VI. Unswervingly Developing Socialist Democracy
People's democracy is the lifeblood of socialism. The Party has been consistently pursuing the goal of developing socialist democracy. Since China began its reform and opening up, we have made vigorous yet steady efforts to promote political restructuring, and socialist democracy has demonstrated greater vitality in the country. As an important part of the overall reform, political restructuring must be constantly deepened along with economic and social development to adapt to the growing enthusiasm of the people for participation in political affairs.We must keep to the path of political development under socialism with Chinese characteristics, and integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law. We must uphold and improve the system of people's congresses, the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of self-governance at the primary level of society. Allthis will promote continuous self-improvement and development of the socialist political system.
In deepening political restructuring, we must keep to the correct political orientation. On the basis of ensuring the people's position as masters of the country, we will expand socialist democracy, build a socialist country under the rule of law and develop socialist political civilization to enhance the vitality of the Party and the state and arouse the initiative of the people. We must uphold the Party's role as the core of leadership in directing the overall situation and coordinating the efforts of all quarters, and improve its capacity for scientific, democratic and law-based governance to ensure that the Party leads the people in effectively governing the country. We must ensure that all power of the state belongs to the people, expand the citizens' orderly participation in political affairs at each level and in every field, and mobilize and organize the people as extensively as possible to manage state and social affairs as well as economic and cultural programs in accordance with the law. We must uphold the rule of law as a fundamental principle and adopt the socialist concept of law-based governance to ensure that all work of the state is based on the law and that the legitimate rights and interests of citizens are safeguarded. We must maintain the features and advantages of the socialist political system and define institutions, standards and procedures for socialist democracy to provide political and legal guarantees of lasting stability for the Party and the country.
1.Expand people's democracy and ensure that they are masters of the country.The essence and core of socialist democracy are that the people are masters of the country. We need to improve institutions for democracy, diversify its forms and expand its channels, and we need to carry out democratic election, decision-making, administration and oversight in accordance with the law to guarantee the people's rights to be informed, to participate, to be heard, and to oversee.We must support people's congresses in performing their functions pursuant to law and effectively turn the Party's propositions into the will of the state through legal procedures. We must ensure that deputies to people's congresses exercise their functions and powers in accordance with the law and maintain close ties with the general public.We propose that both urban and rural areas gradually adopt the same ratio of deputies to the represented population in elections of deputies to people's congresses.We must strengthen the institutions of standing committees of people's congresses and improve their membership composition in terms of intellectual background and age. We will support the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in performing its functions centered on the two major themes of unity and democracy and improve the system of political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs. We will incorporate political consultation in decision-making procedures, improve democratic oversight and ensure that the CPPCC participates in the deliberation and administration of state affairs more effectively. The CPPCC is encouraged to improve itself and play its important role in coordinating relations, pooling strengths, making proposals and serving the overall interests of the country. We must ensure equality among all ethnic groups and guarantee the right of ethnic autonomous areas to exercise autonomy pursuant to law. To ensure scientific and democratic decision-making, we will improve the information and intellectual support for it, increase its transparency and expand public participation in it. In principle, public hearings must be held for the formulation of laws, regulations and policies that bear closely on the interests of the public. We need to step up education about citizenship and establish socialist concepts of democracy, the rule of law, freedom, equality, equity and justice. We support trade unions, the Communist Youth League, women's federations and other people's organizations in functioning in accordance with the law and their respective charters, participating in social management and public services and helping protect the people's legitimate rights and interests.
2.Develop primary-level democracy and ensure that the people enjoy democratic rights in a more extensive and practical way. The most effective and extensive way for the people to be masters of the country is that they directly exercise their democratic rights in accordance with the law to manage public affairs and public service programs at the primary level, practiceself-management, self-service, self-education and self-oversight, and exercise democratic oversight over cadres. Such practices must be emphasized and promoted as the groundwork for developing socialist democracy. We need to improvethe dynamic mechanism of people's self-governance at the primary level under the leadership of primary Party organizations, expand the scope of self-governance, and improve the institution for democratic management, with a view to turning urban and rural neighborhoods into communities of social life that are well managed, supported by complete services, and filled with civility and harmony. We must rely wholeheartedly on the working class, improve the democratic management system in enterprises and public institutions with workers' conferences as its basic form and increase transparency in factory affairs to support workers' participation in management and to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. We need to deepen institutional reforms at the town and township level to strengthen government authorities there and improve the systems for transparency in government and village affairs to bring about effective connection and beneficial interaction between government administration and primary-level self-governance. We also encourage social organizations to help expand the participation by the public and report on their petitions to improve the self-governance capability of society.
