First, the connotation and characteristics of public affairs
Public affairs are related countries that accompany the process of social development. Social affairs involving collective and individual interests. Public affairs include the production and supply of public goods and the establishment and development of public services. Broadly speaking, state affairs and class affairs can also be included in the category of public affairs, or there is an inclusive relationship between them. However, we believe that the goals of state affairs and class affairs are different from social affairs, and the operation of these two kinds of affairs also has special provisions, and their undertakers are also specific. Therefore, it should be strictly distinguished from public affairs, which is another matter.
The biggest feature of public affairs is publicity. The occurrence of public affairs stems from the change of public demand; It is the responsibility of the government to undertake public affairs, but it does not exclude the participation of any social organizations and members; The results of public affairs can be enjoyed by both participants (investors) and non-participants (non-investors) and generally benefit. This phenomenon is called the non-exclusiveness and inseparability of public affairs by economics. The "public * * *" nature of public affairs determines that public affairs are unprofitable and cannot provide public products and services through market transactions. Therefore, enterprises aiming at profit are "unwilling" to take care of public affairs, while weak private individuals are "unable" to take care of public affairs. Then, the responsibility of public affairs naturally falls on the government, a special public management institution.
However, the constant change of public demand determines that public affairs also has two other characteristics-diversity and stage.
The diversity of public affairs shows the change and development of social life and the real realization of the public's right to choose public products and services independently. The public's preference for the quality and quantity of public goods and services cannot be exactly the same. General needs and special needs. Low-level demand and high-level demand are unevenly distributed in different social groups. It is precisely the diversity of public affairs that tests the advantages and disadvantages of government power monopolizing public affairs. At the same time, it provides a practical basis for non-governmental organizations to share the responsibility of public affairs with the government for the purpose of benefiting and serving the public, creating great opportunities and room for growth.
The stage of public affairs shows that public affairs have different contents, different forms and different standards in different stages of social development; Some things will increase at a certain stage, and the scope and objects of some transactions will change. In the underdeveloped social stage, the low-level basic survival needs are the general needs of the public, so most or even all public affairs are carried out around providing and ensuring basic food and clothing for the public. With the development of social economy, the quality of life of the public is divided, the requirements for quality of life and welfare level are higher and more diversified, and public affairs in culture, personality development and enjoyment are increasing. For example, at this stage, there are many public affairs such as living environment, population mobility, medical and health care, respecting the elderly and caring for the young, eliminating the gap between the rich and the poor, and creating equal opportunities. Moreover, some affairs that were originally purely economic affairs have gradually turned into public affairs, such as transportation, telephone communication, information network construction and so on. Obviously, the public affairs at this stage are not the same as those in the era of economic scarcity.
Modern society is a society with peace and development as its theme. All governments have noticed the importance of managing public affairs, which is of great significance to domestic stability, improving international competitiveness and promoting peace and development. In many developed countries, reforming public affairs management is one of the government's priority goals. The authoritative international assessment agencies have regarded the management of public affairs as an important indicator to measure the goal and level of a government's governance, and the status and participation of the public in public affairs as a measure to measure a social democracy and civilized progress.
Second, the old model and current situation of public affairs management.
With the development of China society, people's life is changing with each passing day, public affairs are becoming more and more abundant, and the old public management model is impacted and challenged. The disadvantages of the government's undertaking public management functions are gradually exposed, such as: the contradiction between fairness and efficiency; Relatively fixed administrative procedures do not adapt to the ever-changing contradictions in public affairs; The expansion of government institutions, unlimited increase in management costs and increased financial burden; Bureaucracy and formalism; Corruption is hard to contain and so on. It is imperative to reform and innovate the public affairs management system.
The basic situation and pattern of public affairs management in new China in the past 50 years have four outstanding characteristics:
1. The central location for managing public affairs. The dominant position has remained unchanged for decades. The government takes care of all public affairs, from top to bottom, everywhere. All social welfare comes from the government;
2. The administrative departments of governments at all levels overlap greatly, and the operation efficiency and cost are low;
3. Accustomed to administrative orders. Publicity and education, mass movement. Comprehensive management mode of compulsory labor;
4. Outside the government, there are no autonomous institutions that undertake public affairs functions.
Specifically, the "special" of the old pattern of public affairs management is also consistent with the "special" of China's past national conditions.
