Scholars: Chinese reforms shifts from economy to politics
The fourth plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee announced a communiqué, which focuses on “comprehensively advancing the rule of law” in China.
Scholars are heralding a new era for political studies in China marked by the reform and modernization of national governance.
Since the start of the nation’s major political and economic reforms in the late 1970s, economics has been the dominant subject in social science. Economic concepts, such as cost and profit margins, have taken a place of prominence in political and economic debate in the press and scholarly journals.
Wang Yunjun, a professor of government at Nanjing University, said that the State Council’s national political restructuring plan has highlighted social reform for the first time, signaling that the focus of reform has shifted from the economy to social, administrative and political fields. In the process, political concepts, such as governance, are taking on a more prominent role, Wang said.
“Political studies have gradually merged into the mainstream of the social sciences as the importance of the field continues to grow,” said Wang.
China’s current round of reforms provides an abundance of empirical data for political research, said Zhou Guanghui, a professor at the College of Public Administration at Jilin University.
“The transformation from a planned economy to a market economy has spurred development in the field of economics, whereas building a country under ‘the socialist rule of law’ further advances the study of law, so the ongoing political restructuring together with the promotion of national governance and the modernization of governance capacities no doubt offers a historical opportunity for political studies,” Zhou continued.
Because political research and comprehensive expansion of reform reinforce each other, more knowledge in political science will be applied in governing, said Fang Ning, a researcher at the Institute of Political Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
Political studies consist of political philosophy and political science. Political philosophy argues for the value of politics, while political science analyzes political behaviors in an attempt to reveal the relationships underlying political events and conditions and to construct general principles about the way the world of politics works.
Reforms to the national governance system and the modernization of governance both fall under the purview of political science, Fang said.
The dialogue on China’s affairs from a perspective of political philosophy has already reached an advanced stage, so the most urgent task is to find solutions for individual problems as the nation comprehensively makes progress in reform, he said, adding that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and solving problems might take several steps.
“In the case of social justice and fairness, many policies are not carried out under ideal circumstances, so a great deal of balance and comprise is required,” Fang said.
The most important subject of study in politics is the state, so national governance has become the new key term in Chinese political research, said Xiao Bin, a professor of government at Sun Yat-sen University.
“The research of Chinese government and politics from the perspective of national governance is quite different from the former practice of analyzing Chinese politics using the framework of Western politics. The new approach is more narrowly focused on Chinese government and is likely to generate more solutions to the real problems in China,” Xiao said.
Xiao also said that Chinese scholars should propose new concepts in Chinese political science while innovating political theories and propositions based on China’s experience and reality.
“Chinese political studies have completed the construction of subject knowledge and a textbook system after more than 30 years of development. At present, the Chinese political research paradigm needs to shift from knowledge building to research on major problem-based issues. In this context, the promotion of a national governance system and the modernization of governance capacities offer a significant strategic opportunity for political studies,” Zhou said.
The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 663, Oct.31, 2014
The Chinese link is: http://www.cssn.cn/hy/hy_zywz/201410/t20141017_1366742.shtml
Translated by Yang Xue
Revised by Justin Ward