What was the warning?, A small number of post-90s cadres are "not guaranteed early holidays"

For a period of time, the news of some young cadres born in the 1990s falling from grace has attracted attention. Ni Yaya, a former comprehensive teller at the Lixi Postal Branch of China Post Group Co., Ltd. Chongqing Youyang County Branch, who was born in 1995, took advantage of his position eight times to steal a total of 348000 yuan from the Lixi Postal Branch's stored and remitted funds. In September 2020, 25-year-old Ni Yaya was dismissed from public office; In December 2020, Ni Yaya was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison, and fined 100000 yuan.

The young people who originally had boundless prospects, self destructive and falling into the abyss of illegal and criminal activities, and the "premature failure" of young cadres is heartbreaking and regrettable. What are the characteristics of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres? How to help young cadres "fasten the first button"? Let's take a look together.

The negative impact of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres

The problem of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres is becoming increasingly prominent. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, with the continuous improvement of the comprehensive strict governance system, the anti-corruption struggle has achieved overwhelming victory and been comprehensively consolidated. At the same time, we must also be aware that there have been some new characteristics of corruption, among which the youthfulness of the corrupt group represented by a few "post-90s" cadres is an important manifestation.

From the corruption cases that have been investigated and dealt with in recent years, it is not uncommon for young cadres to have violations of discipline and law, and even showing a gradually increasing trend. In the inspection and investigation reports released by local disciplinary inspection and supervision agencies since 2023, "post-90s" cadres represented by Tian, the former head of the Luyuan Community Certification Group of the Shed Reform Office in Qiezihe District, Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, born in 1991, and Liu, the deputy head of the City Appearance Management Department of the Housing and Urban Rural Development and Urban Management Bureau in Changning County, Sichuan Province, born in 1992, have become highly regarded anti-corruption targets. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission have also exposed a number of cases of young cadres violating discipline and law. For example, Li, a former financial officer of the Nangong Water Bureau in Hebei Province, born in 1990, embezzled and embezzled 19.218 million yuan of public funds in just 8 months due to his addiction to online gambling. The above cases to some extent reflect the common characteristics and development trends of corruption among a small number of young cadres, and their negative impact cannot be ignored.

The people have a lower tolerance for corruption among young cadres, and corruption among young cadres causes greater damage to the image of party members and cadres. Compared with previous groups such as the "59 year old" phenomenon, the corruption problem of a few "post-90s" cadres has attracted higher social attention. In the general perception of the public, young cadres who have received higher education should have noble moral character and firm party spirit cultivation, especially in the initial stage of life and career, which is a crucial period for youth struggle and growth. Their thoughts should be "pure and flawless", which is fundamentally different from those who have been working for many years and have fallen into the abyss of corruption. Therefore, when a small number of "post-90s" cadres are exposed due to corruption issues, the public often experiences a certain cognitive gap, which also causes significant damage to the image of party members and cadres, and even affects the people's trust in the party and government to a certain extent. In fact, this harmfulness is also the reason why the issue of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres has received much attention.

The corruption of a few "post-90s" cadres has to some extent gnawed at the foundation of the construction of the cadre team.Young cadres, as an important component of the cadre team, have a significant impact on the future development of cadre team construction. From this perspective, the corruption problem of a few "post-90s" cadres fundamentally erodes the healthy body of the Party and pollutes the fresh blood of the construction of the cadre team. If it cannot be timely and effectively addressed, it may affect the healthy development of the cadre team. From the corruption cases of a few "post-90s" cadres, it can be seen that if these young cadres fail to receive timely correction or are not detected and "promoted" due to illness, it will have a negative impact on the cultivation of local cadres and the purification of political ecology.

The main characteristics of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres

① Having a high degree but lacking discernment ability. A small number of "post-90s" cadres usually receive formal higher education, and some have a master's or even doctoral degree, showing obvious advantages in educational level. In recent years, with the high attention paid by the Party and the state to the construction of the cadre team, local organizational departments have successively launched special channels such as the selection and transfer plan, providing a "fast lane" for high educated talents to receive preferential treatment and promotion. However, due to a small number of young cadres entering their work positions directly from the school gate without sufficient work experience, they often lack sufficient discernment ability after entering their work roles. When faced with corruption or even "hunting", they fail to accurately identify, and thus fall into the quagmire of disciplinary and illegal activities step by step in the temptation. For example, in a survey, it was found that in a corruption case involving young cadres in a county-level city in Zhejiang Province, two "post-90s" cadres with graduate degrees were investigated and punished for corruption within less than three years of their employment, which is shocking and regrettable.