First of all, the "extreme left" in guiding ideology and dogmatism in theory have directly led to the rigidity of the system and the paranoia of management and administration. In the administrative process, the government has gradually evolved from following the purpose of "serving the people wholeheartedly" to being in charge of public affairs and monopolizing public power.
Secondly, under the planned economy system, social public affairs, politics and economy are highly centralized and unified, which not only separates government from enterprises, but also the operation of social public affairs is highly dependent on the requirements of political power and the provisions of political goals, principles and order. The function of the government has not been realized, and it is impossible to truly achieve differentiation. The system determines that the government must manage all public affairs well. The government runs enterprises and society. The government is responsible for the affairs and responsibilities of the world, becoming the only public affairs management institution and a veritable "all-round government".
Third, judging from the state of the public, the main body of social life, people lack the traditional habits of self-discipline and heteronomy in public contracts, and the government has not created a system of democratic participation and extensive cooperation to effectively induce interests. Then, apart from the exclusive efforts of the government, public affairs will be lost in vain.
Fourth, for a long time, the problem of food and clothing for China people has not been solved, the basic material and cultural needs are at a low level, and public affairs are relatively simple and few.
Objectively speaking, it must be affirmed that the people's government has spared no effort to provide the most basic public products and services for the broadest masses of the people for decades. No matter how limited the government organization is and how rigid the policies and measures are, it is still the responsibility of the government to provide basic public products and services for all citizens. However, in the face of the rapid development of society and the new growth and new forms of public affairs, the exclusive responsibilities of the government must also be extended and decomposed outside the government.
China has implemented a new round of institutional reform since 1998, reorganizing the overall functions and management functions of government agencies. This functional orientation is based on Zhu? Premier Ji's simplest sentence is: the government should manage the market, but it can't run the market. Specifically, government functions are mainly macro-control, social management and public services. This reflects that the government's efforts to achieve administrative management are compatible with the goal of accelerating the construction of a socialist market economic system and with the new changes in social affairs. This is a reform that is different from the past and has a fundamental institutional change. The reforms that have been carried out have brought great benefits to enterprises and even the whole economic life. Enterprises break away from the administrative control of the government and enter the market competition as truly independent economic entities to pursue and obtain the maximum commercial profits. With the rapid growth of social and economic aggregate, people's material and cultural life is becoming richer and richer, and social affairs are also expanding, and many new fields, forms and problems have emerged. However, the changes in public affairs have not aroused the government's strong concern for the people like the changes in economic affairs and political affairs. Many problems in the field of public affairs show that the current government's system reform and functional transformation are not in place, and they are not matched, connected and adapted to the management of public affairs. This has caused the current public affairs management in China to present "three states" as a whole:
1. Contradictory state. On the one hand, the government system reform regards strengthening and improving public services as an important function; On the one hand, with the development of market economy, social public affairs are constantly enriched and expanded, and a large number of unprecedented public affairs have appeared. Due to the constraints of functions, staffing and quality, the government can neither invest more administrative resources in management (unable to manage) nor lack management experience and technology (unable to manage well). If we manage according to the old administrative subject model, it is often thankless.
2.2. Vacuum state. For a long time, China's national economic structure has been limited to the dual structure of the first sector (enterprise) and the second sector (government), while the construction and development of the third sector (for-profit organization) aimed at non-profit participation and promoting social welfare has been seriously neglected. There are few laws and policies about sharing the responsibility of social public affairs; Non-governmental cooperation is indifferent to public affairs and weak in ability; Theoretical research and publicity about the third sector (non-profit organizations) are even rarer.
3.3. Loss status. Due to the absence of the system and the mismatch and disconnection of the system transformation, the "interest cake" of social public affairs can not be enlarged, and even lead to the loss of interests. For example, the absence of community service and management system after community interest; Enterprises pollute the public environment and cause damage to people's health, which can not be corrected; The existing public cultural and sports facilities and welfare facilities in cities and towns have been idle or even abandoned for a long time, and some have been converted to commercial use; The public welfare fund donated by enterprises and private individuals has the energy and effect of maintaining and increasing value. Due to imperfect institutions and systems, unsupervised accounts, a large amount of funds are not only difficult to maintain and increase value, but even cheated, borrowed, misappropriated and lost money in investment. Many public welfare undertakings suitable for the common development of the government and non-profit organizations have not been effectively developed, and so on.
