading body members, implementation and supervision, etc. Third, intra-Party regulations such as the “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Intra-Party Supervision” and the “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Disciplinary Action,” [8]8 The "four insufficiencies" (四个不够) refers to four common problems in implementing democratic centralism: insufficient understanding of its importance, insufficient democratic development, insufficient centralization, and insufficient supervision. for example, the “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Disciplinary Action” (2023 edition) sets disciplinary red lines for “engaging in non-organizational activities such as forming cliques and factions, building personal connections, setting up factions, political currying, and cultivating personal influence within the Party,” providing an institutional basis for implementing democratic centralism. Fourth, personal dependency relationships are not allowed within the Party. Comrade Deng Xiaoping once criticized that “personal dependency relationships exist in many localities and units,” and General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly warned that “the Party must never engage

抓好相关规矩教育培训。习近平总书记指出，“我们党的党内规矩是党的各级组织和全体党员必须遵守的行为规范和规则”，强调“要注重加强民主集中制教育培训，使各级领导班子都立好规矩”。这些规矩涵盖四个层面：一是党章规定的六条基本原则，其中“四个服从”是最根本的政治纪律和政治规矩，“集体领导与个人分工负责相结合”是党委会工作的核心规矩，“禁止任何形式的个人崇拜”是处理领袖与群众关系的关键规矩。二是《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》，其中“坚持民主集中制原则”部分明确了集体领导制度、领导班子成员职责、执行与监督等具体要求；三是《中国共产党党内监督条例》《中国共产党纪律处分条例》等党内法规，如《中国共产党纪律处分条例》（2023年版）针对“在党内搞团团伙伙、结党营私、拉帮结派、政治攀附、培植个人势力等非组织活动”划定了纪律红线，为贯彻民主集中制提供了制度依据；四是党内不准搞人身依附关系。邓小平同志曾批评“不少地方和单位都存在人身依附关系”，习近平总书记多次告诫“党内决不能搞封建依附那一套，决不能搞小山头、小圈子、小团伙那一套，决不能搞门客、门宦、门附那一套”。领导干部要熟知这些规矩，将其内化为行为准则。

Strengthen education and training on work methods. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "Democratic centralism is a system, and it is also a method," and vividly explained it as "being resourceful and making sound decisions" (多谋善断) — being resourceful means fully developing democracy, and making sound decisions means correctly exercising centralism. Leading cadres should focus on studying three work methods: First, study "The Working Methods of Party Committees." This work profoundly elaborates the specific path of "democracy first, centralism later." Democracy first requires extensively soliciting opinions, tolerating criticism, carrying out healthy ideological struggle, and uniting comrades with differing views; centralism later requires being adept at making correct decisions on the basis of democratic discussion. General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on revisiting this work, and its practical guiding significance is particularly prominent. Second, study the "Sixteen-Character Guideline." The principle of "collective leadership, democratic centralism, individual deliberation, and decision by meeting" stipulated in the Party Constitution is the concretization and operational guide for democratic centralism in the decision-making process of Party committees, providing basic compliance for achieving scientific and democratic decision-making. Third, study the leadership art of the top leader acting as the "squad leader" rather than the "patriarch," as well as the collaborative method of leading group members "each taking responsibility and coordinating with one another," continuously improving the leadership ability to both develop democracy and correctly exercise centralism.

抓好工作方法教育培训。毛泽东同志指出：“民主集中制是一种制度，也是一种方法”，并将其生动阐释为“多谋善断”——多谋就是充分发扬民主，善断就是正确实行集中。领导干部要重点学习三项工作方法：一是学习《党委会的工作方法》。这篇著作深刻阐述了“先民主、后集中”的具体路径。先民主，要求广泛听取意见、包容批评、开展健康的思想斗争、团结不同意见的同志；后集中，要求善于在民主讨论基础上进行正确决策。习近平总书记曾就重温这篇著作作出重要批示，其现实指导意义尤为突出。二是学习“十六字方针”。党章规定的“集体领导、民主集中、个别酝酿、会议决定”原则，是民主集中制在党委决策过程中的具体化和操作指南，为实现决策科学化、民主化提供了基本遵循。三是学习一把手当“班长”而非“家长”的领导艺术，以及领导班子成员“各负其责、协同配合”的协作方法，不断提高既发扬民主又正确集中的领导能力。

(II) Promoting Knowledge through Action: Cadres Take the Lead in Implementing Democratic Centralism

（二）以行促知：干部带头贯彻民主集中制

The key to implementing democratic centralism lies in action. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Implementing democratic centralism is the common political responsibility of the entire Party, first and foremost the responsibility of leading cadres at all levels, especially comrades on the Politburo Standing Committee. Everyone must play an exemplary role." Leading cadres, especially senior cadres, must consciously fulfill this requirement and drive the entire Party to form a good atmosphere for implementing democratic centralism.

