Socialist Consultative Democracy
In a document on improving socialist consultative democracy released in 2015, the CPC Central Committee pointed out that consultative democracy is an important way to practice democracy under the CPC leadership. Extensive consultations are made before any decision concerning major issues of reform, development, or stability that affect people’s immediate interests is made or during its implementation, so as to reach consensus among the people.
The report to the 19th CPC National Congress pointed out that the essence of the people’s democracy is that the people get to discuss their own affairs. Consultative democracy is an important way of effecting Party leadership and a model and strength unique to China’s socialist democracy.
Socialist consultative democracy is an important way to realize people’s democracy with Chinese features. As a distinctive Chinese political institution, the CPPCC is a major channel for socialist consultative democracy, and its committees are special consultative bodies.
The report to the 19th CPC National Congress required efforts to be made to advance extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy, and adopt a coordinated approach to promoting consultations carried out by political parties, people’s congresses, government departments, CPPCC committees, people’s organizations, communities, and social organizations. The institutions of consultative democracy need to be strengthened, and complete procedures and practices be developed to enable the people’s broad, continuous, and intensive participation in day-to-day political activities.
社会主义协商民主
2015年中共中央印发的《关于加强社会主义协商民主建设的意见》中指出: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。中共十九大报告中指出,有事好商量,众人的事情由众人商量,是人民民主的真谛。协商民主是实现中国共产党的领导的重要方式,是中国社会主义民主政治的特有形式和独特优势。社会主义协商民主,具有鲜明的中国特色,是人民民主的重要形式。人民政协是具有中国特色的制度安排,是社会主义协商民主的重要渠道和专门协商机构。中共十九大报告要求,推动协商民主广泛、多层、制度化发展,统筹推进政党协商、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。加强协商民主制度建设,形成完整的制度程序和参与实践,保证人民在日常政治生活中有广泛持续深入参与的权利。