Continuously Enhancing the People’s Capacity to Participate in Whole-Process People’s Democracy

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the People’s Congresses” (October 13, 2021), in Xi Jinping, *The Governance of China*, Vol. 4, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2022, p. 256. made strategic arrangements for improving the system of whole-process people’s democracy, clearly stating the need to “enrich democratic forms at all levels and concretely and realistically embody the people being the masters of the country in all aspects of national political life and social life.” The people are the masters of the country and the subjects of democratic practice. Developing whole-process people’s democracy must adhere to a people-centered approach, continuously enhance the people’s capacity and level of participation in democratic practice, and consolidate a powerful joint force for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

党的二十届三中全会就健全全过程人民民主制度体系作出战略部署，明确提出要“丰富各层级民主形式，把人民当家作主具体、现实体现到国家政治生活和社会生活各方面”。人民是国家的主人，是民主实践的主体。发展全过程人民民主必须坚持以人民为中心，不断提升人民参与民主实践的能力水平，凝聚起推进中国式现代化的强大合力。

I. Enhancing the People’s Subjective Consciousness of Participating in Whole-Process People’s Democracy through Extensive Publicity and Education

一、以广泛宣传教育提升人民参与全过程人民民主的主体自觉

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “A democracy in which the people have only the right to vote but no right to participate widely, in which the people are awakened only when voting and fall into a dormant state after voting, is a formalistic democracy.” [2]2 “Counting beans” (数豆豆) refers to an ancient method of voting or tallying by placing beans or similar objects into containers, a traditional practice in some Chinese rural communities before modern voting technology was introduced. Only by cultivating the people’s subjective consciousness through extensive and sustained publicity and education, enabling the masses to consciously participate in the entire process and all links of democratic practice, can the superiority of the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics be demonstrated. It is necessary to strengthen theoretical arming and enhance the people’s scientific understanding of whole-process people’s democracy. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments focusing on whole-process people’s democracy, forming a theoretical system of people’s democracy with rich connotations and a complete structure. To enhance the people’s subjective consciousness of participating in whole-process people’s democracy, the primary task is to strengthen the publicity and interpretation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on whole-process people’s democracy, deepen the people’s understanding and grasp of whole-process people’s democracy in terms of its value, organization, and system, and cultivate the concepts and abilities to correctly understand and scientifically evaluate people’s democracy.

习近平总书记指出：“人民只有投票的权利而没有广泛参与的权利，人民只有在投票时被唤醒、投票后就进入休眠期，这样的民主是形式主义的。”只有通过广泛持续的宣传教育培育人民的主体意识，使人民群众自觉参与到民主实践的全过程和各环节，才能彰显中国特色社会主义民主政治的优越性。要加强理论武装，增强人民对全过程人民民主的科学认知。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记聚焦全过程人民民主提出了一系列新思想、新观点、新论断，形成了内涵丰富、系统完备的人民民主理论体系。提升人民参与全过程人民民主的主体自觉，首要的是加强对习近平总书记关于全过程人民民主重要论述的宣传阐释，深化人民群众对全过程人民民主在价值上、组织上以及制度上的理解和把握，形成正确认识和科学评价人民民主的观念和能力。

It is necessary to attach importance to value guidance and enhance the people’s emotional identification with whole-process people’s democracy. Faced with the chaos caused by Western countries vigorously promoting “Western-style democracy” on a global scale, General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly stated: “There are multiple ways to

要重视价值引领，增强人民对全过程人民民主的情感认同。面对西方国家在全球范围内大力推销“西式民主”引发的乱象，习近平总书记旗帜鲜明地指出：“实现民主有多种方式，不可能千篇一律。”提升人民参与全过程人民民主的主体自觉，必须不断凸显全过程人民民主的文明底蕴和中国特色，通过广泛宣传新中国成立以来特别是新时代以来全过程人民民主取得的历史性成就，不断增强人民群众的制度自信，强化其参与全过程人民民主的信心。

We must adhere to a practice-oriented approach and enhance the people’s conscious action in participating in whole-process people’s democracy. We should focus on the issues of greatest concern to the people, those most directly related to their interests, and those most pressing in reality, to strengthen education on democracy and the rule of law. We should promote the formation among the masses of legal awareness, rule consciousness, and civic consciousness that correspond to the needs for a better life, clarifying the procedures and rules for democratic elections, democratic consultations, democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic oversight. Through scientific and effective democratic practice, the people can reflect their own aspirations, safeguard their own rights and interests, and enhance their own well-being.