4. The reform of public affairs management is progressing with the reform of government system, and the direction has been clear and the general trend is improving. What we need to do now is to accelerate metabolism and realize the institutional innovation of public affairs management in all directions.
Third, the new mode of public affairs management.
Throughout today's western developed countries, there are many social and public affairs, including providing various benefits for citizens. The role of the government is very limited, but countless non-profit organizations are active in every corner and level of social public affairs. Non-profit organizations play a very important role from baby-rearing to old-age care, from breakfast nutrition to house repair, from museums and libraries to famous universities, symphony orchestras, civil rights and interests, legal aid and even overseas aid. Here, although there are traditional reasons, the more important reason is that since the 1980s, western developed countries have generally reformed the public affairs management system and are building a brand-new public affairs management model. How to build a new model of public affairs management in Socialism with Chinese characteristics based on China's national conditions and drawing lessons from the experience of public affairs management system reform in western developed countries, we think we can consider it from the following aspects:
1. Responsibility sharing of public affairs management
The responsibility sharing of public affairs management depends on the transformation of government functions, which has always been directly undertaken by the government and transferred to non-governmental non-profit organizations outside the government. Its motivation and goal is to break the pattern that the government is the only subject of public affairs management and gradually realize the socialization of public affairs management.
According to the new public management model, although the government is still a specialized public management institution, it is not the only one. In areas where non-profit organizations can provide effective, economical and high-quality public goods and services, the government must withdraw, so as to stimulate people's creative potential and construction energy. Although the government has partially transferred its management function with the public and its responsibility for public affairs, it is by no means giving up its responsibility. The government still bears the political responsibility and economic responsibility of public affairs, that is, the government adopts public policies. Public management and service standards. The supervision of the formulation and implementation of objectives and principles ensures that the purpose of "serving the people wholeheartedly" is truly implemented, and the quality of public affairs management cannot be reduced. At the same time, the government has the responsibility to train and educate the managers of non-profit organizations, improve their ideological and moral quality and professional quality, and promote the healthy and standardized development of non-profit organizations. Sustainable development; The government has the responsibility to manage public affairs according to different fields. Nature. Categories, financial support and tax incentives of responsible non-profit organizations. Even in some public affairs areas that require the government's direct participation in management, the government should adopt the strategy of "advancing and retreating" and "doing something and not doing anything", and then advance and retreat in an orderly manner, doing more "timely assistance" and less "icing on the cake".
When the government is freed from specific public affairs, it can serve as a supervisor and mentor to examine the quality and efficiency of public management and promote the expansion of public rights and interests. Similarly, due to the decentralization of government's management of public affairs, the monopoly of public affairs has been broken, and the social supervision and restriction mechanism has been strengthened, which not only helps the government to overcome bureaucratic tendencies and reduce the opportunities for government officials to corrupt their power, but also helps to supervise and correct the possible "second government" and "bureaucracy" tendencies in the non-profit sector, and of course reduces the cost of public affairs management accordingly.
All kinds of non-profit organizations enter the field of public affairs and share the responsibility with the government, which can also effectively cure the syndrome of "rampant field failure and government failure" associated with the market economy. "Market failure" means that the market mechanism can't optimize the allocation of resources, especially can't provide public goods and services according to the principle of optimization; And "government failure" means that the government, as the main undertaker of public affairs, can only provide general public products and services to meet general needs under the principle of equality, but it is impossible to meet the "personalization" of the public. The demand of "diversification". Under the symptom of "failure", non-profit organizations (the third sector) can show their advantages in diversified services and supplies and form a complementary relationship with the government. For example, non-profit organizations such as Project Hope, volunteer organizations, community service agencies and charities in China help the disabled through poverty alleviation. Recover. Re-employment and other activities, adjust the income gap of social members, reduce the inequality between the rich and the poor, help the disadvantaged groups in society, create equal opportunities, ease social contradictions, and create a stable and harmonious social development environment; For another example, in order to maximize profits, some enterprises discharge waste gas, waste water and waste residue at the expense of the public environment, resulting in external diseconomy, while natural (green) environmental protection organizations and community self-help groups. Non-profit organizations such as animal protection organizations can cooperate with government functional departments and news media to implement actions such as monitoring, restricting rectification, exerting pressure from public opinion, and claiming damages to promote the sustainable development of social economy and ecological environment; In addition, the organic capital composition of non-profit organizations is lower than that of for-profit organizations (enterprises), that is, the operating costs of non-profit organizations themselves are lower. In this way, its own capacity and development space are very large, and a large number of surplus labor transferred from the primary industry (agriculture) and labor transferred from the structural adjustment and technological progress of the secondary industry (industry) can be absorbed into the non-profit organizations dominated by the tertiary industry (service industry). This is in line with the adjustment of industrial structure in modern society. The general trend of human resources reorganization.
