Marxist View of the Masses as the Creator of History and Journalism in Local Self-Governance: A Study on the Cultivation and Advancement of Citizen Subjectivity Consciousness

Abstract

Against the dual backdrop of structural transformation in communication systems and the reconstruction of grassroots governance mechanisms, the cultivation of citizen subjectivity consciousness has become a pivotal issue in China’s contemporary social governance. Grounded in the Marxist View of the Masses as the Creator of History, this study critically interrogates the trend of "de-subjectification" in current practices of journalism and local governance. It proposes a three-dimensional coupling model—communication, governance, and subjectivity consciousness—to analyze the institutional and discursive dynamics shaping citizen agency.Through critical discourse analysis, comparative case studies, and in-depth interviews, the study examines two representative localities. It finds that the formation of citizen subjectivity depends on three key processes: the information feedback structures within communication systems, the institutionalized deliberation pathways in governance mechanisms, and the re-affirmation of action through participatory practice. The study argues that liberal paradigms in both media and governance studies have overlooked the historical agency of the masses. A reassertion of the people-centered standpoint is necessary—activating citizen subjectivity through cognitive empowerment, institutional accessibility, and organizational mobilization.This research contributes to the localization of political communication and developmental governance theory in the Global South, offering insights into democratization processes rooted in China’s practical experiences