Chapter 71 Call for a permanent system of party congresses

Professor Zhen Xiaoying has taught at the Central Party School for more than 20 years. From lecturer, associate professor to professor, he is dedicated to his work and has made remarkable achievements. In 2001, she was transferred to the Central Institute of Socialism as the vice president. Founded in 1956, the Central Institute of Socialism is a joint party school and the highest institution for democratic parties and people without party affiliation.He Luli is the dean, and Zhen Xiaoying is in charge of teaching and scientific research as the vice dean.Although the environment has changed and there are more administrative affairs, she still continues to carry out theoretical research as in the past, but she not only pays attention to the major issues of the construction of the ruling party, but also pays attention to the major issues of the construction of the participating parties.

Professor Zhen Xiaoying realized that the Communist Party of China, as a party that adapts to leading modernization, must have a self-renewal mechanism.This mechanism is intra-party democracy. Here I have to talk about the article "Promoting People's Democracy Through Inner-Party Democracy". On June 18, 2003, that is, the third day after "Seeking Truth" magazine published this article, Hong Kong Phoenix Satellite TV's "Current Affairs" column discussed this topic. Political commentator He Liangliang said after reading this article, theoretically speaking, in the past, especially before China’s reform and opening up, the CCP’s theoretical emphasis was on “government grows out of the barrel of a gun” and emphasized on conquering the world and Sitting in the world, basically don't talk much about democracy, and don't talk much about the fact that state power comes from the people.The situation is different now. In fact, the establishment of the "Three Represents" theory states that the power of the country comes from the people. Since this power comes from the people, there should be democracy. This is the meaning of democratic politics.It is this article that proposes to promote democracy for the whole people by means of expanding inner-party democracy, and the viewpoint it puts forward is very important.In He Liangliang's view, Zhen Xiaoying's article is "quite pragmatic".

Zhen Xiaoying believes that the key for the ruling party to consolidate its ruling position is to always maintain its advanced nature.The advanced nature of the party is historical and specific, but in the final analysis it is reflected in promoting the development of advanced productive forces and advanced culture, realizing, safeguarding and developing the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people, and it depends on her role in promoting the overall progress of social history.Practice has proved that innovation is the soul of a nation's progress, an inexhaustible driving force for a country's prosperity, and a source of eternal vigor and vitality for a party.The Communist Party of China insists on building the party for the public, governing for the people, truly achieving the "Three Represents" and promoting all-round social progress. It must deepen reforms, continuously promote institutional innovation, and realize socialist self-improvement and self-development.

Establishing a self-renewal mechanism for the ruling party is actually a matter of maintaining the vitality of the ruling party.Carrying forward inner-party democracy and improving the party's democratic centralism is a key issue for the ruling party to maintain its vitality.As early as 1962, Deng Xiaoping said at the enlarged Central Work Conference: "If it is not done well, especially if the implementation of democratic centralism is not good, the party can change, the country can change, and socialism can also change. . Cadres can change quality, and individuals can also change quality.”

Zhen Xiaoying believes that democracy is an important aspect of maintaining the vitality of the ruling party—"Democracy within the party refers to a right and system in which all party members directly or indirectly handle party affairs on an equal footing. Democracy is the inherent requirement and essential attribute of the advanced nature of the Communist Party Democracy is also the trend of the world today, if a party is autocratic, dictatorial, and lifelong, it is not advanced." In order to maintain the vitality of the ruling party, reflect the will of democracy, and prevent the power from being reversed and virtualized, Zhen Xiaoying has always called for the implementation of a permanent system of party congresses on the basis of extensive trials and serious summarization of experience.She has repeatedly emphasized in her articles that we must learn from the lessons of the former Soviet Union.

The situation in the former Soviet Union is like this: during the Marx and Engels period, the annual meeting system was adhered to, and a party congress was held every year.When Lenin was alive, he also insisted on the annual meeting system. Major issues were decided by the Party Congress. When the Party Congress was not in session, the Central Committee was the highest authority.When discussing issues in the Politburo, Lenin also insisted on the principle of collective leadership and the minority obeying the majority.During the Stalin period, the annual meeting system was gradually destroyed. The party congresses that were held once a year were changed to two or three years apart. Later, the party congresses were not held even for more than ten years, which meant that the party’s highest authority was virtualized .The Central Committee does not meet often, gradually turning the Politburo into a decision-making body above the Party Congress and the Central Committee. In the end, the Politburo meetings are not held often, and individuals decide on major issues, leading to major decision-making mistakes. It cannot be corrected for a long time.

Zhen Xiaoying very much agrees with the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to focus on improving the party congress system and the party committee system.Because the party congress is the party's highest authority, the highest decision-making body, and the highest supervisory body. Regarding the permanent system of party congresses, the central government has long planned, and now the Organization Department of the Central Committee has carried out pilot projects in counties and cities such as Jiaojiang in Zhejiang Province and Ya'an in Sichuan.During the pilot process, party members formed a delegation to organize party representatives to investigate and make suggestions before making major decisions.Party members must supervise party representatives, and party representatives must solicit and reflect the opinions of party members. Party representatives can also remove certain incompetent leaders elected by them in accordance with party members' opinions and in accordance with party legal procedures.

To promote people's democracy through inner-party democracy, a very important measure is the improvement of the party's governance and leadership methods proposed by the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.When researching in Shanghai, Zhen Xiaoying was very interested in the experience of "one core, three party groups, overall control and coordination of all parties" proposed by Shanghai.In the early days of our country's liberation, the party committee actually did not directly order the government, but implemented the party committee's intentions through the party group in the government.Later, the party and the government were not separated, and the party directly ordered the government and the people's congress, gradually forming a leadership system with excessive power concentration.It is necessary to uphold the core leadership position of the party committee in various organizations at the same level, and give full play to the leadership role of the party committee in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties.However, the party must operate within the scope of the Constitution and the law, and must govern in accordance with the law.The relationship between the party committee and the National People's Congress, the government, and the CPPCC is not an organizational affiliation, but a political leadership relationship.Party committees at all levels must be good at turning the party's will into the will of the state through statutory procedures and state power agencies, and be implemented by the government. The vanguard and exemplary role of the Party Committee ensures the implementation of the party's line, principles and policies.

Zhen Xiaoying believes that the issue of democracy has a lot to do with the economic system and the development of the whole society, and it is a systematic project.After my country's reform and opening up, the development of market economy has changed the situation of highly integrated state and society, and the two have been separated moderately.The people have more autonomy in social and economic life, "unit people" have become "social people", the diversification of social economy, the diversification of social life, the independence, equality, autonomy and competition consciousness of the market economy will Naturally enhance the democratic consciousness of the people.Now that China has finally embarked on the road of a market economy, it is an important opportunity to promote inner-party democracy and people's democracy in terms of economic system and social foundation.To build socialist political civilization and democratic politics, we must uphold the dialectical unity of the party's leadership, the people being the masters of the country, and the rule of law.The construction of democratic politics cannot take the Great Leap Forward, but must be carried out actively and steadily under the leadership of the party.History has repeatedly proved that the so-called "big democracy" without the leadership of the party and the rule of law is not a blessing for the party, the people and the country, but a disaster.

Zhen Xiaoying's research never avoids contradictions, which is a style of her scholarship and life, and the character of a Communist.Because of this, she can devote herself to the party building work with a sacred sense of responsibility, and keep moving forward on the road of life.