A Research Of Governmental Administration Of Public Opinion

The present topic is mainly to comment on the problem of the governmental administration of public opinion, and is concurrently to comment on the transformation of the governmental guiding mode for public opinion under the target of structuring a harmonious society. The aim of the research is, by taking the Marxist stand, viewpoint and method as guidance and widely absorbing the research fruits of multi-sciences and multi-fields, to carry out the in-depth research of and probe into the basic theory, system framework, macro background, structural functions, realistic contradictions and future development of the governmental administration of public opinion, so as to make efforts to find out the modes selected for the constructing of harmonious public opinion and for the promoting of the structuring of a harmonious society. In the course of the verification, the method of adopting standard research in combination with experience research was adopted, to make every effort to arrive at the unity of viewpoint with materials and qualitative determination with quantitative determination.The whole article, by taking the relationship of the government with the public opinion under the democratic politics conditions for the cut-in point and through the systematic ordering and comparative verification of various theoretical viewpoints and ruling practices of all countries at all time, raises three major prop-up points that shall be paid attention to in the government's public opinion administration problem researched from the angles of political science and administrative science: right of public opinion, governmental intervention and guidance to public opinion. These three aspects are the basic elements for the governmental administration of public opinion. In history, there were the rulers who succeeded in the successful controlling of the relationship among the three points, as well as the other rulers who failed out of their sticking to one point by being off the others. What is different from the now existing research achievements is that the administration of public opinion of this article takes the"generalized government"as its center, while the guidance of the media to the public opinions is controlled by the former.To maintain the right of the public opinion is the prerequisite for the governmental administration of public opinion. The fundamental major meaning of democracy is"ruling by majority", while the public opinion are an important channel and expression of the public's exercising their right to"act as masters in their own houses". To choke the free expression of public opinion is a common characteristic of all the autocratic governments. The right of public opinion has not only the right meaning, but also the right attribute, and is a fundamental and important component part of the right of citizenship. The right of public opinion is basically structured by what was raised by Premier Wen Jiabao in his"Government Work Report"delivered at the 5th Session of the 10th People's Congress convened not long ago: the right to learn the truth, right to participate, right to express and right to supervise, which also indicates that the right of public opinion is also a structural right. The establishing of the right of public opinion of bourgeoisie had its historic progressive significance, but also went with its historical and class limitations.The term of"governmental intervention"is more often used in the researches in economics. However, the government also has a problem of rational intervention existing in the respect of the public opinion. The governmental intervention in public opinion is an indispensable factor for maintaining public interest and public freedom, and also factually exists in the practice of the governments of all the countries. The problem lies in that the governmental intervention shall be of bounds and limitations, and the"insufficient-ness"and"excessiveness"can both lead to serious consequences. The establishing of the bounds for the governmental intervention is to find out the balance point between the governmental intervention and the freedom of expression. The principle of"clear and present danger"raised by the Western countries in their judicial practice is worthy to be used for reference. The greatest characteristic of the public opinion is their coming into being from day to day, in a dynamic alteration. To implement guidance to the public opinions is a frequently seen act of the governmental administration. The public opinion, in essence, cannot be controlled, but can be guided, and to follow the law of the public opinions is a fundamental condition effective for the governmental guidance to the public opinion. Viewing from domestic and overseas practices, the governmental guidance in respect of the public opinion has the ideological guidance, policy-law guidance, act guidance, dissemination-type guidance, resisting adverse public opinion and other methods. Under the condition of the globalization being accelerated, a government must pay high attention to the trans-cultural dissemination, to race to control a commanding point, and this is an important component of the"soft strength"of a state.To structure a harmonious society is an objective pursued by the Chinese Government in the new stage. To structure a harmonious society is inseparable from the harmonious public opinion. The public opinion'being harmonious is not only the surface features of the society's being harmonious, but also a propelling force for a harmonious society. Facing the profound pattern transformation taking place in Chinese society, the strengthening of the citizens'autonomous consciousness, the wired dissemination form and the influence of international public opinion, to speed up the reform in governmental administration of public opinion oriented in the democratization, ruling by law and high efficiency is really an irresistible trend. Nevertheless, this project of reform touches a wide range of aspects and has a profound influence to exert, so it is necessary to judge the hour and size up the situation, as well as to advance gradually in regular order.