The Constitutional Consciousness of Chinese Citizens over 60 Years of Social Change

Abstract

Constitutional consciousness is a general term for citizens’ knowledge, opinions, ideas and thinking about the Constitution. It not only drives the implementation of the Constitution and the development of democratic politics and the rule of law, but also serves as an indicator for the extent of the rule of law. In the course of social change, constitutional consciousness constitutes an inner spiritual force within the constitutional order. It is a force for change in itself, especially as “a cultural soft power” that remolds normative judgments and value bases. A stable and mature constitutional consciousness provides a foundation for the benign operation of social change. Over the past 60 years, the development of Chinese society has followed a tortuous path, but due to citizens’ constitutional consciousness the 1954 and 1982 Constitutions were always vehicles and forces for social cohesion and harmony. The way to improve supervision of constitutional implementation is to truly make rule of law thinking centered on constitutional consciousness into the basic value consensus of citizens and different groups at the level of the nation, the government and society. Adhering to the concept of the supremacy of the Constitution and exploring ways and means of adopting a more reasonable, pragmatic and open approach to its implementation will provide a solid constitutional foundation for the full implementation of governing the country according to law and will advance the construction of a rule of law China.