拓展民主的制度空间:构建一种新的基层民主发展观

随着城市化和社会结构的转型以及各类新兴政治空间的生成,基层民主政治越来越需要超越传统的"非国家政权"的社会空间领域,需要着眼于基层政权和社会的政治联系,建构一种新的基层民主发展观.这种基层民主发展模式不仅包括程序意义上的民主选举,而且也包括以乡镇、区县和街道等基层政权组织为核心所形成的民主参与、政治沟通和社会治理机制.在基层政权的制度平台上来加以开发和累积民主经验,这是中国政治发展的内在需要,也是和谐社会建设的必然选择,它不仅有助于提升基层群众自治的发展内涵,而且对于社会的和谐稳定以及更高程度的政治发展来说都具有长远的战略意义.

Expanding the Democratic Institutional Space in China:Towards a New Pattern of Grassroots Democracy

In the context of urbanization and social transformation that have generated many new political spaces,grassroots democracy in China faces both challenges and opportunities.This paper raises a proposition that the institutional framework for grassroots democracy should be expanded by extending the democratic mechanism into local government rather than limited in state-led social organizations such as villagers committee and urban residents committee.The new framework moves beyond the traditional concept of democratic self-governance.This new pattern also meets the further development of Chinese democracy and the harmonious society construction program.It would consolidate the current practice of grassroots self-governance and bring the long-term strategic effects on the social stability and the political development of larger-scale.