② Has innovative consciousness but lacks firm ideals and beliefs. The growth experience of cadres born in the 1990s is different from that of cadres born in the 1970s and 1980s. They lived and grew up against the background of tremendous achievements in reform and opening up, and their material conditions and social resources have undergone significant changes. This also makes "post-90s" cadres often have an open perspective and active thinking, as well as a sense of innovation that matches their age. But it is precisely because of these characteristics that some "post-90s" cadres also have the characteristic of uncertain thinking, their ideals and beliefs have not yet reached a stable state, and they have not maintained sufficient vigilance against some disciplinary and illegal behaviors. In some related cases, we can also see that a few "post-90s" cadres exhibit such characteristics. According to reports, Zou, born in 1994, was originally a poverty alleviation specialist of a township government in Shangyou County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. Since December 2016, he has used his position to embezzle more than 530000 yuan in precision poverty alleviation industry subsidies. His methods and names of embezzlement are very covert, and he has used the "innovative thinking" originally used to promote work to corrupt and unscrupulous ways.

③ The rank is not high, but the amount involved in the case is not low. Young cadres, especially those born in the 1990s, are not at a high level of rank. Most of the investigated and punished "post-90s" cadres are mostly at the department level or department level, but some of the involved amounts are not low, and even become a typical example of "petty officials and huge greed". For example, Zhang, born in 1995, was a staff member of the Chuzhou Real Estate Registration Center in Anhui Province. From 2016 to 2019, he embezzled more than 69 million yuan of public funds through methods such as not recording payments and forging payment facts. It is not difficult to find from the corruption cases of young cadres exposed in recent years that age and length of service are no longer the decisive factors for the amount of money involved. In addition, unlike current general corruption cases, the corruption of a few "post-90s" cadres is often not collective corruption, has not yet formed a corrupt interest group, and the involved parties are not complex. Some scholars also classify this type of corruption as "lone wolf style" corruption.

④ Having a certain level of work ability but easily indulging in bad habits. Young cadres, due to their good educational background and strong ability to adapt to the work environment, are generally able to quickly perform tasks assigned by superiors. If they cannot maintain a clear mind during this process, they are prone to falling into bad habits and leading astray. From the already investigated cases, it can be seen that addiction to gambling, addiction to online games, excessive live streaming tipping, a passion for luxury goods, and a reverence for high consumption are all characteristics of corruption among young cadres, especially a few "post-90s" cadres. These bad habits have become important inducements for corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres. For example, Chang, a woman born in the 1990s, used to be an accountant at the Qingpu District Transportation Bureau in Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province. She embezzled 2.807 million yuan from public funds, of which nearly 2 million yuan was used to purchase virtual gifts and "reward" online anchors; Wang, a former inspector and financial management manager at Daguan Town Health Center in Wangmo County, Guizhou, born in 1992, was addicted to online gambling and used cash and check withdrawals to withdraw public funds.

⑤ Having important job positions but lacking proper understanding of power. Since entering the new era, the rapid development of various undertakings of the Party and the state has put forward new and higher requirements for the construction of the cadre team. Party committees and governments at all levels have begun to cultivate and select young cadres. In this process, some young cadres with outstanding abilities are quickly entrusted with important tasks, and they are soon adjusted to important positions after work, thus possessing certain power. However, a small number of young cadres lack a clear understanding of the corruption risks in important positions and do not have a clear examination of their own power, resulting in losing themselves in the use of power. For example, Cai, former deputy general manager of Zhuhai Grain and Oil Purchase and Sales Co., Ltd., born in 1990, despite his young age, holds real power in grassroots units, seeks benefits for others in contracting grain purchase and sales business, and illegally accepts huge amounts of property. According to a report from the Discipline Inspection Commission and Supervision Commission of Foshan City, Guangdong Province, from the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to September 2, 2021, 32% of the "80s" and "90s" party members, cadres, and public officials in the city were investigated and dealt with, including some young cadres in important positions and fields.

