Settling Old Accounts Is the Duty of Governance

General

习近平总书记指出，政绩“既体现在即期见效的显绩上，也体现在打基础、增后劲、利长远的潜绩上；既体现在解决现实矛盾上，也体现在解决历史遗留问题上”，强调“杜绝新官不理旧账和‘形象工程’、‘政绩工程’”。习近平总书记的重要论述为广大党员干部躬身为民、勤政务实指明了方向。治理的责任、为民的承诺，不能因干部职务调整而中断。理好旧账，才能赓续事业发展、赢得群众信任，是领导干部应该扛起的为政之责。

Bringing benefit to the people is the fundamental purpose of governance. Old accounts are unfinished undertakings for the people's wellbeing, linking the urgent concerns and difficulties of countless households and the bottlenecks and pain points of enterprise development. In reality, a small number of Party cadres are keen on constructing "quick-fix" "bonsai projects," [1]1 "Bonsai projects" (盆景工程) refers to showcase projects that are small in scale, superficial, and designed only for appearance, like a potted bonsai, rather than addressing substantive issues. while sidestepping or even turning a blind eye to the "tough nuts" left by their predecessors that bear on the immediate interests of the masses. This mentality of "avoiding trouble" reflects a disregard for the safety, warmth, and hardships of the masses. If old accounts are allowed to accumulate layer upon layer like a "game of passing the flower drum," [2]2 "Game of passing the flower drum" (击鼓传花) is a traditional Chinese game in which a flower is passed around while a drum beats; when the drum stops, the person holding the flower must perform a forfeit. Here it is used as a metaphor for shifting problems from one person to the next. it will not only trap grassroots governance in a cycle of inefficiency but also severely deplete the credibility of the Party and government. Settling old accounts means both clearing "historical debts" and restoring the people's trust. The interests of the masses must be placed first, old accounts must be treated as a list of issues concerning the people's wellbeing, and every effort must be made to resolve difficulties for the masses, truly living up to the responsibility to history and to the people.

造福于民，是为政的根本目的。旧账是未竟的民生事业，连着千家万户的急难愁盼，连着企业发展的堵点难点。现实中，少数党员干部热衷于搞“短平快”的“盆景工程”，对前任留下、事关群众切身利益的“硬骨头”绕道而行，甚至视而不见。这种“避事”心理，折射出的是对群众安危冷暖的漠视。如果任由旧账如“击鼓传花”般层层积压，不仅会让基层治理陷入低效循环，更会严重透支党和政府的公信力。理旧账，既是在清理“历史欠账”，也是在修复群众口碑。必须把群众利益放在第一位，把旧账看作民生问题清单，千方百计为群众排忧解难，真正做到对历史负责、对人民负责。

The reason some Party cadres refuse to settle old accounts lies in a cognitive deviation regarding the relationship between visible achievements and latent achievements, and between old accounts and new accomplishments. They believe that settling old accounts is "a thankless task" and that "the credit goes to the predecessors." In reality, visible achievements and latent achievements, old accounts and new accomplishments, have never been separate. The process of resolving old accounts is also a process of investigation and research, through which one can ascertain the real situation, gauge public opinion, grasp the essence of problems beneath surface contradictions, and identify the key factors constraining development. Only by identifying weaknesses and shortcomings can measures be tailored to local conditions and specific issues, laying the foundation for blazing a new path of development and making new accomplishments. Settling old accounts is not only about resolving historical leftover problems but also about clearing obstacles for the cause and accumulating momentum for development, thereby yielding long-term "dividends" for the future. Party cadres must take up the baton with the broad-mindedness of "success need not be mine" [3]3 "Success need not be mine" (功成不必在我) is a well-known saying of the CPC, often attributed to the and tackle thorny issues with the sense of responsibility that "success must have me in it," [4] breaking new ground and making new achievements by gnawing at "tough nuts," laying a foundation for those who come after, and accumulating strength for future development.

