On The History, Transformation And Development Of The People's Mediation In Shanghai

People's mediation is a China-characteristic approach to solve the disputes and contradictions among people, which has its roots in the long history of China, but has experienced fundamental transformation under the leader of our party. It is conducted by the Committee of the People's Mediation, an autonomous organization of the inhabitants in a neighborhood, according to laws, regulations and the policy of our government, aimed to make the quarreling parties come to understanding with each other by way of persuasion, exhortation and illumination. As a great assistant to our party and government in social stabilization and with the direction and support of our government, People's mediation has been playing a great part in settling the contradictions and disputes among the inhabitants in the neighborhood, improving the relations between people and building up an amicable social atmosphere. During the 20 more years since Reform, the number of the People's mediators in Shanghai has increased from 40 thousand to 120 thousand and their quality also improved greatly. In these years, 1.4 million disputes or contradictions have been settled through people's mediation and in 2000 alone 73 thousand disputes were accepted, among which 71 thousand were settled, 1158 group appeals to higher authorities, 65 intended suicides caused by disputes and 97 murders prevented, hence greatly reduced the burden of justice departments. More than 20 years experience of people's mediation reveals that people's mediation is not a kind of work we can dispense with, but an indispensable first front to safeguard the social security. Along with the progress of the reform and economic construction in our country, the contradictions between people begin to show some new features. At the same time we insist on the basic principles of the people's mediation, we also have to find new methods and approaches to cope with the new problems and difficulties confronted by the people's mediation work. We are doing some very meaningful experiments on the people's mediation, for example, establishing the community contradiction resolution center, selecting Chair Mediator in the community, etc. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the development and transformation of the people's mediation work in Shanghai and make some suggestions as to the improvement and further development of people's mediation in Shanghai.