Pooling collective wisdom

This is an idea of Zhuge Liang (181-234), a legendary prime minister and statesman of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). It reminds the decision-makers to encourage free airing of views and solicit opinions extensively to help make right judgement and decision, rather than acting arbitrarily on their own. Pooling collective wisdom is a process of encouraging people's initiative to act in unison.

Speaking at the Central Conference on the Work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held in September 2019, to also mark the CPPCC's 70th anniversary, Xi Jinping said: We should develop socialist consultative democracy, make good use of democratic centralism, carry forward the fine tradition of "unity-criticism-unity," draw on collective wisdom, and promote full expression and in-depth exchange of different ideas and viewpoints.

集思廣益

“集思廣益”出自《教與軍師長史參軍掾屬》，意為集中眾人的智慧，廣泛吸收有益的意見。這一理念提醒決策者要廣開言路，虛心聽取各方意見，在綜合考慮的基礎上作出判斷和決策，決不能自以為是、獨斷專行。“集思廣益”不僅是匯集智慧的過程，也是調動眾人積極性、達成行動一致性的過程。

2019年9月，習近平在中央政協工作會議暨慶祝中國人民政治協商會議成立70周年大會上指出，發展社會主義協商民主，要把民主集中制的優勢運用好，發揚“團結—批評—團結”的優良傳統，廣開言路，集思廣益，促進不同思想觀點的充分表達和深入交流。