Big data has ushered in an era in which there has been an explosion of scattered and diverse information, posing inevitable challenges to traditional modes of social governance. “Cloud governance” has thus emerged in response to the need for innovation in social governance models.

This new field and new form of social governance differs from traditional governance in governing subjects, objects and logic. Its facets—virtual governance, data management, mobility and openness— are all manifestations of modernized social governance.

Big data has been included in the national strategies of many countries, becoming a field of economic competition and innovation. In countries already implementing this technology, big data has permeated into economy, politics, education, security, social management and other areas. Cloud industry, cloud society and other frameworks are taking shape in these countries.

Cloud governance is not confined to a certain industry, area or specific problems. There is an overlap of governance in the Internet, business, health, transportation, logistics and other fields. It is a form of intelligent governance, which  diverges from the traditional model of governance. The latter is designed  to manage only according to the needs of the occasion and stress division of labor. It is an important way to build a smart city, smart country and even smart globe.
 

As the globe trend of social governance develops, we should be aware of the opportunities as well as challenges brought about by cloud governance, and advance it in all fields of public services. We must first examine all the ways in which cloud governance has the potential to modernize social governance.

Cloud governance can enhance data competitiveness and improve public security. This is especially true in the international arena, where competition is becoming increasingly severe among countries in terms of data development, application and protection.
 

Like land, sea and air, data has become another strategic space over which countries vie for control. Data about oil and gas pipelines, water conservation, electricity, transportation, banks, finance and military are all important strategic resources that have implications for national security and interests. We should enhance our ability to collect, supervise and analyze data while simultaneously ensuring the safety of data and information.
 

In China’s market-oriented economy, cloud governance can give full play to the role of macroeconomic regulation of the government while ensuring the decisive role of the market in resource allocation. This can balance efficiency and equity. Enterprises can strengthen their ability to analyze and forecast the operational patterns of the market in order to reasonably distribute production factors and resources.
 

In terms of macroeconomic control, the government can develop a mechanism to make its voice heard with data, and make policies, manage and innovate through data. This mechanism can promote scientific management and improve the effects of macroeconomic control.

Cloud governance is also an important mechanism to mobile social forces to engage in social governance. Through analyzing data from the government and other resources, we can better understand people’s needs, based on which we can optimize the allocation of public resources, expand service channels and areas, and improve the quality of public services. In this way, the government can provide more stailored and effective public services, and the process can engage social forces to actively participate in social governance.

Li Zhen is from the School of Marxism at Tongji University.