A Study On The Citizens’ Internet Political Participation In Contemporary China

With the rapid development of internet, it has become a kind of being for people.Internet Political Participation, a new political phenomenon is rising in China’s politicalmodernization process. It changes the Chinese political traditional logic, activates theChinese democracy. It gives rare opportunities to the Chinese political development duringits transformation period, also severe challenges at the same time. What influence will theinternet political participation make on the Chinese political ecology? How to recognizeand guide the citizens’ internet political participation in contemporary China and make itbecome a critical point to promote Chinese democratic process? In accordance with thetraditional citizens’ political participation theory, the practice of Chinese citizens’traditional and internet political participation, upholding Marxist historical materialismprinciples, from the perspective of politics, philosophy, history, communication and so on,the thesis describes the present situation of Chinese citizens’ internet political participationand deeply analyzes the cause of formation. In the end, the thesis also probes into theprospects for Chinese citizens’ internet political participation.The thesis contains six chapters besides an introduction.In the introduction, we can read the significance of the selected topic, its researchstatus at home and abroad, the thesis’ framework, research methods, and its innovationpoints.The first chapter mainly expounds the background where Chinese citizens’ internetpolitical participation springs up: the rising of the network society. Since the1990s, thenetwork society has developed rapidly. We will talk about the formation of the networksociety and its characteristics. The history of Chinese network society development and itsinfluence on Chinese citizens’ political life are also stated in this chapter. It is necessary todo that in order to lay a foundation of the following study work.Chapter two is chiefly concerned with the theoretical overview of internet politicalparticipation. Based on the traditional political participation theory, the author summarizesthe concept of citizens’ internet political participation and its characteristics. Some newthoughts about the internet political participation are put forward; they are its subjects, itsobjects and the participation ways. The thesis also analyzes its some influence factors,probes into the relationships between the virtual and the reality.Chapter three takes a summary about the development path of Chinese citizens’political participation practice from the new democratic revolution period to now.Comparing the situation before the era of network with that in the network era, summingup experience, learning a lesson, we can truly find the internal logic and its developmentpath of Chinese citizens’ political participation. As a result, orderly citizens’ internetpolitical participation will be promoted. Chapter four mainly discusses the opportunities and challenges given by the internetpolitical participation for Chinese political development. As far as the opportunities areconcerned, the internet political participation broadens the citizens’ participation channels,improves their participation enthusiasm. It is useful to promote Chinese citizens’ politicalsocialization process to improve the quality of citizens. It is useful to promote thetransition of Chinese political culture to accelerate the formation of civil society. It isuseful to deepen Chinese political system reform to perfect the mechanism of politicaldevelopment. As for challenges, the internet political participation will challenge Chinesesocial stability, the citizen mainstream political culture construction and the Party’s rulingability construction, and so on.Chapter five is the focus of the thesis. Some main problems which exist in Chinesecitizens’ internet political participation are particularized and deeply analyzed. Thecorresponding constructive countermeasures are proposed. Firstly, the author particularizessuch main problems as the irrational tendency during the internet political participation, thedisordered state, digital divide, the political trust in network environment and so on. Andthen, the reasons behind these problems are deeply explored and the correspondingcountermeasures are put forward constructively.The development prospect of Chinese citizens’ internet political participation isanticipated in chapter six. There existed two diametrically opposing attitudes, optimismand pessimism. After a full discussion on them, the author raises her own opinions onChinese citizens’ internet political participation. That is, we should transcend the argumentbetween blind optimism and pessimism, take an active and rational attitude towards thedevelopment of Chinese citizens’ internet political participation, strive for balance betweenideal and reality, and explore a new development road to network democracy suitable forChina.