Metropolitan Government's Public Crisis Management Research

With the accelerating modernization of China, public crisis has affect the local governance, and the frequent occurrence of mass disturbances has become a major destabilizing factor in the urban development of mega-cities, which reflects a deficiency in the governing of local governments. Public administration, in particular public crisis management, is now a common weak link for many mega-cities in China. Our Lack of complete urban crisis management indicates an enormous gap between China and developed countries.Based on a thorough investigation and analysis of the mass disturbances in District P of Shanghai, this thesis concludes that as the frequency and intensity of mass disturbances rise noticeably, the biggest problem that the local government faces is on-the-scene processing. Solving these crises from the perspective of government control has now become extremely urgent. A proper disposal of mass disturbances in mega-cities entails careful examination of the status quo, the features and the development tendency of mass disturbances, enhancement of corresponding crisis management and problem-solving capability in the local government, erection of a functional governing mechanism in order to weed out mass disturbances at root and ensure social stability and prosperity.This thesis first establishes a theoretical basis for later research by expatiating on the definitions of crisis, public crisis, mega-cities, crisis management, mass disturbances, and then proceeds to conduct a statistical analysis of the categories, causes, claims, degree of reasonability and development tendencies of mass disturbances occurring from 2006 to 2009 in District P, a sub-center in Shanghai. An in-depth analysis of mass petitioning, which accounts for half of the mass disturbances, is also conducted. On the basis of abundant statistical analysis, this thesis lists five features of general mass disturbances, five features and three direct causes of mega-city mass disturbances. Chapter Four of the thesis elaborates on the existent problems of mega-city governing such as an imperfect urban management and protection system, crisis of confidence, insufficient social regulation, mandatory power of the government in conflict with rights-defending of the public. Lack of capable government control constitutes a direct cause for mass disturbances.The last part of the thesis is a summary of the advanced experience at home and abroad and also an attempt to make relevant proposals from the perspective of government control. This thesis points out that in order to effectively prevent and deal with mega-city mass disturbances, a diversified public crisis management mechanism should be erected, especially a compound management mechanism that covers"the front, the middle and the back", together with correct recognition of the roles of media and establishment and improvement of the legal system.