The Chinese government should abandon its utilitarianism in modernizing its social governance model, says an article of the People’s Daily. Excerpts:

Social governance becomes popular in government files and in the research papers of think tanks in China. But two misunderstandings that prevail in the minds of officials and scholars should be corrected.

First, the aim of social governance is not just to serve economic growth. Second, social governance is not to maintain social stability. Economic growth and social stability are the f eatures of a healthy market and society.

Coherent communities and active social organizations can contribute to harmonious relations between the government and society, stimulate the vitality of the society, and inspire the creativity of community members.

Rapid urbanization is restructuring Chinese society. The obvious gap between the urban and rural areas and the government’s backward governing model make the process painful for many parties. Conflicts among different interest groups appear in various forms.

The government cannot solve the problems by itself.

The government should transform its role from an administrative authority to a public-service provider. The government is not superior to the society, or the market. The social organizations deserve more freedom and space in China. They can be an important supplementary power for the government in building up a coherent society.