On The Governmental Obligation To Disclose Information In Mass Disturbances

The Chinese reform has come to a critical stage where mass disturbances caused by conflicts of interests are notably casting severe influence on social stability and development. In tackling down mass disturbances, a prompt disclosure of relevant information by the government would often help to maintain stability and contribute to a peaceful settlement. In the absence of such disclosure, however, it could probably trigger escalation of the controversies and bring damage to the public image of the authorities. Though the Regulations on the Disclosure of Government Information had entered into force in May 2008, the mechanism is far from perfect: problems had occurred in terms of both regulatory systems and practices. This thesis is a study on the government information disclosure in mass disturbances, in the purpose of submitting suggestions for the progress of the disclosure mechanism.Among the four Chapters of this thesis, the opening Chapter will introduce the concepts of mass disturbance and governmental information disclosure together with a value analysis of the obligation to disclose government information. Then, the second Chapter will focus on the content of such obligation in the four aspects as found in the process a mass disturbance through comparative studies of foreign experiences. Following that, the third Chapter will review the problems incurred in terms of both rules and practices, pointing out the loopholes and flaw as appeared therein. The final Chapter will address the tactic aspect and provide suggestions on the regulations and the practices respectively in response to the problems raised in previous chapters.