Studies On Implementation Of Participatory Budget

In the 6th Session of the 16th Central Committee of CCP, a definitive demand for public finance had been made, which requires carrying out reform and innovation on the establishment of budget and budget management. According to the international experience, it will impose a great significance on the improvement of public finance system and achievement of social harmony to adopt the participatory budget mode which would be able to keep a well balanced public expenditure structure and improve the efficiency of public expenditure. Therefore, it would be an option for the local government.Participatory budget is an innovative way of policy-making. In participatory budget programs, citizens will directly participate in the process of policy-making, able to participate in resource distribution, make decisions on the priorities of social policy implementation and carry out supervision on public expenditure by means of holding policy forum annually. Participatory budget program is designed to contain citizens into the process of policy-making to promote administrative reform and distribute public resources to the households with low income. With the participation of citizens with low income and political activists who would have been excluded from the policy system traditionally in the process of policy-making, sociopolitical exclusionism would be challenged.A great success has been achieved since China opened up to the outside world 20 years ago. However, ill effects were gradually highlighted resulting from the over-fast economic development over the social development, which are needed to be settled in the further reform and development. Thus, it would be very important to quicken social development and achieve the harmonious development of both economy and society. Governments at all levels of China have always attached focus on"serving people with action"as their responsibility and objective. However, the financial resources are not sufficient, these"actions"would represent the supreme interest of people and would be understood and recognized by people only when they are most popular among the public. On the other hand, financial budget is the orientation of the governmental policy and the expression of currency. However, the administrative institutions of China have to take on excessive economic and social responsibilities, with a deviation between budget and policy. It is necessary to make reform and innovation on the budget establishment and management.I, the writer, would like to make studies and analysis on the issue of participatory budget management, based on the theoretical knowledge and experience acquired through MPA learning and daily work. The essay would take Xuhui District of Shanghai as an example to conclude experience from which we could learn from, through making analysis on the development of participatory budget in Brazil– its rise, how it works, its impact and defect, etc. Meanwhile, it is intended to identify an approach to implement reform of participatory budget in accordance with the characteristics of China so as to renew budget establishment and management and promote the governmental construction, on the basis of survey on the practice of participatory budget carried out in Xuhui District of Shanghai aiming to carry out studies on the theory and practice of participatory budget and analysis on its advantages and disadvantages and favorable conditions for its development in China.The essay contains 6 chapters, with 15 sections:Chapter1,"introduces the basic concepts and definition of Participatory budget". Chapter 2,"Introduction and Analysis on Participatory Budget", mainly focusing on the participatory budget reform in Brazil– its rise, how it works, its impact and defect, etc. Chapter 3,"Experience and Lessons We Should Learn From", revealing the experience and necessity of development of financial budget system during the process in which participatory budget is progressing towards democratic political system and market economic system. Chapter 4,"The analysis of the advantages and disadvantages and the bases of reform in evolved budgets by local govenment", carrying out analysis on advantages/disadvantages, favorable conditions and base for district/county governments in promoting participatory budget, with Xuhui District of Shanghai as an example. Chapter 5,"Experiment of Participatory Budget by District/County Governments", summarizing major approaches, effects and concerns arising from the implementation of participatory budget in Xuhui District of Shanghai in recent years. Chapter 6,"Proposals on Participatory Budget Implemented by District/County Governments", focusing on making experiment of"decision by citizens"through learning from experience of Brazil, promoting participatory budget experiment with public participation and renewing distribution mode of financial budget.I wish to express my thanks to Doctor Mo Tong, my tutor, and the School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, for their contributions to this essay. The writer's variables in terms of time, theoretical background and practical experience must inevitably set up formidable errors, for which I would beg your pardon and correction.