Ending irrational acts in society

The government should face squarely up to the wealth gap and be more determined in its efforts to adjust the established interest pattern, so as to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Aside from showing the necessary determination to break the firmly entrenched fence of vested interests, the government should also create multiple channels to increase the incomes of the poor and expand the proportion of middle-income people to the whole population so that a solid foundation for social stability can be laid. Substantial steps toward deepening the healthcare system, expanding the supply of its medical resources and breaking their uneven distribution will help reduce and prevent conflicts between doctors and patients.

Governments at various levels should pay more respect to public voices and try to expand the channels for their participation in policymaking. Disregarding public opinion may cause the country to deviate from a normal development track. In recent years, the government has taken a series of measures to help people exercise their right of expression, but there are still not enough channels for public voices to be fully heard. As a result, some have turned to non-normal channels so their voices can be heard and thus the expression of public opinion has displayed a tendency to disorderly and irrational development.

In their efforts to promote the comprehensive deepening of reforms, the Chinese authorities have vowed to set up an unblocked mechanism for the expression of public appeals, offer psychological intervention, defuse the sources of conflicts and protect people's rights. To fulfill these goals, local governments at various levels should set up a regular hearings of public appeals and establish a mechanism to resolve problems to ensure there are smoothly operating channels between grassroots voices and decision-makers.

The government should also include psychological and legal assistance in its social governance system, and it should work to set up a non-profit psychological and legal assistance network that covers communities, institutions, schools and villages and can offer volunteer and specialized assistance to people, disadvantaged people in particular. This can help boost people's sense of identity and happiness, and cultivate their sense of rationality, openness and tolerance.

Measures should be taken to nurture the feelings of amity and friendship in society and promote the healthy development of the cyber society. The media, whether traditional or emerging, should abide by self-discipline and stop exaggerating negative or vulgar elements to create a healthy environment for the development of public opinions and ease irrationality.

The article was originally published in Study Times.