Study On The Current Situation And Obstruction Of Citizen Participation In Policy Agenda Construction In The Context Of Social Transformation

Policy agenda construction is a process that ordinary citizens, social organizationsactively involve in discussion of social issues, express their interest demands by formaland informal channels, influence the Party and the government’s observation andidentification of specific social problems, and urge the Party and the government to putthese issues on the government agenda and public decision-making process. Citizenparticipation in policy agenda construction is not only a necessary requirement foreconomic and social developments, an inherent requirement of political modernization,but also an important way to achieve democratic governance. However, in socialtransformation period, the awareness of policy participation of ordinary citizens inrelatively weak. Even if they want to change the objective situation, however, it isdifficult for them to form a complete public agenda to influence the final policy agendawith institutionalized channels of interest demanding. Therefore, the process of creatingthe policy agenda mostly is based executive-led internal input-based, especially inrelation to the major strategic decision-making and institution building.China is now facing a sharp change in the situation of economic structurediversification, class structure stratification, social identities multiplex and interestdemands diversification. The Party and government shoulder the heavy task of socialgovernance. In the macro context of social transformation, political democratizationpromotes the enthusiasm of citizen participation in the policy agenda construction.Citizens’initiative expression of interest demands continues to expand in depth andbreadth. Decision on deepening the reform of the major issues proposed,“Expandcitizens’orderly political participation from all levels in various fields.”Thus, theconstruction of multi-body interaction policy agenda model promotes the public’sorderly participation in policy-making. The strategic plan of achieving nationalgovernance systems and governance capabilities modernization is to promotedemocratic governance with actively rule of law.Firstly, this paper describes the concepts and basic functions of policy agendaconstruction, and defines basic types of it. Secondly, this paper analyzes the currentsituation of citizens’participation in the policy agenda construction in the transformationera from the current situation of citizens’participation in policy analysis and theproblems in policy agenda construction. Thirdly, this paper analyzes the causes of theproblems in citizens’participation in the policy agenda construction from the four angles of ordinary citizens, government, social organizations and vulnerable groups in thecontext of China’s social transformation. The third part is the main focus of this paper.Finally, this paper proposes a public policy input mode on the construction ofmulti-body interaction according to the actual situation in China. This paper proposesthe implementation path of citizens’participation in the policy agenda construction insocial transformation period from further enhancing the awareness and quality ofcitizens, improving the relevant system of citizens’participation in policy agendaconstruction, establishing a fair and orderly expression of interest mechanism.