贯彻民主集中制，关键在行动。习近平总书记指出：“贯彻执行民主集中制是全党的共同政治责任，首先是各级领导干部特别是中央政治局的同志的责任，大家要发挥表率作用。”领导干部特别是高级干部要自觉践行这一要求，带动全党形成贯彻民主集中制的良好氛围。

Comrades of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee take the lead in setting an example. As the Party’s senior leadership echelon, the words and deeds of comrades of the Political Bureau have a bellwether significance for the entire Party

中央政治局同志率先垂范。作为党的高级领导层，中央政治局同志的言行对全党具有风向标意义。习近平总书记要求，中央政治局同志要带头发扬党内民主，带头维护党中央权威，带头坚持集体领导，带头开展批评和自我批评，不折不扣执行制度。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记先后参加并指导河北省委常委班子专题民主生活会、河南省兰考县委常委班子专题民主生活会，多次以普通党员身份参加所在党支部活动，带头拿起批评和自我批评武器，深入开展自我检查和党性分析，为全党树立了标杆。

The top leader must lead by example. The top leader is the "class monitor" of the leadership collective, and his implementation of democratic centralism directly affects the unity of the collective and the quality of decision-making. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "In implementing democratic centralism, the top leader leading by example is crucial." The Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation [n7] explicitly requires that "the principal leading comrades of Party committees (Party leadership groups) must promote democracy, be adept at centralizing, and dare to assume responsibility." Promoting democracy means regarding oneself as an equal member of the collective, strictly deciding issues according to the principle of the minority submitting to the majority, paying attention to listening to differing opinions, and resolutely refraining from the practice of one person having the final say; being adept at centralizing means taking the overall situation into account, setting the direction, centralizing collective wisdom into correct resolutions, unifying divergent opinions, and persuading those with dissenting views; daring to assume responsibility means putting the Party's cause and the people's interests first, adhering to principles, being conscientious and responsible, and daring to take responsibility for mistakes. The role models for county Party secretaries, Jiao Yulu and Gu Wenchang, are precisely examples of top leaders implementing democratic centralism. Jiao Yulu once said that a county Party secretary must be good at being a "class monitor," making the "group of people" think in unison and act in unison. He took the method proposed by Comrade Mao Zedong of "centralizing from the masses and then persisting among the masses to form correct leadership opinions" as his working method for implementing democratic centralism. Before making decisions, Gu Wenchang always went deep among cadres and the masses to conduct investigation and research, allowing everyone to speak freely, pooling wisdom before making a decision. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly issued instructions on leading cadres learning from and promoting the spirit of Jiao Yulu and Gu Wenchang, emphasizing that "leading cadres must cultivate democratic literacy as a leadership ability and master it as a leadership art," pointing the way for top leaders to implement democratic centralism.

一把手以身作则。一把手是领导班子的“班长”，其执行民主集中制的情况直接影响班子的团结与决策质量。习近平总书记强调：“执行民主集中制，‘一把手’以身作则很关键。”《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》明确要求，“党委（党组）主要负责同志必须发扬民主、善于集中、敢于担责”。发扬民主，就是要将自己视为班子中的平等一员，严格按照少数服从多数的原则决定问题，注意听取不同意见，坚决不搞一言堂；善于集中，就是要总揽全局、把关定向，将集体智慧集中为正确决议、统一好分歧意见、说服好否定意见；敢于担责，就是要以党的事业和人民利益为重，坚持原则、认真负责，面对失误敢于承担责任。县委书记的榜样焦裕禄、谷文昌，正是一把手贯彻民主集中制的典范。焦裕禄曾说，县委书记要善于当“班长”，使“一班人”思想齐、动作齐。他把毛泽东同志提出的“从群众中集中起来又到群众中坚持下去，以形成正确的领导意见”作为贯彻民主集中制的工作方法。谷文昌在作决策前总是深入干部群众开展调查研究，让大家畅所欲言，集思广益后再作出决定。习近平总书记多次就领导干部学习弘扬焦裕禄、谷文昌精神作出指示，强调“领导干部要把民主素养作为一种领导能力来培养，作为一门领导艺术来掌握”，为一把手贯彻民主集中制指明了方向。