要坚持实践导向，增强人民参与全过程人民民主的行动自觉。应聚焦人民最关心、最直接、最现实的利益问题加强民主法治教育，推动人民群众形成与美好生活需要相适应的法律意识、规则意识和公民意识等，明确民主选举、民主协商、民主决策、民主管理、民主监督的程序和规则，通过科学有效的民主实践反映自身愿望、维护自身权益、增进自身福祉。

II. Strengthening the Institutional Guarantees for People’s Participation in Whole-Process People’s Democracy through Reform of Systems and Mechanisms

二、以体制机制改革强化人民参与全过程人民民主的制度保障

Developing socialist democratic politics means embodying the people’s will, safeguarding the people’s rights and interests, stimulating the people’s creative vitality, and using the institutional system to ensure that the people are the masters of the country. From the perspective of institutional design, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China has accelerated the process of standardizing and proceduralizing democratic politics, forming a comprehensive, extensive, and organically connected institutional system for the people being the masters of the country, effectively ensuring that the people are the masters of the country. At the same time, it must also be recognized that democratic institutions are historical and developmental; we must focus on the new expectations and new demands of the people for political participation, and continuously improve the institutional system of whole-process people’s democracy in the course of further comprehensively deepening reform.

发展社会主义民主政治就是要体现人民意志、保障人民权益、激发人民创造活力，用制度体系保证人民当家作主。从制度设计看，党的十八大以来，我国加快推进民主政治的规范化和程序化进程，形成了全面、广泛、有机衔接的人民当家作主制度体系，有效保证了人民当家作主。同时也要看到，民主制度是历史的、发展的，必须聚焦人民群众对政治参与的新期待、新要求，在进一步全面深化改革中持续完善全过程人民民主制度体系。

We must strengthen the construction of the system for the people being the masters of the country. We should continuously enrich the channels and forms for people’s congress deputies to connect with the masses, improve the working mechanisms for soliciting public opinion and gathering popular wisdom, and promote the institutionalization and standardization of representative liaison mechanisms and platforms for expressing public opinion, such as “homes for people’s congress deputies,” “liaison stations for people’s congress deputies,” and grassroots legislative and oversight contact points. This will enable people’s congress deputies, in the process of extensively engaging with the masses and conducting investigation and research, to effectively publicize the major policies of the Party Central Committee and the national development goals and tasks, drive the masses to offer suggestions and proposals for the reform and development of their own industries and fields, and ensure that the people’s voices and wisdom are efficiently and smoothly transmitted to all links of the Party and the state, including decision-making, implementation, oversight, and enforcement.

要加强人民当家作主制度建设。要不断丰富人大代表联系人民群众的渠道和形式，健全吸纳民意、汇集民智工作机制，推动“人大代表之家”“人大代表联络站”和基层立法、监察联系点等代表联络机制和民意表达平台制度化、规范化，使人大代表能够在广泛深入群众、开展调查研究的过程中有效宣传党中央大政方针和国家发展目标任务，带动人民群众为本行业、本领域改革发展建言献策，推动人民声音和智慧高效畅通地传递到党和国家决策、执行和监督落实等各个环节。

We must improve the mechanisms for consultative democracy. Promote the extension of consultative work, such as people’s congress consultation, government consultation, and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference consultation, to the grassroots level, making matters of urgent concern to the masses the focus of consultation. Promote in-depth consultative interaction and full expression of opinions among consultation subjects, including experts, scholars, social organizations, and representatives of the masses, both before major decisions are made and during the process of their implementation. Improve the working mechanisms for people’s organizations to participate in consultations through various channels, and the coordination and linkage mechanisms for the construction of grassroots consultative democracy. Use the institutional advantages of grassroots consultative democracy in closely connecting with the masses to stimulate new momentum for the masses to engage in consultation and self-governance.

要健全协商民主机制。推动人大协商、政府协商、政协协商等协商工作向基层延伸，把群众急难愁盼的事项作为协商重点，推动专家学者、社会组织、群众代表等协商主体实现重大决策之前和决策实施过程中的深度协商互动和意见充分表达。完善人民团体参与各渠道协商的工作机制、基层协商民主建设协调联动机制，以基层协商民主密切联系群众的制度优势激发人民群众协商自治的新动能。

We must improve the systems for grassroots democracy. Perfect the institutional system and working system of grassroots democracy, clarifying the content, procedures, and forms for the people’s participation in grassroots democratic practice; broaden the channels for the masses to participate in grassroots governance in an orderly manner. Use fairer governance opportunities, more diverse governance platforms, and more efficient governance effectiveness to enhance the people’s initiative, creativity, and activeness in participating in grassroots governance, cultivating the people’s political quality and participation capacity in the most direct, extensive, and vivid democratic practice.

