The Rule-of-Law Dilemma and Systemic Optimization of the Supervision of Grassroots "Micro-Power" in the Context of Digital Empowerment

Lubing Yang

International Journal of Law, Policy & Society, 2026, vol. 2, issue 2, 23-34

Abstract: This study investigates the persistent interplay between formal legal principles and the practical realities of supervising grassroots 'micro-power'---localized administrative, discretionary, and service-oriented authority exercised by village committees, community workers, and frontline civil servants. Against the backdrop of rapid digital empowerment, including e-governance platforms, real-time data dashboards, and AI-assisted compliance monitoring, we examine how technological tools simultaneously enable tighter oversight and generate new regulatory ambiguities. Drawing on systematic institutional analysis and multi-layered case logic, the research identifies three core challenges: the proceduralization dilemma, where digital standardization undermines context-sensitive judgment; the accountability displacement effect, wherein algorithmic intermediaries obscure human responsibility; and the legitimacy asymmetry, whereby technocratic efficiency gains fail to translate into perceived fairness among affected citizens. Findings reveal that effective supervision does not hinge on technological sophistication alone but on deliberate institutional redesign---embedding legal safeguards, participatory feedback loops, and layered accountability mechanisms directly into digital infrastructure. The paper proposes a systemic optimization framework that treats law, technology, and local governance as co-evolving domains rather than sequential layers.

Keywords: legal governance; digital governance; micro-power; supervision; grassroots governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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