Members of the leadership collective must raise their political stance. Members of the leadership collective are an important force in implementing democratic centralism and must be politically minded, consider the overall situation, and earnestly fulfill their duties. The Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation puts forward three clear requirements for members of the leadership collective in implementing democratic centralism. First, fully express opinions. Establish a sense of the overall situation, enhance a sense of responsibility, and fully express opinions when studying work. In particular, for work under one's own division of responsibilities, one must thoroughly understand the directives from above and grasp the situation below, putting forward specific opinions for collective decision-making. Second, implement collective decisions. Once a Party organization's decision is made, it must be resolutely implemented and carried through to the end; one must not act on one's own or go one's own way in violation of the collective decision. Third, maintain the unity of the collective. Resolutely oppose erroneous words and deeds such as saying nothing at meetings but gossiping afterwards, or saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back, and jointly maintain unity based on the principle of Party spirit.

班子成员提高政治站位。领导班子成员是贯彻民主集中制的重要力量，必须讲政治、顾大局，切实履行好自己的职责。《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》对领导班子成员贯彻民主集中制提出了三项明确要求。一是充分发表意见。树立全局观念，增强责任意识，在研究工作时充分发表意见。特别是对分工负责的工作，要吃透上情、掌握下情，提出具体意见供集体决策。二是执行集体决定。党组织决定一旦作出，就要坚决执行、一抓到底，不得违背集体决定自作主张、自行其是。三是维护班子团结。坚决反对会上不说、会后乱说，当面一套、背后一套等错误言行，共同维护基于党性原则的团结。

Implementing democratic centralism is a lifelong required course for leading cadres. Only by always adhering to the unity of knowledge and action, deepening theoretical understanding through education and training while enhancing implementation capacity through practical exercise, can one truly become a model practitioner of democratic centralism and continuously provide a strong political guarantee for the development of the Party's and the people's cause.

贯彻民主集中制，是领导干部的终身必修课。只有始终坚持知行合一，既通过教育培训深化理论认知，又通过实践锻炼提升执行能力，才能真正成为民主集中制的模范践行者，持续为党和人民事业发展提供坚强政治保证。

III. Consolidating the Fundamental Guarantee of Institutional Mechanisms

三、夯实制度机制这个根本保障

The exemplary leadership of leading cadres is an important driving force for implementing democratic centralism, while long-term and stable institutional mechanisms are the fundamental guarantee. Currently, in response to the problem of "four insufficiencies" [n8] existing in practical implementation, it is necessary to further strengthen the construction of the democratic centralism institutional system, enhance institutional execution, and effectively transform the advantages of democratic centralism into the Party's political advantages, organizational advantages, institutional advantages, and work advantages.

领导干部的示范引领是贯彻民主集中制的重要动力，而长效稳定的制度机制则是根本保障。当前，针对实践执行中存在的“四个不够”问题，还需进一步加强民主集中制制度体系建设，强化制度执行力，切实将民主集中制的优势变成党的政治优势、组织优势、制度优势与工作优势。

(I) Improving and Developing the System of Intra-Party Democracy

（一）完善发展党内民主制度

Intra-Party democracy is the lifeblood of the Party. To develop intra-Party democracy, it is necessary to establish a sound institutional system with clear subjects, standardized procedures, unimpeded channels, and timely feedback, ensuring that the democratic rights of Party members are implemented.

