Fair and Transparent (The Path of China's Government System Reform)

Author: Mao Yushi, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: This book is a compilation of research reports on government system reform from the Tianze Institute of Economics, selected from five consecutive research projects. These reports focus on in-depth investigation and strive to delve into every detail, aiming to identify the root causes of long-standing and challenging issues in government system reform and propose practical solutions. While China's economic reforms have achieved remarkable global recognition, the other side of this success is the intensification of social conflicts and the expansion of public dissatisfaction. Whether such a development trajectory can continue indefinitely is a major concern for both the government and the public. The Tianze Institute of Economics, concerned with social development and progress, cannot remain indifferent to this trend. In 1997, we sensed that political reform was lagging behind. However, initiating political reform on a large scale is a daunting task. Most people associate political reform with two-party systems, elections, and the separation of powers, among other things. This is certainly true, but the scope of political reform extends far beyond these aspects. Moreover, the ultimate goal of political reform should first and foremost be to safeguard citizens' rights, ensure that people are not bullied by the government, and provide access to quality public services. Based on this understanding, we concluded that political reform could bypass two-party systems and elections, directly focusing on protecting citizens' rights and improving government efficiency. Therefore, the Tianze Institute of Economics established a research project on government system reform and sought funding. In 1998, we received a commitment of support from the U.S. "Center for International Private Enterprise" (CIPE). The following year, the project officially launched. In , we conducted an open bidding process, evaluated proposals through expert review, and selected ten out of over twenty bids. Most of the winning teams consisted of university professors and researchers with extensive experience in research, capable of delivering high-quality work. After one year, the research reports were submitted. We again organized expert reviews and provided feedback for revisions. The authors refined their reports based on the collective discussions, ensuring the research met a high standard. Additionally, the labor compensation for each report was determined based on expert evaluations, with the highest and lowest compensation differing by over one-third. Using this process, we conducted five consecutive rounds, completing a total of 46 projects, including 41 academic projects. During this period, the Ford Foundation supported the fifth government system reform research project, and the Shanghai Institute of Law and Economics provided research funding for all ten projects in the fifth round. In the first two rounds, no specific scope was designated, relying entirely on the interests and expertise of the bidders. The third round, in line with the political reform trends, focused primarily on household registration and free movement issues, though other topics were not excluded. The fourth round concentrated more on education. The recent fifth round targeted the judiciary and legislation. The number of bids increased in each subsequent round, from over twenty initially to nearly forty. The number of accepted projects varied due to funding constraints. In the second round, we also tried student projects to encourage university participation, but the results were not ideal, and the quality of research could not be guaranteed, so this initiative was later discontinued. Since the beginning, the names of the research projects and their team leaders are as follows in the table below. Round: Theoretical and Countermeasures for the Reform of County-Level Fiscal Expenditure Management System Zhou Yeyan Criminal Witness Testimony System Media Supervision System Research Chen Xin New Research on Government Economic (Commercial) Contracts Shi Jichun Research on Constitutional Review Feasibility Study on the Classification System of Civil and Business Officials in China Huang Weiping Public Opinion: Government Supervision and Supervising the Government Jing Yijin Tax Evasion and Deficiencies in Government Management System Zhou Wei Draft Proposal for the "Election Law of the Village Committees of the People's Republic of China" Wang Yu Second Round: Innovation Research on Township Heads' Election Methods Huang Weiping On the Reform of China's Cadre Selection System—An Analysis Based on the Phenomenon of "Buying and Selling Officials" Xu Cheng'an County-Level Government Organization Setup Zhang Xiaobing Research on Highway Operation Rights Shi Jichun Institutional Arrangements, Institutional Change, and the Limits of Government Regulation—Taking the Water Pollutant Emission Permit System as an Example Xu Jialiang Current Status and Reform of the Management System for National Natural and Cultural Heritage Resources Zhang Xiaofei Tax Reform and Township Democratic Construction Zhou Yeyan The Necessity and Implementation Plan for Educating Migrant Workers into Civilized Citizens Zhou Pichang Survey Report on the Financial Issues of Urban Community Services in China Zhou Xuetao Starting with Civil Servants—Government