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China cannot become a developed country merely through economic reform unless it also reforms its political system.
The late leader Deng Xiaoping floated the idea of reforming the political system long ago.
However, compared with economic reform, China's political reform is lagging far behind and therefore has now become a pressing task.
The Communist Party of China's 16th National Congress, which was held last November, reiterated the necessity of reform in the political system.
The question now is how we should carry out the reform.
Though some problems remain unresolved, China's economic reform has generally been successful, which has been acknowledged worldwide.
China has achieved spectacular economic growth since it embarked on economic reform more than two decades ago.
Admittedly, sizzling progress aside, the economic reform has also encountered snags.
However, the problems cropping up in the reform process are dwarfed by the eye-catching achievements.
So it is warranted that the economic reform be credited with success, a move that could greatly enhance our confidence in pushing forward political reform.
Unless we accelerate the pace of political reform, the economic reform will face more difficulties.
Today, the hurdles against further reform are increasingly concentrated on the political aspects. In other words, political reform has lagged behind economic reform.
The ultimate goal of reform is overall development, not necessarily confined to economic well-being. It also encompasses other aspects such as education, equality, the protection of basic individual rights and greater choice, among others.
The realization of all these goals cannot depend on just a few people because it involves intertwined interpersonal relations, which can only be settled through political reform. It is ultimately a matter of individual rights and interests.
To various degrees, we have all personally been involved in economic reform. Otherwise, it could not have been so successful.
In the process of that reform, some have actively participated in policy-making or discourse, directly or indirectly influencing others' opinions. Others have also been involved in the process, though passively, such as by doing business in the market or simply finding a job of his or her own choice.
As expected, some people have intentionally or unconsciously hampered the reform process by clinging to an outdated mindset about "planning" the economy or by opposing the privately owned economy.
Each of us may also have a role to play, either actively or passively, in political reform.
Every common citizen -- whether he or she is a farmer, worker, government official, soldier or intellectual -- can make a unique contribution to political reform.
Democracy and the rule of law are the two goals to be pursued by reform of the political system.
In attaining those objectives, the efforts of both the government and the people are indispensable. But the more important part is the people because they form governments.
In the past, we used to regard political reform as the business of governments or "leaders." This is a misconception.
The question is how we can participate in the process in an effective way and in which area should we concentrate to make the process smoother.
Political reform should be perceived as a process of progress as well as civil enlightenment. Neither impatience nor inaction helps. Economic reform must be matched by corresponding political reform in order to succeed. Many public affairs in which we are involved have political implications and therefore, to a certain extent, are related to political reform.
Even our professions are in the domain of public affairs and are therefore links in political reform.
As asserted above, every citizen -- no matter what their abilities or profession -- can participate in and play their due role in political reform even in their daily routine.
The author is an economist with the Beijing Unirule Institute of Economics.
(China Daily February 19, 2003)
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