3.Comprehensively implement the rule of law as a fundamental principle and speed up the building of a socialist country under the rule of law.The rule of law constitutes the essential requirement of socialist democracy. We must persist in scientific and democratic legislation to improve the socialist law system with Chinese characteristics. We will strengthen the enforcement of the Constitution and laws, ensure that all citizens are equal before the law, and safeguard social equity and justice and the consistency, sanctity and authority of the socialist legal system. We need to carry out government administration in accordance with the law.We need to deepen the reform of the judiciary system, optimize the distribution of judicial functions and powers, standardize judicial practices, and build a fair, efficient and authoritative socialist judiciary system to ensure that courts and procuratorates exercise their respective powers independently and impartially in accordance with the law.We need to improve the overall quality of judicial, procuratorial and public security personnel to ensure that law enforcement is strict, impartial and civilized. We need to step up the education campaign to increase public awareness of law, and promote the spirit of the rule of law, creating a social environment in which people study, abide by and apply laws of their own accord. We must respect and safeguard human rights, and ensure the equal right to participation and development for all members of society in accordance with the law. Party organizations at all levels and all Party members must act under the Constitution and laws on their own initiative and take the lead in upholding the authority of the Constitution and laws.
4.Expand the patriotic united front and unite with all forces that can be united. Promoting harmony in relations between political parties, between ethnic groups, between religions, between social strata, and between our compatriots at home and overseas plays an irreplaceable role in enhancing unity and pooling strengths. Acting onthe principle of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing of both good and bad times, we will strengthen our cooperation with the democratic parties, support them and personages without party affiliation in better performing their functions of participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs and democratic oversight, and select and recommend a greater number of outstanding non-CPC persons for leading positions. Keeping in mind the objective of all ethnic groups working together for common prosperity and development, we must guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities, and strengthen and develop socialist ethnic relations based on equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony. We will fully implement the Party's basic principle for its work related to religious affairs and bring into play the positive role of religious personages and believers in promoting economic and social development. We encourage members of emerging social strata to take an active part in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will conscientiously follow the Party's policy on overseas Chinese affairs and support overseas Chinese nationals, returned overseas Chinese and their relatives in caring about and participating in the modernization drive and the great cause of peaceful reunification of the motherland.