In fact, there is still a lot of room for non-profit organizations to release energy, far more than that. Under the condition of market economy, many affairs are not directly intervened by the government, or because the intervention cost is too high, it will get twice the result with half the effort if they are handed over to non-profit organizations. In recent years, international and regional "NGO" forums have been held frequently to discuss, predict and provide technical advice on practical problems and future development in China and the world. Its "soft science" achievements undoubtedly played an extraordinary role in government decision-making and enterprise expansion. Non-profit organizations undertake some functions of government public affairs management, and are also the extension and expansion of non-government power. This intermediary position and role between the government and society enables them to remain neutral, flexible and independent in participating in public life.
Of course, listing the advantages of non-profit organizations is not to prove that they are perfect, they are the "panacea" of "sick" society, and there is no intention to idealize them. On the contrary, for non-profit organizations in China, it is necessary to share the responsibility with the government and release the potential energy. There are many difficulties in turning advantages and advantages into reality. Basic work needs to be done. At least give priority to the following three constructions: First, cultivate a group of professionals with high realm and excellent quality. This is divided into two aspects: on the one hand, in addition to attracting a large number of volunteers to participate in the work, the personality charm and comprehensive quality of full-time managers are very important to promote the operation of the organization; On the other hand, any non-profit organization should have its own "professional" orientation. Excellent professional quality and rich experience are undoubtedly conducive to improving the efficiency and quality of services, while poor professional quality or unclear positioning is not only not conducive to attracting supporters to donate money, but also reduces the credibility of the organization. Second, non-profit organizations must learn to manage in the best way. It is not enough to have a group of people with lofty ideals with selfless love and good intentions. We must also operate efficiently and pursue the lowest cost and the best effect. Non-profit organizations must be "efficiency organizations". Third, non-profit organizations must learn to raise funds and donations. Non-profit organizations must produce goods and services to attract public donations, use the media to promote themselves, and establish strict financial auditing and accurate information disclosure systems. Non-profit organizations must be "clean organizations"
Sharing the responsibility of public affairs not only expands the coverage of social responsibility, but also develops and utilizes high-quality social resources, greatly increases the effective supply of public goods and services, and adds new vitality and vitality to the rapidly developing and changing society.
2. Public affairs management introduces competition.
Market competition can bring about the optimal allocation of resources and the diversification of public products and services. However, unlike economic affairs, public affairs can compete directly in the market to achieve the optimization goal. Because of the characteristics of public goods and public services, people who spend money on them can enjoy them as well as those who don't. If most members of society want others to contribute and "take the light for free", public goods and services will not be provided. It can be seen that public affairs cannot be solved through the market system, that is, transactions between individual consumers and producers. In the era of planned economy, the government regards public goods and services as pure consumption areas, and the administrative departments or government affiliated institutions called "institutions" rely on limited and fixed funds to operate, which greatly limits the development, production and supply of public goods and services. Practice has proved that the government's exclusive monopoly on public affairs can not meet the general and special needs of the public in quality and quantity.
However, the government is the eternal forbidden area of market principle, and public power is not exchangeable. In other words, if the government monopolizes public affairs, it is impossible to introduce competition mechanism in the field of public affairs in accordance with market principles. Now, by promoting the socialization of public affairs management and undertaking public affairs, non-governmental non-profit organizations can break the restricted area and realize the "docking" of public affairs management and market competition reasonably and legally.
First of all, we can introduce the management concept and mode of profit-making organizations "benefit first, survival of the fittest, and users are God" into the public management process. In the socialized environment of public power, the public has the absolute right to choose public management organizations. Public satisfaction is the basic standard for evaluating service organizations. Therefore, which organization should seek and strive for its own opportunities in the market competition. Share and status, it is necessary to come up with their own goods and services to accept the choice of the public. All the drawbacks and limitations of the original government monopoly on public affairs will be reduced, weakened or even eliminated in fair competition and public choice.
