The Evaluation of Basic Public Satisfaction with Urban Basic Services in Major Cities

Abstract

This report uses an optimized evaluation index system to analyze 19,843 returned questionnaires collected from 38 major cities across China. It ranks the levels of satisfaction among the public with nine sectors of basic government service, namely healthcare, public housing, public transportation, public security, social security and employment, basic education, urban environment, culture and sports, and government service. A series of indices are used to measure the level of satisfaction among the Chinese public with basic government service, including the GDP-leveraged satisfaction index, the satisfaction increase index, and the sectoral development index, that is, development index for each sector of basic government services rated for people’s level of satisfaction. The report finds a decline in satisfaction in 2013 from the previous year, due in part to a change in the survey itself to optimize the evaluation. Overall, the scores are on the low side and the satisfaction level with various service sectors differs significantly. The report calls for accelerating social reform, increasing the types, quantity, effectiveness and efficiency of government service products, and underscoring the social dimension of the reform programs. Social and economic reform needs to be effectively coordinated to prevent the problems caused by a lack of synchronism between them (which many policy documents refer to metaphorically as “differential trajectory between front and rear wheels”). The report urges the development and introduction of national standards and indexes to gauge the satisfaction with basic government service and at the same time reduce the weight given to GDP in assessing local government’s performance. It also advises government to further engage social organizations and the private sector in the provision of government service, increase government service procurements, and boost the efficacy of service delivery. It highlights the need for government to keep track of public opinion when deciding the prioritized areas of government services, and to strengthen the statistical system as a way of building the capacity for basic government service.