5.Accelerate the reform of the administrative system and build a service-oriented government. The administrative reform is an important part of the efforts to deepen China's overall reform.
六、堅定不移發展社會主義民主政治
人民民主是社會主義的生命。發展社會主義民主政治是我們黨始終不渝的奮斗目標。改革開放以來，我們積極穩妥推進政治體制改革，我國社會主義民主政治展現出更加旺盛的生命力。政治體制改革作為我國全面改革的重要組成部分，必須隨著經濟社會發展而不斷深化，與人民政治參與積極性不斷提高相適應。要堅持中國特色社會主義政治發展道路，堅持黨的領導、人民當家作主、依法治國有機統一，堅持和完善人民代表大會制度、中國共產黨領導的多黨合作和政治協商制度、民族區域自治制度以及基層群眾自治制度，不斷推進社會主義政治制度自我完善和發展。
深化政治體制改革，必須堅持正確政治方向，以保證人民當家作主為根本，以增強黨和國家活力、調動人民積極性為目標，擴大社會主義民主，建設社會主義法治國家，發展社會主義政治文明。要堅持黨總攬全局、協調各方的領導核心作用，提高黨科學執政、民主執政、依法執政水平，保證黨領導人民有效治理國家；堅持國家一切權力屬于人民，從各個層次、各個領域擴大公民有序政治參與，最廣泛地動員和組織人民依法管理國家事務和社會事務、管理經濟和文化事業；堅持依法治國基本方略，樹立社會主義法治理念，實現國家各項工作法治化，保障公民合法權益；堅持社會主義政治制度的特點和優勢，推進社會主義民主政治制度化、規范化、程序化，為黨和國家長治久安提供政治和法律制度保障。
（一）擴大人民民主，保證人民當家作主。人民當家作主是社會主義民主政治的本質和核心。要健全民主制度，豐富民主形式，拓寬民主渠道，依法實行民主選舉、民主決策、民主管理、民主監督，保障人民的知情權、參與權、表達權、監督權。支持人民代表大會依法履行職能，善于使黨的主張通過法定程序成為國家意志；保障人大代表依法行使職權，密切人大代表同人民的聯系，建議逐步實行城鄉按相同人口比例選舉人大代表；加強人大常委會制度建設，優化組成人員知識結構和年齡結構。支持人民政協圍繞團結和民主兩大主題履行職能，推進政治協商、民主監督、參政議政制度建設；把政治協商納入決策程序，完善民主監督機制，提高參政議政實效；加強政協自身建設，發揮協調關系、匯聚力量、建言獻策、服務大局的重要作用。堅持各民族一律平等，保證民族自治地方依法行使自治權。推進決策科學化、民主化，完善決策信息和智力支持系統，增強決策透明度和公眾參與度，制定與群眾利益密切相關的法律法規和公共政策原則上要公開聽取意見。加強公民意識教育，樹立社會主義民主法治、自由平等、公平正義理念。支持工會、共青團、婦聯等人民團體依照法律和各自章程開展工作，參與社會管理和公共服務，維護群眾合法權益。
（二）發展基層民主，保障人民享有更多更切實的民主權利。人民依法直接行使民主權利，管理基層公共事務和公益事業，實行自我管理、自我服務、自我教育、自我監督，對干部實行民主監督，是人民當家作主最有效、最廣泛的途徑，必須作為發展社會主義民主政治的基礎性工程重點推進。要健全基層黨組織領導的充滿活力的基層群眾自治機制，擴大基層群眾自治范圍，完善民主管理制度，把城鄉社區建設成為管理有序、服務完善、文明祥和的社會生活共同體。全心全意依靠工人階級，完善以職工代表大會為基本形式的企事業單位民主管理制度，推進廠務公開，支持職工參與管理，維護職工合法權益。深化鄉鎮機構改革，加強基層政權建設，完善政務公開、村務公開等制度，實現政府行政管理與基層群眾自治有效銜接和良性互動。發揮社會組織在擴大群眾參與、反映群眾訴求方面的積極作用，增強社會自治功能。
（三）全面落實依法治國基本方略，加快建設社會主義法治國家。依法治國是社會主義民主政治的基本要求。要堅持科學立法、民主立法，完善中國特色社會主義法律體系。加強憲法和法律實施，堅持公民在法律面前一律平等，維護社會公平正義，維護社會主義法制的統一、尊嚴、權威。推進依法行政。深化司法體制改革，優化司法職權配置，規范司法行為，建設公正高效權威的社會主義司法制度，保證審判機關、檢察機關依法獨立公正地行使審判權、檢察權。加強政法隊伍建設，做到嚴格、公正、文明執法。深入開展法制宣傳教育，弘揚法治精神，形成自覺學法守法用法的社會氛圍。尊重和保障人權，依法保證全體社會成員平等參與、平等發展的權利。各級黨組織和全體黨員要自覺在憲法和法律范圍內活動，帶頭維護憲法和法律的權威。
（四）壯大愛國統一戰線，團結一切可以團結的力量。促進政黨關系、民族關系、宗教關系、階層關系、海內外同胞關系的和諧，對于增進團結、凝聚力量具有不可替代的作用。要貫徹長期共存、互相監督、肝膽相照、榮辱與共的方針，加強同民主黨派合作共事，支持民主黨派和無黨派人士更好履行參政議政、民主監督職能，選拔和推薦更多優秀黨外干部擔任領導職務。牢牢把握各民族共同團結奮斗、共同繁榮發展的主題，保障少數民族合法權益，鞏固和發展平等團結互助和諧的社會主義民族關系。全面貫徹黨的宗教工作基本方針，發揮宗教界人士和信教群眾在促進經濟社會發展中的積極作用。鼓勵新的社會階層人士積極投身中國特色社會主義建設。認真貫徹黨的僑務政策，支持海外僑胞、歸僑僑眷關心和參與祖國現代化建設與和平統一大業。
（五）加快行政管理體制改革，建設服務型政府。行政管理體制改革是深化改革的重要環節。要抓緊制定行政管理體制改革總體方案，著力轉變職能、理順關系、優化結構、提高效能，形成權責一致、分工合理、決策科學、執行順暢、監督有力的行政管理體制。健全政府職責體系，完善公共服務體系，推行電子政務，強化社會管理和公共服務。加快推進政企分開、政資分開、政事分開、政府與市場中介組織分開，規范行政行為，加強行政執法部門建設，減少和規范行政審批，減少政府對微觀經濟運行的干預。規范垂直管理部門和地方政府的關系。加大機構整合力度，探索實行職能有機統一的大部門體制，健全部門間協調配合機制。精簡和規范各類議事協調機構及其辦事機構，減少行政層次，降低行政成本，著力解決機構重疊、職責交叉、政出多門問題。統籌黨委、政府和人大、政協機構設置，減少領導職數，嚴格控制編制。加快推進事業單位分類改革。
（六）完善制約和監督機制，保證人民賦予的權力始終用來為人民謀利益。確保權力正確行使，必須讓權力在陽光下運行。要堅持用制度管權、管事、管人，建立健全決策權、執行權、監督權既相互制約又相互協調的權力結構和運行機制。健全組織法制和程序規則，保證國家機關按照法定權限和程序行使權力、履行職責。完善各類公開辦事制度，提高政府工作透明度和公信力。重點加強對領導干部特別是主要領導干部、人財物管理使用、關鍵崗位的監督，健全質詢、問責、經濟責任審計、引咎辭職、罷免等制度。落實黨內監督條例，加強民主監督，發揮好輿論監督作用，增強監督合力和實效。
社會主義愈發展，民主也愈發展。在發展中國特色社會主義的歷史進程中，中國共產黨人和中國人民一定能夠不斷發展具有強大生命力的社會主義民主政治。
