Does social stability risk assessment improve social governance level in China?

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of China's Social Stability Risk Assessment (SSRA) policy on the effectiveness of social governance. By analyzing policy implementation across various administrative regions and evaluating governance outcomes using a comprehensive index framework, the paper assesses whether SSRA contributes to proactive conflict resolution, enhanced public participation, and improved administrative coordination. Empirical evidence from regional case studies and statistical analyses suggests that the SSRA policy positively correlates with improvements in social governance, particularly in regions with strong institutional capacities and transparent risk evaluation mechanisms. However, the policy's effectiveness is uneven across jurisdictions, highlighting the importance of local governance conditions and policy enforcement quality. The findings offer insights into the role of preventive governance tools in maintaining social stability and enhancing state-society relations in transitional governance contexts.