有的党员干部之所以不理旧账，原因在于对显绩与潜绩、旧账与新功的关系出现了认识偏差，认为理旧账“出力不讨好”“功劳算在前人身上”。实际上，显绩与潜绩、旧账与新功从来不是割裂的。解决旧账的过程，也是调查研究的过程，从中可以察实情、摸民意，可以透过表面矛盾抓住问题本质，找到制约发展的关键因素。只有摸清了短板弱项，才能因地制宜、因事施策，为蹚出一条发展新路、建立新功奠定基础。理旧账，不仅是解决历史遗留问题，更是在为事业清障、为发展积势，能够为未来发展留下长远“红利”。党员干部要以“功成不必在我”的胸怀接过接力棒，以“功成必定有我”的担当解决棘手事，在啃下“硬骨头”中破局开路、建立新功，为后人打下基础，为未来发展积蓄力量。

The difficulty of resolving old accounts lies in their complex causes and intertwined contradictions; relying solely on individual enthusiasm can easily lead to a situation of "having the will but lacking the power." To ensure that new officials settle old accounts, it is also necessary to focus on improving relevant systems and strengthening their implementation, turning the settlement of old accounts from a "choice" into a "required task." In recent years, many localities have made beneficial explorations in this regard: establishing rigid constraint mechanisms for handover upon leaving office, transforming "oral handovers" into "account transfers"; promoting the normalization and itemization of resolving historical leftover problems to break the mindset of lazy governance; and incorporating the resolution of historical leftover problems into the performance evaluation system for political achievements, forming a closed loop of responsibility. These institutional practices both compel incumbents to abide by rules and uphold bottom lines and clarify the responsibilities of successors. Through a "combination punch" of rigid constraints and positive incentives, a favorable atmosphere for work and entrepreneurship is fostered, where "the predecessors plant trees and the successors continue to tend them." It is necessary to further improve the full-chain mechanism of departure audits, responsibility transfer, and lifelong accountability. On the one hand, we must take a tough stance against "officials who do nothing" and "shifting blame and evading responsibility"; on the other hand, we must improve incentive mechanisms, provide support and encouragement to Party cadres who dare to gnaw at "tough nuts," and allow those who get things done to stand out.

解决旧账之难，难在成因复杂、矛盾交织，单凭个人热情易陷于“有心无力”的境地。要使新官理旧账，还要着力完善相关制度、强化制度执行，让理旧账从“选择题”变成“必答题”。近年来，多地在这方面进行了有益探索：建立离任交接刚性约束机制，让“口头交接”变为“账目移交”；推动解决历史遗留问题常态化、清单化，破除懒政思维；将化解历史遗留问题纳入政绩考核评价体系，建立起责任闭环。这些制度实践既倒逼在任者讲规矩、守底线，也使继任者明确责任。通过刚性约束与正向激励的“组合拳”，形成“前人栽树、后人续护”的干事创业良好氛围。要进一步健全离任审计、责任移交、终身追责的全链条机制，一方面，对“为官不为”“甩锅推责”动真碰硬；另一方面，完善激励机制，为敢于啃“硬骨头”的党员干部撑腰鼓劲，让实干家脱颖而出。

Governance values constancy; administration requires persistence. A good blueprint can only become a beautiful reality if it is followed through to the end and carried out consistently from start to finish. Party cadres should adopt a higher political standpoint, integrate their personal actions into the broader landscape of the cause of the Party and the state, and, like running a relay race, pass the baton from one to the next and keep going. With an indomitable spirit, a sense of responsibility that says "if not me, who," and persistent, solid work, they should transform the "problem list" into the people's "happiness bill," delivering an outstanding performance in fulfilling their duties.

政贵有恒，治须有常。好的蓝图，只有一抓到底、善始善终，才能成为美好现实。党员干部应以更高的政治站位，将个人所为融入党和国家事业发展大局，像跑接力赛一样，一棒一棒接着干下去，以一往无前的姿态、舍我其谁的担当、锲而不舍的实干，把“问题清单”转化为群众的“幸福账单”，交出一份优异的履职答卷。