作为从管治走向善治的一种治理体系,社会治理超越了政府单向管理社会的传统模式,转为通过国家与社会和市场的交互协同,实现多元共治的新趋势。信访制度承担着提高公民民主意识、拓宽诉求表达渠道、保障公民合法权益等社会功能,这些社会功能在支持社会治理效能发挥、提升社会治理能力的过程中起着举足轻重的作用。 As a governance system that goes from good governance to good governance, social governance goes beyond the traditional one-way management of the government and turns to a new trend of pluralism and common governance through the interaction and cooperation between the state and the society and the market. The system of letters and visits undertakes social functions such as raising citizens’ democratic consciousness, broadening channels for expressing demands and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of citizens. These social functions play an important role in supporting the effectiveness of social governance and enhancing the ability of social governance.