On Citizen Engagement In Public Policy Making

In the history of modern Public Administration, many theorists and doers have devoted to the Social Justice, which is the ultimate aim of Public Administration. However, it has been proved that neither Old Public Administration nor New Public Management, neither government nor market could realize this aim in the past. As the aim of the Public Administration, it is indispensable for citizens to fulfill their civil qualification actively and participate in the governance energetically. In all kinds of participations, Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making is always in the core because of its inimitable directness and timeliness.Two points support the topic. Firstly, most foreign scholars' attitudes to the Citizen Engagement are different at all. Few of the foreign theories are feasible. Most of the domestic researches only touch the Political areas, which is out of the time. Thus, this topic is not only challenging but also valuable in theory. Secondly, Citizen Engagement in China has been advanced greatly since reformation and opening. Many new approaches of Citizen Engagement have been formed, such as the public-opinion survey, citizen hearing, community autonomy etc. And that the abilities for Citizen Engagement have been improved with the development of Civil Society. So, it is significant for us to theorize these phenomena.The aim of this article is to find out a new way of the Citizen Engagement not only feasible but also adaptive to political and economic situation in China. This article is expected to give some academic supports to the Citizen Engagement in China.The article includes an exordium and four chapters:Firstly, the exordium builds up the ultimate aim for Public Administration, which is Social Justice. In addition, it analyses the significances and the aim of the article preliminarily.Secondly, Chapter I reviews the roles that citizens have played in the traditional theories. In this part, the writer points out the absence of citizen roles in traditional theories through researching the core ideas of Old Public Administration and New Public Managehient. Chapter I also gives the necessity of the Citizen Engagement.Thirdly, Chapter II discusses the related theories the Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making. In this part, the writer redefines the Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making by discussing the theoretic foundations of Citizen Engagement. In that it is necessary to avoid the confusion between the Citizen Engagement and Political Participation, which exists in academic area for a long time. In addition, Chapter II analyses the significances of Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making.Fourthly, Chapter III constructs institutions of Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making, namely empowering. Above all, it manages to find out a feasible and scientific way for Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making. Then, it analyses the representative means of Citizen Engagement in Public Policy Making in every level, and discusses the status and perspective in China. In the process of institution constructing, the weak must be regarded all along.Finally, Chapter IV points out the culture of the ability for Citizen Engagement, namely enabling, which is most important in China. For this, there are two reasons. One because of the weak engaging ability of Chinese, the other one is that the oppression from the strong to the weak in the process of Citizen Engagement in past western countries. In order to avoid of the same thing happens in China, the ability for Citizen Engagement must be cultured. Each citizen should be given not only the same right but also the same ability to give talk. The means is to develop Civil Society. The last chapter describes the developing process, existing problems and perspective of Civil Society in China.