⑥ Having career development goals but easily falling deeper into the temptation of small circles. Young cadres often have certain career development goals in the initial stage of entering the workforce from university campuses, and some also invest in the selection of civil service exams or grassroots positions due to their lofty ideals of youth. In the early stages of work, which should have been the most dynamic and malleable period of accumulation and training, a few "post-90s" cadres, due to various reasons, cannot withstand the test and forget their life goals. A small number of "post-90s" cadres have lost confidence due to dry work content and started seeking stimulation; A small number of "post-90s" cadres are gradually being sought after due to their important positions, and they have started to form "small circles" and even actively participate in various social activities, willing to be "hunted"; A small number of "post-90s" cadres have abandoned their principles and gradually integrated into "food and drink groups" due to the pollution of the political ecology in certain places and departments, and even faced the problem of corruption and corruption.

⑦ Having professional technical knowledge but adept at using new technologies to implement corrupt behavior. In the process of selecting and appointing cadres in party organizations at all levels, the vast majority of young cadres have a good professional and technical background, and can demonstrate strong abilities when using new technologies to carry out work. However, these professional technical capabilities also provide the possibility for them to use new technologies to implement corrupt practices. From the corruption cases of a few "post-90s" cadres, it can be found that some young cadres engage in highly covert corruption crimes by tampering with network programs, stealing unit data, infiltrating systems to intercept funds, and some even commit crimes for a long time without being detected; Some young cadres embezzle and embezzle public funds to purchase Bitcoin, stocks and securities, hoping to profit from them. These phenomena all indicate that the corruption problem of a small number of young cadres has shown different manifestations from traditional types of corruption, and with the continuous development of digital technology and digital governance, the types of corruption are also constantly changing.

An Analysis of the Causes of Corruption among Minority "Post-90s" Cadres

The first button for a few "post-90s" cadres to engage in clean governance has not been properly fastened.A small number of "post-90s" cadres do not take ideal and belief education seriously after work, resulting in varying degrees of ideological laxity, complacency, and incorrect values, ultimately leading to a landslide and collapse of the ideological barrier of clean governance.

The regulatory measures for cadres born in the 1990s are not yet in place. Some local party organizations have not fully considered and attached importance to the age characteristics and job nature of young cadres in the supervision process. In the process of supervising some grassroots cadres, especially the "post-90s" cadres, they have not yet formed a "full coverage", and there are still blind spots in supervision for some newly hired "post-90s" cadres. From a practical perspective, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, party committees and governments at all levels have attached great importance to the supervision of cadre groups such as "key minorities" and "top leaders". However, a targeted supervision model has not yet been formed for the "post-90s" cadre group. On the one hand, this is related to the fact that "post-90s" cadres are often considered a group that is unlikely to be linked to corrupt behavior. Therefore, it seems unexpected that young cadres who have just entered the workforce will encounter disciplinary and illegal issues; On the other hand, the phenomenon of corruption among a few "post-90s" cadres has also emerged as a new trend in recent years. There is still a lack of in-depth analysis and research on this phenomenon, which makes it difficult for some local party committees and governments to accurately judge and grasp.

The institutional system for the operation of grassroots power is not yet sound enough. The corruption problems of a few "post-90s" cadres mostly occur at the grassroots level, some at the last mile of power operation at the village level, some in non key areas and links of corruption risk, and some in the easily overlooked "small and micro" power operation. However, at its essence, it is often because the institutional system of power operation is not sound enough, which gives corruption an opportunity to take advantage of. For example, Liao, born in the 1990s, used to be an accountant at the Shipping Administration of Sansha City, Hainan Province. During his tenure, he used methods such as fabricating transaction facts and issuing false invoices to embezzle nearly 1.8 million yuan from public funds; Mao, born in 1991, was a former staff member of the Social Insurance Fund Management Center in Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province. He "moved" social insurance funds of over 2.7 million yuan in 46 rounds, and so on. These cases reflect that there are still institutional loopholes in the operation of grassroots power, and there are still vague areas of procedural constraints and rights and responsibilities for key positions and important links. Overall, effective constraints on power still need to be improved.