要健全基层民主制度。完善基层民主制度体系和工作体系，明确人民群众参与基层民主实践的内容、程序和形式；拓宽群众有序参与基层治理渠道，以更公平的治理机会、更多元的治理平台、更高效的治理效率提升人民群众参与基层治理的积极性、主动性、创造性，在最直接、最广泛、最生动的民主实践中培育人民群众的政治素质和参与能力。

III. Stimulating the Abundant Vitality of People’s Participation in Whole-Process People’s Democracy through Economic and Social Development

三、以经济社会发展激发人民参与全过程人民民主的充沛活力

In terms of reality, democracy is a mass practical activity carried out under specific social and historical conditions, inevitably influenced by multiple factors such as the level of economic development and historical and cultural traditions. Standing at a new historical starting point, we must promote construction in various fields with a systematic concept, and stimulate the vitality of people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy through the stable development of the economy and society.

就现实性而言，民主是在特定的社会历史条件下展开的群众性实践活动，必然受到经济发展水平、历史文化传统等多方面因素影响。站在新的历史起点上，必须以系统观念统筹推进各领域建设，以经济社会的稳定发展激发人民参与全过程人民民主的活力。

We must solidly promote high-quality economic development and consolidate the material foundation for people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “A country’s political system is determined by its economic and social foundation.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the People’s Congresses” (October 13, 2021), in Xi Jinping, *The Governance of China*, Vol. 4, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2022, p. 256. As an important part of the superstructure, whole-process people’s democracy is equally inseparable from the strong support of economic development. On the new journey, we should firmly grasp new quality productive forces as an important focal point for promoting high-quality development, use a series of new technologies, new industries, and new business forms to shape new advantages and new drivers for China’s economic development, promote the formation of new relations of production that correspond to them, and provide a solid economic foundation and material guarantee for the people’s extensive participation in whole-process people’s democracy.

要扎实推动经济高质量发展，夯实人民参与全过程人民民主的物质基础。习近平总书记指出：“一个国家的政治制度决定于这个国家的经济社会基础。”全过程人民民主作为上层建筑的重要内容，同样离不开经济发展的有力支撑。新征程上，应牢牢把握新质生产力这一推动高质量发展的重要着力点，以一系列新技术、新产业、新业态塑造我国经济发展的新优势、新动能，推动形成与之相适应的新型生产关系，为人民广泛参与全过程人民民主提供坚实的经济基础和物质保障。

We must continuously raise the level of social civility and consolidate the spiritual strength for people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy. A country’s democratic model is highly correlated with its historical and cultural traditions. We should deeply explore the democratic modes of thinking, ideological elements, and practical experience contained in fine traditional Chinese culture, and thicken the cultural foundation of whole-process people’s democracy. We should stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation, use more and better-quality cultural services and products to spread the spirit of democracy, and create value orientations and good customs that respect democracy, participate in democracy, and develop democracy.

要不断提升社会文明程度，凝聚人民参与全过程人民民主的精神力量。一国的民主模式与其历史文化传统具有高度的关联性，应深入挖掘中华优秀传统文化蕴含的民主思维方式、思想元素和实践经验，厚植全过程人民民主的文化根基。应激发全民族文化创新创造活力，以更多更优质的文化服务和产品传播民主精神，营造尊重民主、参与民主、发展民主的价值导向和良好风尚。

We must resolutely safeguard national security and social stability, and create a favorable environment for people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy. Historical experience in the development of human political civilization shows that security is the prerequisite and foundation of democracy. Without a harmonious and stable social environment, any democratic model will lose its luster, become ineffective, or even fail. We should adhere to the guidance of a holistic approach to national security, effectively consolidate the mass foundation of national security, and effectively prevent risks in various fields faced by people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy. We should strengthen the legal guarantee for whole-process people’s democracy, enabling the people to exercise their democratic rights and fulfill their democratic obligations on the track of the rule of law, resolve contradictions and conflicts in the process of democratic practice through legal means, and effectively maintain social harmony and stability.