Agencies in Public Services and Their Image Li Di Funding Supplement for Pension Funds and New Ideas for State-Owned Enterprise Reform Chen Jianmin Voice—Public Opinion Expression and Government Handling Mechanisms Analysis Liu Bin Reform Proposal for Compulsory Education System Peng Fangzhi Third Round: Case Studies on the Impact of Local Government Public Policies on the Motivations and Models of Enterprise Relocation Cai Shutao Protection of Historical and Cultural Cities and Urbanization Development: Interests and Institutional Games Xu Jialiang Research on Local Government Competition Models—Theoretical and Policy Analysis for Establishing a Healthy Competition Order Among Local Governments Zhou Yeyan China's Market Integration and Local Government Competition—Local Protectionism and Market Segmentation Problems and Countermeasures Feng Xingyuan Social, Economic, and Political Impacts of Household Registration Restrictions on Population Mobility and Countermeasures Chu Junhong Reform Issues of Household Registration System in the Process of Urbanization Wang Haiguang Research on the Family Property Declaration System for Provincial and Ministerial Leaders in China Huang Weiping Fourth Round: Research on China's Compulsory Education Poor Student Financial Assistance System Yuan Liansheng Problems and Countermeasures in the Financial Reform of China's Compulsory Education System Yu Guoliang Research Report on the Countermeasures for the Education of Children of Migrant Workers During China's Urbanization Process Li Renqing Research Report on the School Choice Problem in China's Basic Education System Cao Shujiang Research on Government-Guaranteed Higher Education Student Loan System Yang Bingjian Research on Quality Control and Improvement of Full-Time Exam Master's Degree Training System Wang Jianmin Practical Issues and Responses of the Diversified Schooling System Kang Yongfu Policy for the Development of Distance Education Liu Fanfeng Fifth Round: Constitutional Review of the Legislative Powers of Chinese Laws and Regulations Mo Jihong Research on the National People's Congress Meeting System Wan Qigang Empirical Research on the Reform of China's Representative System Review and Improvement of China's Civil Trial Supervision System Fan Mingzhi Reconstruction of the Powers and Responsibilities of Judicial Institutions Chen Guoqing Measures and Institutional Design to Prevent Judicial Corruption Xu Daomin Research on the Current Status, Problems, and Countermeasures of Court Mediation Rang Jingfu Problems and Countermeasures of Informal Court Sessions—An Idea for Civil Trial System Reform Xu Xin Improvement Proposal for the Question Paper Model of the National Judicial Examination Su Haopeng Research on Civil Judicial Assistance Systems for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan
Note: indicates an unfinished project.
Government system reform is an extremely challenging task. Most of the issues it faces are long-standing and difficult, having been discussed numerous times. To make progress under such conditions requires tremendous effort. On the surface, governments are declared to be serving the people and should have no problems. However, behind the scenes, there are often countless subjective and objective reasons that lead to outcomes far from the ideal. To solve these problems, one must first identify their root causes, which can then lead to effective countermeasures. Yet, these causes are often hidden deep and are embedded in the smallest details. Without familiarity with the entire process, it is impossible to uncover them. Scholars excel at theoretical analysis, but understanding the details of the process is not their forte. Therefore, we required the research teams to focus on investigation and research, delving into every detail. Even so, the most concealed aspects may not be openly admitted. Researchers must infer potential secrets from surface phenomena. There is no other way. Before the research began, we repeatedly emphasized to the team members the importance of examining details. This differs from general academic research and is also a key factor in the success of the project. Overall, the research quality is commendable. The researchers possess high academic credentials and capabilities, and their attitudes are serious. However, we do not expect a single effort to permanently resolve the grand challenge of government reform. It is certain that through research, we have gained a much deeper understanding of the issues than before. Whether our research will contribute to government system reform is a difficult question. On one hand, we have no material to prove that any government has directly adopted our findings. On the other hand, some government departments have requested our research reports and participated in our findings discussions, with approximately half of the reports published in various contexts. However, due to broader environmental constraints, our findings have not been widely disseminated. This time, the Legal Press agreed to publish some of the research reports. The selection criteria were either high research quality or significant social relevance. Due to space limitations, some excellent reports had to be omitted. Although this report collection does not include all our achievements, its publication will undoubtedly contribute to advancing China's reform. This will play a positive role in promoting further reforms in China.