党内民主是党的生命。发展党内民主，必须健全主体明确、程序规范、渠道畅通、反馈及时的制度体系，确保党员民主权利落到实处。

Improving the system of collective leadership. Adhering to the system of collective leadership and implementing the combination of collective leadership and individual division of responsibilities is an important component of democratic centralism. In accordance with the requirements of the Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation, improving the system of collective leadership should focus on three key links. First, improve the rules of procedure and decision-making procedures for leadership collectives. The scope of deliberation should be clarified, distinguishing the boundary between statutory mandatory items such as the "Three Major and One Major" [n9] and routine work. The standards for reviewing agenda items should be refined, specifying pre-meeting investigation and research, expert assessment, risk prediction, and other preliminary steps for matters involving the overall situation. Decision-making procedures should be standardized: before the meeting, strictly review the completeness of materials; during the meeting, strictly implement the system of the top leader speaking last and the voting system; after the meeting, establish a decision implementation ledger, clarifying the responsible entity and completion deadline. Second, standardize the relationship between the secretary and committee members in terms of powers and responsibilities. Within the leadership collective, the secretary and committee members are equal in political status and have equal decision-making power in participating in major issues. The secretary must be good at promoting democracy and fully listening to the opinions of committee members; committee members must enhance their sense of the overall situation and actively participate in collective decision-making. Establish a regular communication mechanism, standardize the system of democratic life meetings, and create a political atmosphere of democratic discussion and democratic supervision. Third, refine the system of individual division of responsibilities. Establish and implement a system for the division of responsibilities among members of the leadership collective to be reported to the higher-level Party committee for the record as required, releasing the effect of superimposing the authority of collective leadership with the execution of individual division of responsibilities through a system design that matches powers with responsibilities.

健全集体领导制度。坚持集体领导制度，实行集体领导和个人分工负责相结合，是民主集中制的重要组成部分。按照《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》的要求，健全集体领导制度，要重点抓好三个环节。一是完善领导班子议事规则和决策程序。要明确议事范围，区分“三重一大”等法定必议事项与常规工作的边界。细化议题审核标准，对涉及全局的事项明确会前调研论证、专家评估、风险预判等前置环节。规范决策程序，会前严格审核材料完备性；会中严格执行一把手末位表态制、票决制；会后建立决策执行台账，明确责任主体、完成时限。二是规范书记和委员的权责关系。在领导集体内部，书记和委员在政治地位上是平等的，参与重大问题的决策权也是平等的。书记要善于发扬民主，充分听取委员意见；委员要增强全局观念，积极参与集体决策。建立定期沟通机制，规范民主生活会制度，营造民主讨论、民主监督的政治氛围。三是细化个人分工负责制度。建立并落实领导班子成员分工按规定向上级党委报备的制度，通过权责对等的制度设计，释放集体领导的权威性与个人分工的执行力相叠加的效应。

Improving the system for ensuring the extensive participation of Party members in intra-Party political life. Party members are the subjects of intra-Party democracy, and safeguarding the rights of Party members is the foundation for developing intra-Party democracy. It is necessary to follow the Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation and focus on improving three systems. First, improve the system for making Party affairs public. Distinguish between core affairs and routine affairs, classified information and publicly available information, and establish a classified, dynamically adjusted system for making Party affairs public. On the basis of making meetings and documents public, improve the construction of online public platforms. Implement full-process disclosure of major decisions and deployments from deliberation, discussion, implementation, to evaluation, ensuring Party members' right to know. Second, broaden channels for Party members to express opinions. Improve the system for Party members to sit in on meetings of Party committees (Party leadership groups), clarifying the selection mechanism, speaking rights, opinion adoption, and feedback process for Party members sitting in. Improve the system for soliciting opinions and evaluating major intra-Party decisions, involving Party member representatives from different levels and fields in major policy discussions. Build digital participation platforms to expand the breadth and depth of Party members' participation in intra-Party affairs. Third, improve the mechanism for handling and providing feedback on opinions and suggestions. For suggestions related to policy formulation, the lead department should study them and provide feedback on adoption; for demands related to people's livelihood, clarify the processing timeline and publicly announce progress. Implement a system of first-responsibility acceptance, and seriously pursue accountability for those who are perfunctory, procrastinate, or fail to act.

