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All citizens have right to assess a govt

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-08-18 07:54

Hanyang district authorities in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, invited 114 enterprises recently to assess the performance of the local government and select the top 10 civil servants, who were awarded medals. Allowing all members of society to assess a government would be an important step toward total transparency, says an article in the Changjiang Daily. Excerpt:

The move of Hanyang district authorities in Wuhan, Hubei province, to invite local enterprises to assess the local government's performance is a pioneering step toward total transparency. It is indeed a mutually beneficial move for the authorities and the enterprises both. The local authorities could ameliorate their services according to the enterprises' suggestions. But it is disputable whether the enterprises should be allowed to award medals to the 10 best officials who are obliged to serve the entire society.

It is important to make clear who should be entitled to assess the performance of a government. All entities of a society that a government serves, including civil society and enterprises, have that right.

In modern societies, citizens are the main political body and possess the ultimate right to assess a government. The measure broadly used around the world is conducting surveys on the approval rate.

The Hanyang initiative makes it incumbent to expect the authorities would facilitate citizens' participation in the assessment process.

The right to comment on a government should be granted to all. As a result, it is necessary to encourage people to comment on and assess a government, and to participate in public affairs in an orderly way. If all citizens have the lawful right to assess a government it would boost the progress of democracy and promote a healthier political culture.

(China Daily 08/18/2009 page9)