Secondly, non-profit organizations that undertake public affairs take government funds and social donations as their operating capital, and must consciously accept the supervision of the government and social donors, do a good job in industry self-discipline, establish a standardized accounting system, and conduct cost accounting for product development services, so as to obtain the best social and economic benefits. Only in this way can we overcome the disadvantages of government monopoly, which only invests without considering income and pursues fairness at the expense of efficiency, and realize the balanced development of fairness, efficiency and cost in public affairs management.
Third, non-profit organizations that undertake public affairs strive for high-quality products and services. Diversified and personalized, we can cooperate with for-profit enterprises to carry out technical research and development of projects by virtue of our own advantages, and even give for-profit institutions corresponding business opportunities and benefits without affecting service quality and public acceptance. It should be pointed out that the purpose and fundamental nature of non-profit organizations are non-profit, which does not mean that these organizations will not make profits. Not for profit, its reasonable service charges and profits from legal operation can be put into continuous operation, enhance service capacity and improve product quality. In a word, introducing competition into public management can make public products and services more diversified. High quality and low price will inevitably benefit the public, the main body of public affairs.
3. Enjoy the benefits of public affairs.
"Enjoy" is a rich concept. From 65438 to 0995, the theme of the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen, Denmark was "a society for all". The plan of action adopted at the meeting clarified its meaning: a society for all is an inclusive society based on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, cultural and religious diversity, social justice, democratic participation and the rule of law. A society for all is a society that adjusts its own structure and actions and its own policies and plans according to the needs and abilities of all people, so as to give full play to the potential of all members of society and work for the welfare of all people. Therefore, it can be understood that "* * * enjoyment" is the enjoyment of human survival resources, development opportunities and social achievements. A * * * society will further enable people to invest in each other and share the fruits of such investment under the guidance of the principles of reciprocity and fairness.
We believe that it is most appropriate to take "benefit sharing" as the ultimate goal of Socialism with Chinese characteristics's public management reform. Public affairs essentially reflect public interests. In the past, we emphasized the unity of national interests, collective interests and individual interests when managing public affairs. There is no doubt that this is correct. Only by unifying the three can we achieve the same benefits and happiness. Unfortunately, in practice, personal interests are always divorced from "unity", and personal interests are always restricted, weakened or even "sacrificed" on the grounds of public interests. Moreover, this "sacrifice" cannot be compensated for a long time. Over time, people's sincerity and desire to participate in public affairs have been hurt, and people have become indifferent and false to public affairs. Passive resistance, but as the "cake" of social public interest, it has been delayed or even shrunk. In fact, this has created a vicious circle in the field of public affairs.
The reform and innovation of public affairs management will inevitably form a situation of "benefit sharing" in the system and macro environment. Let more people go out of their private lives and be willing to cooperate with others; More people are willing to participate in social affairs and undertake social affairs. In public affairs, individuals, non-governmental social organizations and the government have equal rights, equal treatment and shared interests. In this way, the "cake" of socialist public interest can be bigger and bigger, the resources enjoyed by everyone can be richer and richer, and the space for social development and personality development can be broader and broader. In this regard, Dalian. The achievements of community construction in Shanghai and Nanjing, and the activities organized by volunteers in Shenzhen are all successful examples. This year, the "Volunteer Registration System and Volunteer Service Time Saving System" (reported by CCTV on February 6, 2000, 65438), which is about to be implemented by the state, has set an institutional precedent for promoting the reform of public affairs management and realizing "benefit sharing".
Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening up, once said: Development is the last word. It is also proposed that the party and the government should take people's satisfaction and dissatisfaction as the starting point for formulating policies and promoting work. It can be said that only by realizing the reform and opening up of the public affairs management system can we promote the enrichment and development of public affairs and enrich and expand public interests, and whether we can realize "benefit sharing" is a test of diligence. The symbol of the success of the government system reform with honesty, pragmatism and high efficiency as the goal is to test the success of the government's new public affairs management system and whether the government really implements the purpose of "serving the people wholeheartedly".
China has a large population and a vast territory, and the society is in the process of great change, turning point and development. Therefore, any reform and innovation measures will be a gradual process, and there will be a stage of experimental promotion. They should seek truth from facts, adapt to local conditions and adapt to "things". We firmly believe that the reform and innovation of the public affairs management system will certainly promote the development of China's social productive forces, promote the all-round progress of social culture, and greatly enhance the fundamental interests of the broad masses of the people.