完善保障党员广泛参与党内政治生活的制度。党员是党内民主的主体，保障党员权利是发展党内民主的基础。必须以《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》为遵循，重点健全三项制度。一是健全党务公开制度。区分核心事务与常规事务、涉密信息与可公开信息，建立分类公开、动态调整的党务公开制度体系。在会议公开、文件公开基础上，完善线上公开平台建设。对重大决策部署实行酝酿、讨论、执行、评估全过程公开，保障党员的知情权。二是拓宽党员意见表达渠道。完善党员旁听党委（党组）会议制度，明确旁听党员的遴选机制、发言权利、意见采纳及反馈流程。健全党内重大决策论证评估和征求意见制度，吸纳不同层级、不同领域党员代表参与重大政策研讨。搭建数字化参与平台，拓展党员参与党内事务的广度与深度。三是健全意见建议处理反馈机制。对涉及政策制定的建议，由牵头部门研究并反馈采纳情况；对涉及民生实事的诉求，明确办理时限并公示进展。推行首接负责制，对敷衍塞责、拖延不办的严肃追责。

Improve the institutional mechanisms for better leveraging the role of Party congress delegates. Delegates to Party congresses serve as a bridge and bond between the Party and the masses; better leveraging their representative role is an inevitable requirement for developing intra-Party democracy and pooling the wisdom and strength of all sides. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the closing meeting of the 20th National Congress of the CPC that delegates to the National Congress of the Party must "actively reflect the voices of the vast number of Party members and the masses, and correctly fulfill their representative duties." To implement this important requirement, it is necessary, under the premise of adhering to and improving the principle of the collective leadership system of Party committees (leading Party members' groups), to further refine supporting systems and detail working mechanisms. First, explore establishing a mechanism for delegates to participate in consultations on major decisions. Before Party committees (leading Party members' groups) study major issues, they may, in a planned manner, organize delegates from relevant fields for special discussions or to solicit opinions, fully absorbing their professional insights and grassroots experience. Simultaneously, improve the handling mechanism for delegates' proposals and suggestions, implementing list-based management and closed-loop operation for the opinions and suggestions put forward by delegates, consolidating the responsibility for handling, and ensuring that delegates' voices are effectively transformed into decision-making references. Second, explore establishing a mechanism for delegates to participate in democratic recommendation and democratic evaluation. When conducting annual assessments and mid-term inspections of leading bodies and leading cadres, a certain proportion of relevant delegates may be invited to participate in the democratic recommendation of important cadres in the region, as well as in the democratic evaluation of the leading body of the Party committee at the same level and its members. Delegates may also be organized, as needed, to participate in the evaluation of the work of the Standing Committee of the Party committee at the same level, using their opinions as important references and bases for the Party committee to manage and supervise cadres, strengthen its own construction, and improve its work. Third, improve the system for delegates to attend Party committee meetings as non-voting participants and to maintain contact with Party members and the masses. Establish a categorized invitation mechanism for delegates to attend Party committee meetings as non-voting participants; based on the content of the meeting agenda, invite delegates from relevant fields to attend plenary sessions of the Party committee, Standing Committee meetings, special meetings, etc. Improve the normalized mechanism for delegates to maintain contact with Party members and the masses, relying on community grids, delegate workstations, etc., to deepen the regular contact between delegates and grassroots Party members and the masses. Establish and improve a "direct express" mechanism for delegates to reflect the opinions of the masses, ensuring that voices from the grassroots can be transmitted quickly and smoothly to the decision-making level.

健全更好发挥党代表作用的制度机制。党的代表大会代表是党和人民群众之间的桥梁纽带，更好发挥其代表作用，是发展党内民主、凝聚各方智慧力量的必然要求。习近平总书记在党的二十大闭幕会上指出，党的全国代表大会代表要“积极反映广大党员和人民群众呼声，正确履行代表职责”。落实这一重要要求，必须在坚持和完善党委（党组）集体领导制度原则的前提下，进一步健全配套制度、细化工作机制。一是探索建立党代表参与重大决策咨询的机制。党委（党组）在研究重大问题前，可有计划地组织相关领域党代表进行专题研讨或征求意见，充分吸收其专业见解和基层经验。同步健全代表提案、提议办理机制，对代表提出的意见建议实行清单化管理、闭环化运作，压实办理责任，确保代表声音有效转化为决策参考。二要探索建立党代表参与民主推荐和民主评议的机制。在开展领导班子和领导干部年度考核、届中考察时，可邀请一定比例的相关党代表参与对本地区重要干部的民主推荐，以及对同级党委领导班子及其成员的民主评议。还可根据需要组织代表参与对同级党委常委会工作的评议，将其意见作为党委管理监督干部、加强自身建设、改进工作的重要参考和依据。三要健全党代表列席党委会议、联系党员群众制度。建立代表列席党委会议的分类邀请机制，依据会议议题内容，针对性邀请相关领域代表列席党委全会、常委会会议、专题会议等。完善代表联系党员群众的常态化机制，依托社区网格、代表工作室等，深化代表与基层党员群众的经常性联系。建立健全代表反映群众意见的“直通车”机制，确保基层心声能够快捷、顺畅地传递至决策层面。

(II) Improve the system for implementing correct centralism

（二）完善实行正确集中的制度

Correct centralism is the core essence and key link of democratic centralism. To implement correct centralism, it is necessary to improve relevant institutional arrangements to ensure unified will and unified action throughout the entire Party.

