On The Economic Cost Of Electoral Democracy

Whether for the consolidated democracy countries, or for the transiting democracy countries, electoral democracy is the core element and foundation for their democratic political construction and development. It is well known that any large construction project should pay attention to the cost. Electoral democracy as a large and complex political project is the same. The economic cost, as an important part of all the cost of electoral democracy, should also be the crucial content of electoral democracy research. In addition, from the current situation of economic cost and outcome of electoral democracy home and abroad, we should attach more importance to research the economic cost of electoral democracy systematically. The implementation of electoral democracy needs not only passion, but also more rationality; and more attention should be paid its cost rather than its performance. It is a fundamental principle for a country to promote the healthy development of electoral democracy in the process of improving its performance continuously and controlling its cost reasonably.Based on the cognitive theory and the practice reflection of electoral democracy, this paper studies economic cost of the electoral democracy from the perspective of organization (i.e., the country, the government and party perspective) rather than the individual perspective (i.e., voters and candidates perspective). This study does not deny the important value and function of electoral democracy, or hinder the development of the socialist electoral democracy. On the contrary, it is to promote the development of electoral democracy. In this paper, the main ideas of the economic cost of electoral democracy are divided into two parts. Firstly, on the basis of the changing trend of the economic cost of electoral democracy in both China and foreign countries, we should strengthen the rational cognition of the economic cost of electoral democracy as the objective existence, set up the correct awareness of the economic cost of electoral democracy, improve the capacity of dealing with the high growth of it. Secondly, on the basis of current situation of the development of electoral democracy in China, we should control the economic cost of electoral democracy reasonably, and improve the performance of electoral democracy effectively.In addition to the introduction and the conclusion, there are five chapters in this paper. Chapter1is electoral democracy and its economic costs. Chapter2is constitutions and the characteristics of the economic costs of electoral democracy. Chapter3is the influence factors of the economic costs of electoral democracy. Chapter4is the present situation of the economic costs of electoral democracy in China and foreign countries. Chapter5is the countermeasures of controlling reasonably the economic cost of electoral democracy.First of all, the research on the economic cost of electoral democracy must be based on the clear understanding of a series of concepts and relevant theories. So this paper introduces respectively the concept of the electoral democracy and the economic cost by normative research method at the beginning. In this paper, the economic cost of electoral democracy refers to the sum of human cost, financial cost and material cost that the electoral democracy behaviors have paid in the process of electoral democracy for the implementation of electoral democracy effects. For the elements, the economic cost of electoral democracy includes financial cost expressed and measured by monetary unit directly, and labor cost and material cost expressed and measured by monetary unit indirectly. The economic cost of electoral democracy not only has the common characteristics of the general cost such as objectivity, universality and purposiveness, but also has some other characteristics such as the diversity of subject, diversified influence factors, goal orientation of super economy, vague output and functional evaluation of the refractivity.The research of the economic cost of electoral democracy must be done comprehensively on the basic factors resulting in the change of the economic cost of electoral democracy. Therefore, this paper advances two aspects of factors influencing the economic cost of electoral democracy, including intrinsic factors and external factors. The intrinsic factors are composed of four aspects, including the subject of electoral democracy, the system of electoral democracy, the scale of electoral democracy and the technology of electoral democracy. The external factors are composed of three aspects, including economic development, cultural development, and social development. Although each of these factors may influence the economic cost of electoral democracy separately, they more superposed influence the economic cost of electoral democracy.The research of the economic cost of electoral democracy must be based on the investigation of the present situation and problems of the economic cost of electoral democracy in different countries comprehensively. Therefore, in this paper, the first research aspect is the present situations and the problems of the economic cost of electoral democracy in eleven different types of foreign countries selectively, by means of two methods of literature research and comparative analysis. The second research aspect is the situations and the problems of the economic cost of electoral democracy in China today which includes the detailed investigation and analysis of the present situations and the problem of the economic cost of electoral democracy of representatives election of National People’s Congress, election of China’s village committee, election of china’s urban resident committee, and CCP inner-party democracy election, also by means of the above two methods respectively. It can be observed that the general trend of the present economic cost of electoral democracy is increasing in China and foreign countries, but there are differences in degrees and influence reasons.After the comprehensive explanations about the present situations and the problems of the economic cost of electoral democracy in China today, it is necessary to explore how to control effectively the economic cost of electoral democracy. Firstly, the basic connotation of controlling of the economic cost of electoral democracy is defined. The controlling of the economic cost of electoral democracy is a kind of social practice activity that the subject of electoral democracy must follow the basic rules of the economic cost of electoral democracy, and keep the quantities of the economic cost of electoral democracy within the scope of rationality by using various system specifications and technical means. Secondly, the basic goal lies in the rationality of controlling the economic cost of electoral democracy. The basic standards of controlling rationally the economic cost of electoral democracy includes four aspects that the necessity of payment, the affordability of payment, the favor of effect, and the fairness of allocating the economic cost of electoral democracy. Thirdly, the significance of controlling the economic cost of electoral democracy is illuminated. The controlling of the economic cost of electoral democracy not only helps to promote optimal allocation of resources of electoral democracy, but also promote the benign operation of electoral democracy activities, and promotes the performance of electoral democracy comprehensively. Finally, some countermeasures and suggestions of controlling the economic cost of electoral democracy in China today are proposed. These countermeasures and suggestions include three aspects. The premise of controlling effectively the economic cost of electoral democracy is set up and strengthened on the awareness of the cost of electoral democracy in China today. The foundation of controlling effectively the economic cost of electoral democracy is to reform and improve the electoral democracy systems in China today. The key of controlling effectively the economic cost of electoral democracy is the innovation and application of electoral democracy technologies in China today.