Social issues behind the PX dispute

In recent years, the public-government conflict caused by the construction of PX projects has been increasing. Xiamen, followed by Dalian, Ningbo, Kunming, Maoming, and from the coast to the mainland, have risen one after another. In addition, similar conflicts have arisen in public projects such as the construction of waste incineration plants and the erection of signal towers, which have become a trend that has become more difficult. The recent dispute over waste incineration plants in Hangzhou is an example. In view of the results, the government often bows before a strong public opinion, or postpones construction, or suspends construction, or dismounts. In short, the project has nothing to do with it. The consistently strong public power retreats in the voice of the public. It seems that it is the victory of the common people and the progress of the Communist Party. However, it is not so simple to examine the progress of the incident and examine the reasons behind it.

PX is an abbreviation for "p-xylene" and is commonly used as a plastic product and textile raw material. The PX project has a large investment and high output value, and it is self-evident to the local GDP and financial benefits. It was once a high-quality project contending for everywhere. Objectively speaking, from a technical point of view, the environmental design of the PX production process is relatively complete. Basically, it can achieve harmless production. On the contrary, the storage and transportation risks of PX raw materials are still greater, but they are also strictly controlled. It does not pose a risk to the environment and public health. Singapore's projectile land has built a large-scale PX project, and it is far away from the residential area. So why did such a fierce public confrontation arise in our country?

The incidents of retrospective anti-PX projects began with the PX project in Bohai, Xiamen, which originated from a widespread short message. It was alleged that PX was highly toxic and must be located 100 kilometers away from human settlements, otherwise it would seriously affect human health. Cancer, disability, or even worse, is called biochemical. According to rumors, the government and the public immediately formed water and fire, and they are not mutually supportive. From the government’s point of view, for projects that have been launched and construction projects, they have been accustomed to doing things quickly and without restrictions, lack of information disclosure, poor communication and consultation, and even some measures to listen to public opinions, such as soliciting opinions, making public announcements, hearings, and the like. They also tend to go through the form of court games. In particular, some actions that try to muddle through and deceive one's ears and deceive one's bells make the government's credibility increasingly impaired. There is a lesson from the past that once the PX project has been hurriedly launched, the government will not openly communicate or communicate with the public, or will have insufficient publicity or communication. This will make the public feel that the government is deceiving. From the public's point of view, people's instincts for profit-sharing and avoidance are concerned with their own interests. With the growing awareness of environmental protection awareness of rights protection, the natural anger of the “buzz” around this group of people is naturally surging. The many occurrences of anti-PX project incidents have also made its "ugly image" deeply rooted in the people's minds. Opposition and boycott are self-instinctive actions. In addition, the anti-PX project cities are almost all big cities with economic development. The local public awareness of rights protection awakens earlier, the tolerance for harm to the interests is even lower, the social organization and modern communication means are more developed, and the information transmission and public The lower cost of the organization is also an important reason for the frequent occurrence of similar incidents.

However, because of the reasons behind the table, the dispute does not depend on whether the PX project is safe, nor is it simply a contest between the government and the public, but the loss of government governance, the poor public consultation mechanism, and the failure of civil society. As a result, all parties are out of control.

The development of the market economy makes the game of interests become the basis for all kinds of subjects to communicate. To clarify individual interests, there are market mechanisms, to clarify the public interest, and to face the market failure, especially when the government and the public are in different positions, the interests themselves The integration of diversification, individual interests, and public interests is more complicated, necessitating the formation of new interactive relationships and building a good public consultation mechanism.

The so-called public consultation is by no means merely a matter for the government to open a press conference for public information, or to hold a hearing to communicate with the public. It should be a complicated and meticulous process: an in-depth study of disputes, real and objective The land is also its original appearance; it integrates and debates the opinions of various parties to make the public aware of and choose; and it constrains and controls the decision making so as to truly maximize the public interest. In the meantime, it is necessary to rely on existing and existing social organizations of all kinds, such as political organizations such as the People's Political Consultative Conference and the Political Consultative Conference, community neighborhood committees, and public welfare organizations, etc., to carry out all-round consultations so that they can use their lives to serve the people and worry about politics. Negotiation, communication buffer function; also need to design the negotiation procedures and rules, so that each step is standardized operation.