Governance strategies for corruption among young cadres

Accurately promote the education of ideal beliefs and career development for cadres born in the 1990s. Young cadres such as those born in the 1990s, due to their different growth environments and common age characteristics, need to improve their accuracy in carrying out ideal and belief education according to local conditions, truly enhance their party spirit cultivation in ideal and belief education, continuously establish lofty ideals and goals, continuously improve their political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, and firmly fasten the "first button" of clean governance.In addition, in the process of cultivating and selecting young cadres, it is necessary to always attach great importance to career development education. On the one hand, efforts should be made to promote the establishment of courses related to integrity education in universities, promote the integration of integrity education into campuses, and prioritize the transmission of integrity concepts in the academic education stage; On the other hand, in the process of young cadres joining, vocational education should be carried out based on their positions and responsibilities, clarifying the risk points and prevention and control measures for integrity, and planting the seeds of integrity in the hearts of young cadres.

Encourage young cadres to go to grassroots and difficult areas for training and growth. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that "exercising and growing up at the grassroots and in difficult areas is an important way to cultivate young cadres." This provides a clear direction for young cadres to exercise and grow, and is also an important path to improve their comprehensive literacy and resist corruption. From the corruption cases of a few "post-90s" cadres, it can be seen that most of these young cadres lack grassroots work experience and have less experience in training in difficult areas. In some major issues of right and wrong, their ideological understanding still needs to be further improved. On the contrary, in recent years, some outstanding young cadres have devoted themselves to grassroots and difficult areas, closely connected with the local people, firmly established a correct view of political achievements, and truly focused their thoughts and energy on serving the Party and the people and starting businesses. Xi Jiangbei, a doctoral graduate from Tsinghua University born in 1991, is currently the first secretary of the Nanchang Municipal Party Committee Office stationed in Luodu Village, Huangma Township. When he graduated from Tsinghua University, he voluntarily gave up the opportunity to work in first tier cities and resolutely chose to root himself in the grassroots, go deep into the people's side, and win the recognition of the masses through practical solutions to practical problems. As a result, he was awarded the first "National Youth Pioneer of Rural Revitalization" title.

The system strengthens the constraints and supervision of grassroots power operation. To prevent and control corruption among young cadres, it is necessary to start from the source, especially to promote and strengthen power constraints and supervision in response to the corruption risks and hidden dangers in the operation of grassroots power. On the one hand, in accordance with the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, we will deepen and expand our efforts to prevent corruption, move forward the anti-corruption checkpoint, deepen the governance at the source, strengthen the reform of supervision mechanisms and institutional construction in key areas, and improve the institutional mechanisms for preventing and controlling the spread of corruption. Based on the current phenomenon of corruption among a small number of young cadres, conduct in-depth research and analysis on the corruption patterns of a few "post-90s" cadres, analyze and judge the easily occurring grassroots corruption links and types, and establish a rigorous prevention system in the system. On the other hand, strengthening the comprehensive supervision of young cadres represented by "post-90s" cadres not only requires leveraging the supervisory role of the Party Commission for Discipline Inspection, but also utilizing digital technology to carry out information-based supervision, while also leveraging the supervisory role of the people, so that the power held by young cadres can withstand the test of the "searchlight".

Adhere to the training principle of combining strict management and kindness towards young cadres. In the supervision of young cadres such as those born in the 1990s, it is necessary to always maintain zero tolerance for violations of discipline and law, pay more attention to early detection and prevention, and promptly remind young cadres of any potential problems. Especially, pay attention to observing the interests and hobbies of young cadres, and correct any bad habits in a timely manner. Regular reminders should also be given to newly hired young cadres to form an effective deterrent effect.Only in this way can we truly promote young cadres to establish a sense of responsibility and continuously build a solid foundation of ideals and beliefs.

Selected from the People's Forum magazine in August

Original title | Analysis of the fallen "post-90s" cadres