Li Ganjie
The "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Persistently Promoting Comprehensive and Strict Governance of the Party" (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision") adopted by the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision") focuses on the party's need to manage the party and comprehensively and strictly govern the party.
1. Deeply understand and grasp the importance of implementing democratic centralism
The "Decision" pointed out that democratic centralism is the party's fundamental organizational principle and leadership system, and the implementation of democratic centralism is an inherent requirement for comprehensive and strict governance of the party. This is an important conclusion reached by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, scientifically summing up the historical experience of the development and growth of our party, drawing on the experience and lessons of the rise and fall of some political parties in the world, and drawing through repeated tests in practice. It profoundly reveals the important institutional code of the century-old party that has always maintained vitality through ups and downs, and has raised our party's understanding of the regularity of democratic centralism to a new height. To implement the various deployment requirements of the Decision on democratic centralism, we first need to thoroughly understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on democratic centralism, integrate history and reality, theory and practice, deeply understand the extreme importance of democratic centralism, and further enhance the political consciousness, ideological consciousness, and action consciousness of implementation.
(1) Adhering to democratic centralism is an important symbol that distinguishes Marxist parties from other political parties. When Marx and Engels were preparing to establish the Communist League and the International Workers' Association, they elaborated on the idea of combining democracy and centralism. Lenin proposed that democratic centralism be formally written into the constitution of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party as an organizational principle of the party, and he extended this principle to the construction of parties in various countries of the Communist International. Our party is the world's largest ruling party that was established and developed under the guidance of Marxist party-building theory and in accordance with the principle of democratic centralism. Based on the governance practice of a major party and a major country, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that democratic centralism is the fundamental organizational principle and leadership system of our party, and is an important symbol that distinguishes a Marxist political party from other political parties. Democratic centralism includes two aspects: democracy and centralism. These important expositions profoundly answered major theoretical and practical questions such as why and how to adhere to democratic centralism, gave democratic centralism new connotations of the times, and realized the theoretical innovation and institutional sublimation of this fundamental organizational principle in the process of adapting the Marxist party-building theory to the times.
(2) Adhering to democratic centralism is an important guarantee for our party to maintain unity and unity and make scientific decisions. Looking back on the century-old struggle, one important reason why our party has been able to grow from small to large, from weak to strong, and continue to grow and develop in an extremely complex environment is that it has always adhered to and implemented democratic centralism, thus unifying the thoughts and actions of the entire party and effectively preventing and overcoming decentralism. Summarizing historical experience, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that adhering to democratic centralism is an important magic weapon to ensure the party's creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness, and to ensure the party's unity and unity. He took the lead in setting an example and practicing it, setting a shining example for the entire party. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, all decisions made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core have strictly implemented democratic centralism and focused on promoting intra-party democracy. They have been formed through in-depth investigation and research, extensive listening to opinions from all sides, and repeated discussions, ensuring that our party unites and leads the people of all ethnic groups in the country to overcome a series of major risk challenges. It has solved many problems that have long been wanted but not solved, accomplished many major things that were wanted but failed in the past, promoted historic achievements and changes in the cause of the party and the country, and fully demonstrated the powerful power of truth and practical power contained in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important exposition on democratic centralism.
(3) Adhering to democratic centralism is an important measure to gather wisdom and strength to promote Chinese-style modernization. At present, the situation of the world, the state of the country, and the situation of the party are undergoing profound changes. Our country's development is in a period when strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. We need to always be prepared to withstand major tests in strong winds, waves and even stormy seas. The more complex the situation and the more arduous the task, the more necessary it is to adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and the more necessary it is to bring together wisdom and strength from all aspects. General Secretary Xi Jinping grasped the new situation and new tasks, and further emphasized that democratic centralism can not only stimulate the creative vitality of the whole party to the greatest extent, but also unify the thoughts and actions of the whole party, and effectively prevent and overcome decentralization that fails to make a decision or implement a decision. It is a scientific, reasonable and efficient system. This requires us to adhere to democratic centralism with higher standards, stricter requirements, and better implementation, more effectively combine the full promotion of democracy with the implementation of correct centralism, and constantly unify our thoughts, will, and actions while mobilizing the initiative and creativity of all parties to form a strong joint force to promote Chinese-style modernization, let the party's fine traditions continue to glow with new vitality and light, and create "the governance of China" under the leadership of "the governance of the Communist Party of China."
2. Deeply understand and grasp the focus of implementing democratic centralism
The "Decision" profoundly clarifies the intrinsic relationship between democracy and centralism, and clarifies the key tasks of implementing democratic centralism from four aspects. We must adhere to dialectical thinking, grasp the core essence, make better use of the political, organizational, institutional and work advantages of democratic centralism, and strive to create a political situation that is both centralized and democratic, both disciplined and free, with unified will and personal comfort and liveliness.