正确集中是民主集中制的核心要义和关键环节。实行正确集中，必须完善相关制度安排，确保全党上下统一意志、统一行动。

Improve the system for implementing the "Two Upholds." [10]10 The “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Inspection Work” (中国共产党巡视工作条例) were revised and promulgated in 2024, specifying the content, procedures, and methods of intra-Party inspection tours. The "Two Upholds" are the highest political principle and fundamental political rule of the Party, and the key to ensuring the Party's centralized unity and strength. The most fundamental requirement for implementing democratic centralism is to resolutely achieve the "Two Upholds." In accordance with the requirements of the "Outline of the Central Regulations on Intra-Party Regulations Work Plan (2023–2027)," improving the system for implementing the "Two Upholds" should focus on improving the following six aspects of the system. First, improve the system for arming the entire Party and educating the people with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, guiding Party members and cadres to deeply grasp the significant meaning and practical requirements of the "Two Upholds." Second, improve the leadership system of the Party Central Committee over major work, based on the "Regulations on the Work of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," and improve supporting systems to ensure that only the Party Central Committee has the right to decide and interpret major policies and issues of national scope. Third, improve the system for the Party Central Committee to lead various types of organizations at all levels, and improve the institutional mechanisms for the Party to lead the People's Congresses, the government, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, judicial organs, the military, people's organizations, enterprises and public institutions, grassroots self-governing organizations, and social organizations. Fourth, improve the implementation mechanism for the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, coordinate the smooth flow of government decrees with adapting measures to local conditions, clarify the core essence of policies and the boundaries of implementation, ensuring that prescribed actions are implemented and self-initiated actions comply with regulations. Fifth, improve the system for ensuring that the entire Party maintains a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee, clarifying the specific requirements for implementing the "Two Upholds" in various fields such as reform, development, and stability; domestic and foreign affairs, national defense; etc. Sixth, improve the system for building the political capabilities of Party members and cadres, making firmly upholding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee the primary task in building the political capabilities of leading bodies and leading cadres.

完善落实“两个维护”制度。“两个维护”是党的最高政治原则和根本政治规矩，是保证全党集中统一、坚强有力的关键。贯彻民主集中制，最根本的要求是坚决做到“两个维护”。按照《中央党内法规制定工作规划纲要（2023—2027年）》要求，完善落实“两个维护”制度，应重点健全以下六个方面制度。一是健全用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装全党、教育人民的制度，引导党员干部深刻把握“两个维护”的重大意义与实践要求。二是健全党中央对重大工作的领导体制，以《中国共产党中央委员会工作条例》为基础，完善配套制度，确保全党全国性重大方针政策问题只有党中央有权决定和解释。三是健全党中央领导各级各类组织的制度，完善党领导人大、政府、政协、司法机关、军队、人民团体、企事业单位、基层自治组织、社会组织的制度机制。四是完善党中央重大决策部署落实机制，统筹政令畅通与因地制宜，明确政策核心要义与实施边界，确保规定动作落实、自选动作合规。五是健全保证全党同党中央保持高度一致的制度，明确在改革发展稳定、内政外交国防等各领域贯彻“两个维护”的具体要求。六是健全党员干部政治能力建设制度，把坚定维护党中央权威和集中统一领导作为领导班子和领导干部政治能力建设的首要任务。

Improve the system for requesting instructions and reporting on major matters. The system for requesting instructions and reporting is an important institutional arrangement for strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The system for requesting instructions and reporting is an important system of our Party and an effective working mechanism for implementing the Party's democratic centralism." Based on the "Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Requesting Instructions and Reporting on Major Matters," refine "list-based" management. First, clarify the core list of "matters that must be requested for instructions." This includes major policies, major principles and issues in the overall work of the Party and the state, matters under the centralized, unified management of the Party Central Committee, and other major matters that can only be led and decided by the Party Central Committee. These must be promptly reported to the Party Central Committee for instructions in strict accordance with prescribed procedures, and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee must be resolutely implemented. Second, clarify the key list of "matters that should be reported." This includes important work progress, major emergencies, etc., which should be reported truthfully and proactively. Third, clarify the negative list of "matters that do not require instructions." Define the scope of routine matters to prevent requesting instructions for everything and excessive reporting. Fourth, establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the lists. Based on the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the needs of actual work, evaluate and adjust the lists for requesting instructions and reporting annually to ensure their pertinence and adaptability.

