Political participation and grassroots governance: A social work perspective based on CGSS 2021 data

Abstract

This study, based on the 2021 China General Social Survey (CGSS), examines how different forms of political participation–spanning behavior, attitude, and affiliation –shape perceptions of grassroots governance effectiveness in safety, convenience, and social atmosphere. Framed within the conceptual lens of social work, which emphasizes community engagement and service-oriented participation, the study uses multinomial ordered logistic regression and uncovers three key insights. First, participatory initiatives facilitated through social work–related community contexts amplify collective confidence in safety and atmosphere but paradoxically undermine convenience evaluations, revealing a procedural legitimacy paradox when community services fall short. Second, strong political attitudes cultivated through community-based outreach uniformly predicts satisfaction with safety and atmosphere, functioning as a critical accountability mechanism, especially among urban women engaged in local support programs. Third, familial political ties intersect with community networks to show generational asymmetry: paternal affiliations, often reinforced by male-led committees, predict atmosphere perceptions, while maternal ties channeled through women’s groups diminish convenience satisfaction, reflecting entrenched authoritarian familism. Control variables reveal that education predicts convenience perceptions but erodes safety and atmosphere evaluations, as more educated citizens identify gaps between policy intent and delivery; urban residency also polarizes governance expectations through differential access to community engagement platforms. Stable demographic patterns emerge, with gender and household registration maintaining consistent directional effects. To address these dynamics, we propose differentiated participation ecosystems that leverage social work principles and community networks: (1) education–governance dialogues mediated by community practitioners; (2) voting–service audits coordinated through civic coalitions; (3) citizen panels empowering skeptical urban women; and (4) familial governance scaffolding through social work alliances, leveraging paternal heritage programs and matrifocal budget reallocation. These strategies transform social work–based engagement into a precision tool for governance optimization across urban–rural, gender, and generational divides.