(1) Upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee must be regarded as the highest principle. Maintaining the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is not only the core requirement of the "four obediences" of democratic centralism, but also the top priority to ensure the implementation of the principle of democratic centralism and the normal and orderly operation. We must thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and important instructions, insist on studying as the “first issue” and handling as the “first political element”, deeply understand and accurately grasp the political considerations and strategic intentions, rich connotations and practical requirements contained in them, benchmark the table to determine the direction, and implement it to the letter, so that everything is implemented and everything has an echo, and the “two safeguards” are implemented with practical actions. It is necessary to improve the implementation mechanism of the Party Central Committee's major decisions and deployments, focus on political essentials and strengthen political supervision, improve the whole chain working mechanism of division of tasks, supervision and implementation, regular reporting, inspection and reporting, tracking and effectiveness, and supervision and accountability, explore and promote the implementation of work project-based, list-based, and ledger-based closed-loop management, promote experience and practices, strengthen warnings and spurs, and ensure that the whole party orders and prohibitions are implemented. It is necessary to strictly implement the system of requesting instructions and reporting to the Party Central Committee. Major decisions, major matters, and important situations in the work should be reported to the Party Central Committee in a timely manner to ensure that major overall principles and policies are decided by the Party Central Committee, major principles and major matters are decided by the Party Central Committee, and important situations are reported to the Party Central Committee. Resolutely put an end to cutting first and reporting later, making decisions while reporting, or not reporting anything.
(2) Improving the quality of intra-party democracy should be regarded as an important foundation. Intra-party democracy is the life of the party and an important foundation for the positive and healthy political life within the party. Carrying forward intra-party democracy and being good at correct centralization are inevitable requirements for the implementation of democratic centralism. We must respect the dominant status of party members, protect their democratic rights, implement party members' rights to know, participate, vote, and supervise, unblock channels for party members to participate in discussing intra-party affairs, broaden channels for party members to express their opinions, educate and guide party members to enhance the party's concepts and subjective awareness, regard the exercise of rights stipulated in the party constitution as their responsibility to the party, dare to take responsibility, dare to be responsible, abide by disciplines and rules, and exercise rights correctly. We must strictly carry out the party's work in accordance with the democratic principles and procedures specified in the party constitution and party rules, implement the system for deputies to the party's congresses at all levels to play their roles, improve the system for deputies to participate in major decisions, participate in the recommendation and democratic evaluation of important cadres, attend relevant party committee meetings, and contact the party members and the masses. We must strive to improve the quality of party committees, party committee standing committees, and party group meetings. We must fully prepare before the meeting, conduct in-depth discussions at the meeting, and strictly implement it after the meeting. Resolutely avoid having the final say and going through the motions in decision-making. It is necessary to create an environment and atmosphere for democratic discussion of issues and full expression of opinions within the party, adhere to the democratic and equal comradeship relationship within the party, party organizations and party member leading cadres support and guarantee party members' exercise of rights, encourage party members and cadres to speak freely at party meetings, conduct equal discussions, protect those comrades who dare to tell the truth, tell the truth, and speak their minds, promptly criticize and educate and deal with violations of party members' rights in a timely manner, and never condone or condone.
(3) Strict implementation of the rules of procedure for decision-making by the leadership team should be taken as an important starting point. Democratic centralism is the fundamental working system of the leadership team, and collective leadership is the concrete embodiment of democratic centralism in the party's leadership system. We must adhere to the combination of collective leadership and individual division of labor and responsibility. All major matters and major issues must strictly follow the principles of collective leadership, democratic centralization, individual deliberation, and meeting decisions for collective research and decision-making, to prevent individuals from placing themselves above the organization; scientifically define and strictly standardize the functions and responsibilities of team members, and set scales and clear requirements for the implementation of responsibilities. We can neither "wait and rely on" and become "hands-off bosses", nor can we each play a different role in politics, so that everything is managed and everyone has expertise. It is necessary to improve the rules of procedure and decision-making procedures of the party committee (party group), strengthen the investigation and research, scientific demonstration, and risk assessment of major decisions, and strictly control the decision-making process, so as to ensure that no blind decisions are made without in-depth research, no decisions are made easily without multi-party argumentation, and no decisions are forced without reaching a consensus. It is necessary to do a good job in the implementation of decisions, resolutely obey the decisions of the party committee (party group), fully discuss and brainstorm during the discussion stage, act vigorously and resolutely after the decision is made, and focus on correcting stubborn problems such as arbitrary actions, doing one's own thing, and deliberation but no decision, decision but no action, and action but no actual implementation. Improve and strictly implement the lifelong responsibility system for major decisions, force leading cadres to respect power, make prudent decisions, and strictly prevent collective violations or evasion of responsibility in the name of collective decision-making.