健全重大事项请示报告制度。请示报告制度是加强党中央集中统一领导的重要制度安排。习近平总书记指出：“请示报告制度是我们党的一项重要制度，是执行党的民主集中制的有效工作机制。”应以《中国共产党重大事项请示报告条例》为基础，细化“清单化”管理。一是明确“必须请示”的核心清单。包括党和国家工作全局中的重大方针政策、重大原则和问题、党中央集中统一管理的事项，以及其他只能由党中央领导和决策的重大事项，必须严格依照规定程序及时向党中央请示报告，并坚决执行党中央决策部署。二是明确“应当报告”的重点清单。包括重要工作进展、重大突发情况等，应当如实、主动报告。三是厘清“无需请示”的负面清单。明确常规事务范围，防止事事请示、过度报告。四是建立清单动态调整机制。根据党中央决策部署和实际工作需要，每年对请示报告清单进行评估调整，确保清单的针对性和适应性。

(III) Strictly enforce the system

（三）严格制度执行

The vitality of the system lies in its enforcement. It is necessary to ensure that democratic centralism is implemented and takes effect through mechanisms such as strengthening supervision, precise accountability, and improving early warning.

制度的生命力在于执行，必须通过强化监督、精准问责、健全预警等机制，确保民主集中制落地见效。

Improve the supervision mechanism. The "Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Intra-Party Supervision" lists the adherence to the principle of democratic centralism as a key focus of supervision. To improve the supervision mechanism for the implementation of democratic centralism, three key points must be highlighted. First, closely monitor the "first in command" and the leading body. In accordance with the "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Strengthening Supervision over the 'First in Command' and the Leading Body," strengthen supervision over the implementation of democratic centralism by the "first in command." Establish a power list for the first in command, clarifying the boundaries of their power in collective decision-making. Establish a system for the regular evaluation of the implementation of democratic centralism by the leading body, incorporating the results into the assessment of political performance. Second, consolidate the "two responsibilities." [11]11 “The three major and one large” matters (三重一大) refer to major decisions, important personnel appointments and removals, major project arrangements, and large sums of funds in use, which must be decided collectively by the leadership body. Higher-level Party organizations must fulfill their comprehensive supervision responsibilities, focusing on supervising the compliance of deliberation and decision-making procedures, the timeliness of requesting instructions and reporting on major matters, etc. Discipline inspection and supervision organs must focus on their political supervision attributes, using democratic centralism as an important yardstick for testing the "Two Upholds," and adopt a "zero tolerance" approach towards acts that violate the principles of the system. Third, strengthen non-Party supervision. Entrust the power of supervision and evaluation to the masses, and improve the mechanism for the coordination and connection between intra-Party supervision and non-Party supervision.

健全监督机制。《中国共产党党内监督条例》将坚持民主集中制情况列为监督重点。健全民主集中制执行情况监督机制，必须突出三个重点。一是紧盯“一把手”和领导班子。要按照《中共中央关于加强对“一把手”和领导班子监督的意见》，加强对“一把手”执行民主集中制情况的监督。建立一把手权力清单，明确其在集体决策中的权力边界。建立领导班子民主集中制执行情况定期评估制度，将结果纳入政绩考核。二是压实“两个责任”。上级党组织要履行好全面监督职责，重点监督议事决策程序合规性、重大事项请示报告及时性等。纪检监察机关要聚焦政治监督属性，将民主集中制作为检验“两个维护”的重要标尺，对违反制度原则的行为“零容忍”。三是加强党外监督。将监督权、评判权交给群众，健全党内监督与党外监督贯通协调机制。

Improve the accountability mechanism. In June 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during the 15th collective study session of the

