The Cultivation Of Civic Consciousness In The Context Of Socialist Deliberative Democracy

It is true in any country that the course of modern democracy is full ofconflictions between tradition and modern, interests and values. China isnow experiencing both the transformation of modernization and theconstruction of deliberative democracy, while the interaction betweenstate and society, public authority and citizens is becoming deeper andwider. During this process, as citizen’s self-conscious recognition of hisrights and duties, and rational subjective reflection of the relationshipsbetween himself and the other citizens, and society, and state, civicconsciousness is awaking rapidly. However, the rapid awaking of civicconsciousness and the constant growth of citizen’s desire to take part inpublic affairs aggravate the contradiction between the immaturity of civicconsciousness and the rising of the desire to participate. In order to makepublic participation more rational and effective, and then expand the soliddiscipline background of our harmonious society, we need to cultivatecivic consciousness through the construction of deliberative democracyand make sure that the cultivation process is led by the socialist corevalue system. Thus, civic consciousness will be cultivated from bothinside and outside and supported both softly and hardly. This is aninevitable choice that China must make in the process of modernizationand democratization. Start with the theories, this essay will discuss the time spirit ofdeliberative democracy and the indigenous feature of civic consciousness;also, expound their realistic meaning and functions. As the core of thistheme, basic elements of socialist civic consciousness will be analyzed onthree levels, according to the refined summary of socialist core valuesystem made by the18thNational Congress of the Communist Party ofChina. In order to recognize the practical problems that civicconsciousness has, based on the above theories, this essay will analyzethe impacts and challenges brought by multi-aspect conflictions under thebackground of deliberative democracy and other problems appearing inthe transformation of modernization; then, indirectly certificate the reasonwhy Chinese civic consciousness grows slowly is that we faced doubletroubles made by the immaturity of both civic consciousness itself andthe cultivation mechanism. Based on this logic, the best way to solve theproblems of civic consciousness and promote its development will befound through backward inference. That is using the organic unity, wherethe exterior environment constructed by deliberative democracy and theinterior foundation guided by socialist core value system depend on andpromote each other, as the healthy soil for civic consciousness’scultivation.The logical framework is base on the analysis of civic consciousness’s cultivation under the background of deliberative democracy. Stress hasbeen put on following issues: first, socialist deliberative democracy is acomplicated multidimensional engineering that not only includescurrently existing national-level political resources, but also requires us tobroaden the middle level, which is the interactive platform for publicauthority and citizens; and unremittingly construct deliberativedemocracy, for example, by establishing social organizations and publicnegotiation systems on the social level. Thereby, various forces can worksmoothly to form deliberative democracy structure through cognition,communication, negotiation and collaboration. And that deliberativedemocracy structure is the key to balance transforming society and keepit harmonious. Second, the essence of civic consciousness is thesubjective conscious and objective reflection of the fact that people make“independent and autonomous” efforts to foster “the Union of Free Men”.Indigenous features of civic consciousness are formed under the specialhistorical, cultural and political background. Some of these featuresshould be conquered and modified; others should be treated with a long-term point of view. Third, in order to have a deeper understanding of civicconsciousness’s current situation, the impact of unsound market economy,unreasonable social structure and defective democratic nomocracy; andthe challenges brought by diversified interest, subject, culture andhistorical background in the construction of deliberative democracy will be analyzed in detail. Forth, based on the comparison of eastern andwestern deliberative democracy, this essay will analyze Ningbo PX Eventobjectively. Then a conclusion can be reached that the construction ofdeliberative democracy and the cultivation of civic consciousness,including the construction of network environment, consultation channel,economy and society, is necessary and urgent, because it’s an importantexternal condition to solve the problems that show in the moderntransformation of civic consciousness. Fifth, the interior developfoundation of civic consciousness is that its cultivation must be guided bysocialist core value system; and the self-perfect system of civicconsciousness, which is made up of basic principle, relationshipmanagement, development strategies and internal construction, is notonly the internal impetus of civic consciousness’s cultivation, but alsoplays an active role in defusing the impact that diversification brings andpromoting deliberative democracy’s construction.The systems of socialist deliberative democracy established by the18thNational Congress of China is a positive impetus for political reform. It issummarized by the ruling party from their long-term practical experienceand is correct in theory. Although it still needs to be improved and has notfully played its role, it is no doubt a road that suits the national conditionof China and the national mind of Chinese people. Therefore, it is the correct road that goes to democracy. Simultaneously, the public spirit andthe concept of negotiation established by civic consciousness cultivationplay an important role in the cultivation of rational citizens in modernsociety. There is no doubt that an integration of the two will help us toachieve the general goal of the reform, which is “to improve and perfectthe socialist system with Chinese characteristics; and to propel themodernization of governance ability and mechanism.”...