Democracy is by itself a value and embodies the essential requirement of socialism. The construction of democratic politics should not be in a utilitarian manner or with an absolute thinking.

In reviewing China’s community-level democracy progress since reform and opening-up, we may find on one hand, the social foundation of democracy progress is rapidly expanding and numerous new forces are becoming the propeller for democratization.

The reports delivered at the 15th and 16th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China took expanding community-level democracy and fully motivating the people as a key task of the political system reform.

Farmers’ petitions give a concentrated expression to various conflicts in rural areas, posing a great challenge to some local governments.

Globalization is not a one-fold economic process but involves rich political implications as well.Globalization has brought complicated influencing factors to China’s grassroots democratic politics.

The development of China’s grassroots democracy results from social transition and change in institutional structure brought about by reform and opening-up.

With regard to social stability mechanism, petition system should be examined from the following aspects. First, can the fundamental community-level conflicts be resolved through petitions?