Chinese Democracy in the Process of State Modernization: The Operational Logic and Institutional Advantages of Consultative Democracy

Abstract

Since the reform and opening up in 1978, Chinas modernization has been on the proper track, and the path of Chinas modernization is distinct from that of the Western capitalist countries. The traditional Western modernization theory does not provide a reasonable explanation for Chinas evolution, and Huntingtons 1968 proposal of modernization under a strong government became the basis of Chinas growth philosophy. Based on the different theoretical frameworks of modernization favored by China and the West, the modernization manifestations, political systems, and forms of democracy in China and the West are subsequently different. In this paper, we examine the advantages of Chinas consultative democracy and even full process democracy by comparing the modernization performance between China and developed Western countries. The comparison reveals that Chinas consultative democracy provides a platform for citizens to express their policy proposals and for different social groups to discuss the solution strategies for social problems on an equal footing, which effectively protects the interests of citizens and can solve problems more directly and effectively. This paper will explore how national governments can achieve effective democracy through a cross-sectional comparison, and provide a realistic reference for the modernization process of developing countries, to help them better establish modernization strategies and achieve far-reaching modernization.