Equalization of Basic Public Services: Theory, Current Situation, and Policies

The history of evolvement in public service theories and policies has also been a social history. The proposals of public service theories and policies have always been the outcomes of various social strata and interest groups’ gaming and a continuous political struggle against poverty, inequality, and other social issues. “Government responsibility” is the main focus of public service research, and Western governments have experienced a four-phase evolvement including enforcement, culmination, tightening, and return in its role in the public service supply. Currently the public service supply efficiency in China is relatively low, the level of satisfaction toward public service continues to decline, and there are obvious differences in “geographic structure,” “category structure,” and “supply-demand structure” in public service demand. The biggest challenge in China’s future public service system conceptualization lies in how to appropriately set the boundaries for government responsibilities. In the meanwhile, traditional public service supply model does not fit the new requirements of social development anymore and therefore urgently needs changes in three aspects: from supply oriented to demand oriented, from extensive supply to intensive supply, and from single subject to collaborative supply. It is important to reinforce the significant impact of social capital forms such as social trust, public participation in Internet, and the norm of reciprocity on political democracy and social development in order to achieve social equality.