Socialist consultative democracy
The essence of the people's democracy is that the people get to discuss their own affairs. Consultative democracy is an important way of effecting Party leadership and a model and strength unique to China's socialist democracy. It is rooted in China's realities and its political and cultural traditions, and embodies the distinctive strengths and advantages of China's socialist democracy.
Under the CPC leadership, the state organs, CPPCC organizations, other political parties, community organizations, social organizations, people from all walks of life and the general public will hold extensive consultations regarding the major issues in economic and social development and the immediate interests of the people, before any decision is made or during its execution. This is a special form of socialist democracy to protect the overall interests while accommodating the interests of various parties concerned.
It focuses not only on outcomes of decision-making but also on broad participation in this process. It emphasizes not only the importance of respecting the opinions of the majority, but also the need to ensure that minority voices are heard. It broadens the scope of democracy, so that people can enjoy democracy to the greatest extent possible.
As a distinctively Chinese political institution, the CPPCC is a major channel for socialist consultative democracy, and its committees are specialist consultative bodies. The 19th CPC National Congress stated, "We will advance extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy," which is the strategic task and pathway to developing socialist consultative democracy in the new era.
社會主義協商民主
有事好商量，眾人的事情由眾人商量，是人民民主的真諦。協商民主是實現中國共產黨的領導的重要方式，是中國社會主義民主政治的特有形式和獨特優勢，符合中國的現實國情，契合中國的政治文化傳統。其基本概念是在中國共產黨領導下，國家政權機關、政協組織、黨派團體、基層組織、社會組織、各族各界人士和人民群眾，對經濟社會發展重大問題和涉及群眾切身利益的實際問題，在決策前和決策實施之中開展廣泛協商，既維護整體利益又兼顧各方的社會主義民主政治的特有形式。它不僅關注最終的決策結果，也關注決策過程中的廣泛參與，不僅強調對多數人意見的尊重，也強調少數人意見的充分表達和權利的維護，拓寬了民主的廣度，從而在最大限度上實現人民民主。人民政協是具有中國特色的制度安排，是社會主義協商民主的重要渠道和專門協商機構。黨的十九大報告強調：“要推動協商民主廣泛、多層、制度化發展。”這是新時代社會主義協商民主建設的戰略任務和基本路徑。
