Abstract:

Legislation on patriotic education in the new era is an important measure for comprehensively promote the combination of “rule of law” and “rule of virtue”. Incorporating patriotic education into the legal framework is an inevitable requirement for enhancing the effectiveness of education and building a modernized strong country with cohesive power. Multiple Streams Theory has strong explanatory power in analyzing the dynamic mechanisms of the legislative process for patriotic education. Research findings indicate: the absence of specific legislation for patriotic education, the low degree of legalization, and the low effectiveness of patriotic education in schools, coupled with the complex domestic and international situation that brings shocks and challenges, constitute the problem stream; the guidance from the Party and government departments, the suggestions and strategies offered by the deputies of the People’s Congress Standing Committee and the general public, and the professional advice from experts and scholars, form the policy stream; the high attention from the Party and the state, and the people’s demand for high-quality patriotic education and its legalization, lead to the political stream. The interaction and coupling of the three streams repeatedly open the policy window for patriotic education legislation, promoting the promulgation and implementation of the Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China, and advancing and safeguarding patriotic education in the new era through the rule of law.

Key words: patriotic education, multiple streams theory, legislative agenda, policy window, Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China