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Don't overemphasize role of netizens
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-26 07:50
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The Internet has become an important medium for people to participate in politics, reflecting the progress of Chinese society. But online sites have a lot of loopholes that have to be plugged, says an article in Study Times. Excerpts:
The Internet has become an important medium for people to voice their opinions on governments' plans and functions, and politics.
The founding father of republic China Sun Yat-sen has described politics as a public matter, and hence the development on the Net can be seen as a great progress in Chinese politics.
It is already an established view that online networks have played an important role in encouraging democracy. But the importance of the networks seems to be overemphasized. Recently, netizens were invited as a visiting group and granted the power to investigate a public incident. This is not legal.
The basic role of online networks in politics should be subsidiary to organs of the democratic system. The networks' essential role should be to increase the pressure on officials, propel democratic procedures and highlight hidden problems. But none of the three functions mean they can try to impose a new system.
The main reasons why the networks' role is being overemphasized are the lack of transparency in government affairs and inadequate communication between the officials and the people. Networks should remind us to develop the democratic systems for public interest but never try to impose a system of their own.
Though Sun Yat-sen described politics as a public matter, he emphasized the importance of social management. Management can be executed only by legal representatives of the people. At best, networks can be the participants in the process. The ultimate solution to the problems highlighted by the networks can be found only if the government systems are improved.
(China Daily 01/26/2010 page9)