It cannot be denied that the public consultation is difficult and complex and the cost is high. As a procedural justice, it does not guarantee the fairness of the entity. For example, a project that can be quickly launched may have a period of many years; measures that can achieve a win-win situation may be shelved. From the perspective of economics, the cost of public consultation reduces the potential social benefits. This type of situation has become the norm in mature Western societies. It seems that we will also be hard to avoid. This is the price of social progress. However, if viewed from another angle, the active participation and supervision of the public and fierce competition and negotiations have also prompted the government to reform its management system, prompting companies to strictly abide by the laws and strict standards, and constantly improve the technical and safety environmental protection level of the project. Increasing the individual's production technology will increase the quality of economic growth in the entire society.

The establishment of the public consultation mechanism, apart from the government with modern governance thinking, depends more on an increasingly mature civil society. Civil society needs rational citizens, but it also needs a rational public. The mature and rational public is by no means pursuing selfish interests, but relying on the appeals of individual interests, effectively organizing, scientifically judging and rationally communicating, presenting the rationality and order of the group. The occurrence of anti-PX project events has frequently occurred. In the pleasure of public awareness of environmental protection and awareness of rights protection, there is also the fear of loss of group rationality. The French scholar Le Pen in the nineteenth century had vividly described public ignorance and emotional venting in the book “The Holy One”. An erroneous rumors can become truth. A simple common sense can become a heresy. Throughout the anti-PX project incidents across the country, information on all kinds of truth and falsehood was flooded, various rumours spread freely, and the public’s misunderstanding of the environment caused by the PX project’s misuse of the group’s fermentation mechanism was raised to subconscious opposition. Until the streets. And asked, among the gathered crowd, how many are rational rights protection, how many are watching excitement, how many are venting other dissatisfaction, and how much is for fear that the world is not chaotic? The same group of people, all harbor their thoughts, if there is no rational guidance, careful The organization will inevitably turn from a "walking **" to a violent mass incident.

The public in our country today is already deeply immersed in the so-called "adjacency" - against all projects or projects that may cause environmental damage and affect their own interests. The ecological movement marked by the public participation in environmental protection and rights protection was once an important way for the public in modern mature countries to actively participate in social governance and promote social development. It can be said that it is this concern based on self-interest that whether it is extreme or inappropriate, it is the basic motive to promote people's organization and mobilization, express appeals, participate in management, and promote social progress. At this level, "neighborhoodism" merits great success.

However, reflection is also the prevalence of “avoidanceism”, which makes us turn a blind eye to issues that are far from public view. In many places such as rural areas and mining areas, the lack of sound environmental protection facilities and the illegal discharge of waste gas and waste water are very common. However, we do not think that the damage has already penetrated into the soil, rivers and air, and it is only when fog is locked up in the city. Only knowingly.

A true public consultation requires the public to get rid of the narrowness of “avoidance doctrine”, continuously improve public reason, and pay attention to broader public affairs. A good public consultation mechanism and civil society construction are an interactive and gradual process. The constant awakening of civic awareness and the public’s active participation in public affairs all contribute to the improvement of the public consultation mechanism and encourage people to clarify the responsibilities of citizens and reflect on their behavior. The borders range from perceptual to rational, from disorder to order, and from narrow to open.

The social transformation has already begun, and the multi-dimensional co-governance has become the trend of the future, and the way of civil society construction is long and far-reaching. Public consultation is only a model of multiple governance, and it is only a small step in the process of social democracy. Incidents and conflicts are not terrible, but they are symbols of social progress. Whether it is the government or the public, they cannot stay on the surface of disputes similar to the PX project. Instead, they must reflect on and learn from each incident, improve their own behavior from each incident, and gradually build a more scientific negotiation mechanism. The collisions are transformed into equal dialogues and rational communication. This is the most worthwhile event at the moment.