The "Key Minority" of Officials in Important Positions

"Leading an ox by its nose" is an important method in Xi Jinping's governance theory. He pointed out that if work is to be effective in all areas, the focus must be placed on the "key minority of officials in important positions." In his view, this "key minority" has both a duty to lead and a duty to serve as exemplars. Only if leading officials lead well and act as role models can the "key minority" pull the "great majority" along with it, thereby causing the latter to follow the former. For example, he noted that the "key minority" of leading officials must be the focus of efforts to establish a socialist law-based country, to enforce strict Party self-governance and to exercise strict supervision over leading officials at all levels; he also argued that such a focus was necessary for solving the difficult problem of overseeing those in top-ranking positions, and that the greater and the more important the responsibilities of leading officials, the more they require strong oversight. 

In focusing on the "key minority", the first thing should be restraining their powers. At the same time, their thinking, their study and particularly their fulfillment of their duties must also be emphasized. The Central Committee's management and expectations of the "key minority" has become increasingly rigorous since the 18th National Congress. The higher the ranks of leading officials, the more important their positions, the greater their powers, the more strictly they should be supervised – this fully illustrates the spirit of focusing on the key minority.

“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”

抓“牛鼻子”是習(xí)近平治國(guó)理政的重要方法論。他指出，各項(xiàng)工作要抓出成效，就必須抓住領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部這個(gè)“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”。在習(xí)近平看來，作為“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部既負(fù)有領(lǐng)導(dǎo)責(zé)任，也負(fù)有示范責(zé)任，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部只有帶好頭、做榜樣，才能通過“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”帶動(dòng)“絕大多數(shù)”。比如：習(xí)近平指出，全面依法治國(guó)，必須抓住領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部這個(gè)“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”；強(qiáng)調(diào)從嚴(yán)治黨，關(guān)鍵是要抓住領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部這個(gè)“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”，從嚴(yán)管好各級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部；提出要抓住“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”，破解一把手監(jiān)督難題，領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部責(zé)任越重大、越重要，就越要加強(qiáng)監(jiān)督，等等。抓“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”，首先是抓管住權(quán)力，同時(shí)也要抓信念、抓學(xué)習(xí)，更要抓責(zé)任落實(shí)。十八大以來，中央對(duì)于“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”的管理和要求日趨嚴(yán)格。領(lǐng)導(dǎo)干部級(jí)別越高、位置越重要、權(quán)力越大，管理就越嚴(yán)格，這充分體現(xiàn)了抓“關(guān)鍵少數(shù)”的精神。