健全问责机制。2024年6月，习近平总书记在中共中央政治局第十五次集体学习时强调：“健全精准科学的问责机制，层层传导压力。”《中国共产党问责条例》第七条将“严重违反民主集中制原则，不执行领导班子议事决策规则”列为问责情形。实践中必须把握两个重点，推动问责精准化、规范化。一是区分不同情形开展精准问责。对发扬民主不够导致的决策偏差，如未经充分酝酿擅自拍板、压制不同意见造成损失的，要从重追责。对故意规避集体决策、个人擅自改变决议等行为，依据《中国共产党纪律处分条例》严肃处理。对正确集中不够引发的执行偏差，如议而不决导致工作延误、各自为政破坏政策协同，要严肃追究分管领导的落实责任。二是精准界定责任边界，实行分级分类问责。根据过错程度和后果影响，合理确定问责方式。对情节较轻的，予以诫勉谈话并限期整改；对造成重大损失或恶劣影响的，坚决予以组织调整或党纪政务处分。完善容错纠错机制，区分探索性失误与明知故犯行为，保护干部干事创业积极性。

Improve the early-warning mechanism. Democratic centralism is an organic whole comprising the two aspects of democracy and centralism, and it is necessary to improve the early-warning mechanism for imbalances between democracy and centralism. Inspection tours and disciplinary inspections are an important means of early warning. The “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Inspection Work” [10]10 The “Regulations of the Chinese Communist Party on Inspection Work” (中国共产党巡视工作条例) were revised and promulgated in 2024, specifying the content, procedures, and methods of intra-Party inspection tours. include “the implementation of democratic centralism” as a key item in inspection content, providing an institutional basis for early warning of risk signs and correction of implementation deviations. The early-warning mechanism can set up three tiers of indicators: at the decision-making level, the focus is on monitoring the collective decision-making rate for “the three major and one large” matters [11]11 “The three major and one large” matters (三重一大) refer to major decisions, important personnel appointments and removals, major project arrangements, and large sums of funds in use, which must be decided collectively by the leadership body. and the implementation of the first-in-command’s final-speech rule; at the process level, dynamic data such as the rate of speaking at meetings and the rate of adoption of differing opinions are tracked; at the outcome level, the effectiveness of decision implementation and public satisfaction are assessed. By improving the early-warning mechanism, problems of “insufficient democracy” or “inadequate centralism” can be promptly identified and corrected, promoting a dynamic balance between democracy and centralism.

健全预警机制。民主集中制是包含民主与集中两个方面在内的有机整体，需要健全民主与集中失衡的预警机制。巡视巡察是预警的重要方式。《中国共产党巡视工作条例》将“贯彻执行民主集中制”纳入重点巡视内容，为预警风险苗头、纠正执行偏差提供了制度依据。预警机制可设置三重指标：在决策层面，重点监测“三重一大”事项集体决策率、一把手末位表态执行情况；在过程层面，跟踪会议发言率、不同意见采纳率等动态数据；在结果层面，评估决策执行效果与群众满意度。通过健全预警机制，可以及时发现并纠治“民主不足”或“集中不够”的问题，促进民主与集中动态平衡。

Democratic centralism is a scientific, reasonable, and efficient system, and it is the greatest institutional strength of our Party. On the new journey, we must strengthen institutional confidence, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, and, in accordance with the requirements of systematization, continuously improve the institutional system of democratic centralism, strengthen the system’s implementation capacity, ensure the organic unity of democracy and centralism, strive to forge the Party into “a piece of hard steel” [12]12 “A piece of hard steel” (一块坚硬的钢铁) is a metaphor used by Xi Jinping to describe the Party’s unity and discipline, drawn from Mao Zedong’s earlier usage., and provide a strong institutional guarantee for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

民主集中制是科学合理且有效率的制度，是我们党最大的制度优势。新征程上，我们要坚定制度自信，坚持守正创新，按照系统性要求，不断完善民主集中制的制度体系，强化制度执行力，确保民主与集中有机统一，努力把党锻造成“一块坚硬的钢铁”，为推进中国式现代化提供坚强制度保障。

About the authors: Wu Hui is a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Party Building at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance); Ding Yongqiang is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Party Building at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance).

作者简介：吴辉，中共中央党校（国家行政学院）党的建设教研部教授、博士生导师；丁勇强，中共中央党校（国家行政学院）党的建设教研部博士研究生。