作者：邓一鸣
在中共二十届五中全会即将召开之际，我更关心的，不只是会议将作出哪些决定，而是中国未来究竟要走向哪里。
这些年来，中国社会在快速发展中也积累了越来越多值得正视的问题。经济压力、就业困难、社会保障、权力监督、司法公正以及公民权利，都与普通人的生活息息相关。我认为，一个国家真正长久的稳定，不应只依靠管理和控制，更应该建立在法治、公平、公开以及人民能够真实表达意见的基础之上。
历史已经反复证明，法治和监督并不是社会发展的障碍，而是减少冲突、维护稳定的重要保障。改革开放以来，行政诉讼制度逐步建立，普通公民可以依法“民告官”；近年来，政府信息公开、听证制度和基层协商也在一些地方发挥作用。这些制度虽然仍需完善，却说明一个道理：当权力能够被规则约束，当公众能够通过合法渠道表达诉求，社会矛盾就更有可能在制度框架内得到解决。
公民参与同样能够增强社会的凝聚力。无论是社区居民参与公共事务，还是公众通过人大建议、政协提案、网络问政等方式反映问题，只有让真实意见能够被听见、被回应，公共政策才更容易获得理解和支持。相反，如果诉求长期缺乏公开、透明、有效的回应，误解和不信任就可能不断积累，最终影响社会稳定。
回顾中国近现代历史，追求民主、自由与法治从来不是一条平坦的道路。许多人曾经为此付出努力，也有人付出了沉重代价。但正因为道路艰难，我们才更需要认真总结历史经验，思考今天的问题，并讨论未来可能的方向。
我期待未来的中国，是一个权力受到制度约束、法律面前人人平等、公民能够依法表达、政府接受社会监督的国家。不同意见不应被简单视为威胁，而应成为发现问题、改进政策、推动社会进步的一部分。人民能够通过公开、和平、制度化的方式参与国家事务，也应该成为现代中国应有的方向。
五中全会前夜，我们讨论“中国民主之路”，不是为了停留在过去，而是希望从历史走向现实，再从现实思考未来。
如果要让我对未来的中国说一句话，我想说：愿有一天，每一个中国人都能够有尊严地生活，有权利表达自己的声音，也有机会通过合法、和平、制度化的方式共同决定国家的未来。
编辑：张致君 校对：孔祥庆 翻译：沈美花
On the Eve of the 5th Plenary Session of the CCP Central Committee
Author: Deng Yiming
On the eve of the upcoming 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), what concerns me more is not merely what decisions the plenum will adopt, but where China will ultimately head in the future.
Over the years, amidst rapid development, Chinese society has also accumulated an increasing number of issues that warrant serious confrontation. Economic pressure, employment difficulties, social security, supervision of power, judicial justice, and civil rights are all closely tied to the daily lives of ordinary people. In my view, the genuine, long-term stability of a country should not rely solely on management and control, but should rather be built upon the rule of law, fairness, openness, and a foundation wherein the people can genuinely express their views.
History has repeatedly proven that the rule of law and oversight are not obstacles to social development, but essential safeguards for reducing conflicts and maintaining stability. Since the Reform and Opening-up era, the administrative litigation system has been gradually established, allowing ordinary citizens to “sue the government” according to law. In recent years, government information disclosure, public hearings, and grassroots consultations have also played a role in various places. Although these systems still require improvement, they demonstrate a basic principle: when power can be constrained by rules, and when the public can express their demands through legal channels, social contradictions are far more likely to be resolved within an institutional framework.
Civic participation can likewise enhance social cohesion. Whether it is community residents participating in public affairs, or the public raising issues through NPC representative suggestions, CPPCC motions, and online civic platforms, public policy gains understanding and support far more easily only when genuine opinions can be heard and responded to. Conversely, if demands lack open, transparent, and effective responses over a long period, misunderstandings and distrust may continuously accumulate, ultimately imperiling social stability.
Looking back at China’s modern and contemporary history, the pursuit of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law has never been a smooth path. Many people have strived for this in the past, and some have paid a heavy price. Yet, precisely because the path is arduous, we need all the more to earnestly sum up historical experience, reflect on today’s problems, and discuss possible directions for the future.
I look forward to a future China where power is constrained by institutions, everyone is equal before the law, citizens can express themselves in accordance with the law, and the government accepts societal oversight. Differing opinions should not be simply viewed as threats, but rather as part of the process for identifying problems, improving policies, and promoting social progress. Allowing the people to participate in state affairs through open, peaceful, and institutionalized means ought to become the proper direction for a modern China.
On the eve of the 5th Plenary Session, our discussion on “China’s Path to Democracy” is not meant to linger in the past, but rather to move from history to reality, and from reality to reflect upon the future.
If I were to say one sentence to the future China, I would say: May there come a day when every Chinese person can live with dignity, possess the right to express their voice, and have the opportunity to jointly decide the nation’s future through legal, peaceful, and institutionalized means.
Editor: Zhang Zhijun
Proofreader: Kong Xiangqing
Translator: Shen Meihua