(4) Standardizing the performance of duties and powers of “top leaders” should be regarded as a key link. How well democratic centralism is implemented depends crucially on how well leading cadres, especially “top leaders” do. It is necessary to urge the "top leaders" to use their power in accordance with regulations and laws, improve the restriction mechanism for the exercise of power of the leadership team, improve the division of power, division of power, hierarchical authorization, and regular job rotation systems, clearly delineate the boundaries of the "top leaders"' responsibilities and authority, strengthen the full supervision of the exercise of power, put power in an institutional cage, and ensure that power is exercised in the sun and under supervision. It is necessary to implement the system of "top leaders" being the last to express their opinions. Major decisions, appointments and removals of important personnel, arrangements for major projects, and the use of large amounts of funds must be decided through collective discussion. The "top leaders" are not allowed to set the tone first or impose their personal opinions on the team. Team members must fully express their opinions before summarizing them and forming decisions based on the majority. This ensures the implementation of democratic centralism from a procedural perspective. It is necessary to strengthen the inspection and supervision of the performance of "top leaders", coordinate and strengthen supervision at higher levels, supervision at the same level and supervision at lower levels, strictly implement the system of special report management and supervision of "top leaders" at lower levels by "top leaders", and the party committee (party group) conduct inspections of "top leaders" at lower-level party organizations. Develop a supervisory dialogue system, focusing on whether the "one-word hall" and "paternalism" are implemented, whether the "three important and one" collective decision-making and the last position are implemented, etc., and supervision at the same level is carried out in detail, and the selection and appointment of "top leaders" focus on inspecting the quality and ability to implement democratic centralism.
3. Deeply understand and grasp the methods and paths for implementing democratic centralism
Implementing democratic centralism is the common political responsibility of the entire party, and first and foremost the responsibility of leading cadres at all levels. Leading cadres at all levels must improve their political positions, strengthen their responsibilities, play an exemplary role, abide by the rules of democratic centralism, enhance their quality of democratic centralism, and effectively build democratic centralism to ensure that it is fully implemented and implemented.
(1) Strengthen theoretical arms and keep the correct political direction. Political determination and action consciousness come from theoretical sobriety. From the perspective of deeply understanding the decisive significance of the "two establishments" and resolutely achieving the "two maintenances", we must encourage leading cadres at all levels to thoroughly study and implement the deployment requirements of the "Decision" on democratic centralism, and combine it with the in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building, to master the basic theory, basic content and basic requirements of democratic centralism, and lay an ideological and theoretical foundation for the implementation of democratic centralism. It is necessary to incorporate the construction of democratic centralism into an important part of cadre education and training, clarify its theoretical logic, historical logic, and practical logic, and continuously improve the understanding and application ability of democratic centralism among all party members.
(2) Improve systems and mechanisms and strive to consolidate political responsibilities. The implementation of democratic centralism must be guaranteed by specific institutional arrangements. After long-term practice, our party has formed a relatively complete institutional system of democratic centralism. It is necessary to improve and implement various institutional provisions of democratic centralism, encourage leading cadres at all levels, especially the main leading cadres, to accurately grasp the requirements, consolidate responsibilities at all levels, and fully implement a series of institutional arrangements such as the Party Congress system, the Party committee system, the intra-Party election system, the Party's collective leadership system, the intra-Party supervision system, the Party's organizational life system, and the party member rights protection system. It is necessary to focus on utilizing the institutional advantages of democratic centralism, further improve the whole-process people's democratic system, promote the institutionalization, standardization and proceduralization of socialist democratic politics, and ensure that the country's political life is both dynamic, stable and orderly.
(3) Strict supervision and accountability, and effectively strengthen rigid constraints. Mobilization a thousand times is not as good as accountability once. It is necessary to focus on solving problems such as insufficient promotion of democracy, insufficient correct concentration, insufficient criticism, and insufficient strict discipline. We must strengthen regular analysis, supervision, inspection, and assessment of the implementation of democratic centralism by party organizations at all levels. We must regard the implementation of the "three important and one" decision-making system as an important part of daily supervision, inspections, audit supervision, and special inspections. Wrong behaviors that violate democratic centralism must be promptly discovered and resolutely corrected, and teams and individuals who fail to implement democratic centralism and make major deviations and mistakes must be held accountable. It is necessary to strengthen top-down organizational supervision, improve bottom-up democratic supervision, and give full play to the role of mutual supervision at the same level. It is necessary to improve the supervision mechanism, clarify key supervision matters, specific measures, accountability and other contents, and ensure the strict implementation of democratic centralism.
(4) Improve capabilities and cultivate a good political ecology. Implementing democratic centralism is a leadership ability and leadership art that leading cadres at all levels must possess. Leading cadres, especially "top leaders", must have a sincere attitude of treating others as equals and being kind to others, and have an open mind and a broad mind that embraces all rivers. They must have a complete and accurate grasp of the real opinions from all aspects, conduct repeated research and comparisons, and choose what is good. It is necessary to master correct and centralized working methods, unify different opinions, refine and summarize the insights from various scattered opinions, gather correct opinions that are in line with the law of development of things and in line with the fundamental interests of the broad masses of the people, and make scientific decisions. It is necessary to adhere to unity based on the principle of party spirit, be good at using methods such as democratic life meetings, criticism and self-criticism, so that leadership groups at all levels can establish good rules and form a good political environment that not only inspires individuals but also relies on the collective, both trusts and encourages but also criticizes and supervises, both tolerates mistakes and corrects them in a timely manner, and both unites and cooperates without violating principles.