要坚决维护国家安全和社会稳定，打造人民参与全过程人民民主的良好环境。人类政治文明发展的历史经验表明，安全是民主的前提和基础。离开和谐稳定的社会环境，任何民主模式都会失色、失灵乃至失败。应坚持以总体国家安全观为指引，切实筑牢国家安全的群众基础，有效防范人民参与全过程人民民主面临的各领域风险。应加强全过程人民民主的法治保障，使人民在法治轨道上行使民主权利、履行民主义务，以法治方式化解民主实践过程中的矛盾和冲突，有效维护社会的和谐稳定。

IV. Enriching the Methods and Means of People’s Participation in Whole-Process People’s Democracy through the Application of Technological Innovation

四、以技术创新运用丰富人民参与全过程人民民主的方式方法

Technology is an important condition and guarantee for the realization of democracy. From “counting beans” [2]2 “Counting beans” (数豆豆) refers to an ancient method of voting or tallying by placing beans or similar objects into containers, a traditional practice in some Chinese rural communities before modern voting technology was introduced. to electronic voting, from the masses running errands to “data running errands,” the forms and channels of democratic participation in our country have continuously expanded along with the development of science and technology, making people’s democracy more warm, broad, and effective. With the vigorous development of a new round of technological revolution, it is necessary to accelerate the technological empowerment of whole-process people’s democracy and continuously enhance the people’s sense of participation and sense of gain in whole-process people’s democracy.

.技术是民主实现的重要条件保障。从“数豆豆”到电子投票，从群众跑腿到“数据跑路”，我国民主参与形式和参与渠道伴随科学技术的发展而不断拓展，人民民主更具温度、广度和效度。随着新一轮科技革命的蓬勃发展，必须加快全过程人民民主的技术赋能，不断提升人民群众对全过程人民民主的参与感、获得感。

Technological innovation should be used to enhance participation efficiency and reduce the participation cost of whole-process people’s democracy. The people’s need for a better life is comprehensive and multi-dimensional, and practical activities in different fields entail different opportunity costs. It is necessary to promote the widespread application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing in whole-process people’s democracy, effectively integrating them into the entire process of democratic practices such as democratic elections, democratic consultations, democratic decision-making, democratic management, and democratic supervision, improving the speed and efficiency of will integration, consultation and deliberation, and public opinion feedback, and reducing the time cost and economic cost of the people’s participation in democratic practice activities.

要以技术创新提升参与效率，降低全过程人民民主的参与成本。人民美好生活需要是全方面、多维度的，不同领域的实践活动意味着不同的机会成本。要推动人工智能、大数据、云计算等新兴技术在全过程人民民主中的广泛运用，有效融入民主选举、民主协商、民主决策、民主管理、民主监督等民主实践的全过程，提高意愿整合、协商议事、民意反馈的速度和效率，降低人民群众参与民主实践活动的时间成本和经济成本。

Technological innovation should be used to broaden participation channels and improve the convenience of the people’s participation in whole-process people’s democracy. Build integrated platforms such as digital people’s congresses, digital political consultative conferences, and digital government that are connected from top to bottom, cover the entire area, and advance in coordination, forming a democratic participation mechanism featuring two-way interaction, multi-governance, and integrated development, providing more flexible and convenient participation channels for the people’s expression of demands, coordination of interests, and protection of rights and interests. Promote the popularization and extension of digital democracy platforms, broaden the spatiotemporal boundaries of the people’s participation in democratic practices in rural areas and remote mountainous areas, and ensure the people’s right to equal participation and equal development.

要以技术创新拓宽参与渠道，提高人民参与全过程人民民主的便利性。打造上下贯通、全域覆盖、协同并进的数字人大、数字政协、数字政府等一体化平台，形成双向互动、多元共治、融合发展的民主参与机制，为人民群众的诉求表达、利益协调和权益保障等提供更加灵活便捷的参与渠道。推动数字化民主平台的普及和推广，拓宽农村地区和偏远山区人民群众参与民主实践的时空边界，保证人民平等参与、平等发展权利。

Technological innovation should be used to enrich participation methods and stimulate the people’s enthusiasm for participating in whole-process people’s democracy. More networked, digital, and intelligent technological products should be provided so that the people can adapt to democratic practices in different fields, participate in discussions on a wider range of topics, and promote more scientific democratic decision-making. Leverage the characteristics and advantages of emerging technologies such as decentralization, scenario-based application, and large-scale deployment to provide specialized services for groups of different ages, genders, and industries, continuously meeting the people’s individualized democratic needs.

要以技术创新丰富参与方式，激发人民参与全过程人民民主的积极性。要提供更多网络化、数字化、智能化技术产品，使人民群众能够适应不同领域的民主实践、参与更大范围的议题讨论、推动更加科学的民主决策等。发挥新兴技术去中心化、场景化、规模化等特性和优势，为不同年龄、不同性别、不同行业群体提供专门性服务，不断满足人民群众的个性化民主需求。

(Author biographies: Liu Shiqiang, Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics; Zhou Jie, Doctoral Student of the School of Marxism, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

（作者简介：刘世强，西南财经大学马克思主义学院副院长、教授；周杰，西南财经大学马克思主义学院博士生）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧

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