Abstract: As a key vehicle for digital government construction and a forefront practice of governance modernization,primary-level digital governance platforms play a significant role in enhancing grassroots governance.However,in some regions,these platforms have fallen into an effectiveness paradox,characterized by a mismatch between platform functionality and governance needs,discrepancies between expected and actual efficiency,the weakening of public value rationality in governance,and an imbalance between digital capabilities and traditional governance capacities.A socio-technical systems analysis reveals this paradox stems from incompatibilities among technical,organizational,and contextual systems,manifested through three progressive tensions:technical standardization versus contextual governance needs,efficiency prioritization versus value pluralism,and technological control versus primary-level autonomy.To address this issue,it is essential to pursue flexible platform design,ethical integration of technical systems,and decentralized governance approaches.By promoting the deep integration of technology,organization,and context,such strategies aim to achieve a leap in governance effectiveness and a reorientation of value realization in primary-level digital governance platforms.

Key words: primary-level governance, digital governance platform, paradox of effectiveness, digital governance, governance effectiveness