Gu Hailiang: The Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Centennial CPC Thought

The Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese Context

and the Centennial CPC Thought*

Gu Hailiang

Boya Chair Professor of Peking University and

Professor of the School of Marxism of Peking University

Abstract:

The Communist Party of China (CPC) leads, practices and creates theories of the integration of fundamental tenets of Marxism with Chinese realities. The centennial history of CPC thought is marked by the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, and the theoretical essence of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context is marked by the creation of new theories in the centennial history of the CPC. The historical changes in Chinese society over the past century have coincided with the stages of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the features of these stages. They have complemented the formation, enrichment and sustained development of the centennial CPC thought. They have made it their purpose to complete the two historical tasks of striving for national independence and people’s liberation and of making the country prosperous and strong and the people rich. And they have also focused on China’s practical issues and made national rejuvenation their banner. The centennial CPC thought not only applies the fundamental tenets of Marxism to China’s realities, but also forms new ideas in the process and elevates them to a new connotation of Marxist theory, creating new CPC theories of Marxism. “The scientific nature and truth,” “orientation toward the people’s interests and practice practicality,” and “openness and relevance for contemporary China” have become the distinctive features of CPC thought in the process of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context.

Keywords:

CPC thought, adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, creation of new theories

In his historical interpretation of the centennial CPC thought, Xi Jinping stated that, “The history of our Party is a history of constantly promoting the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, and a history of continuing to create new theories.”[1] The centennial history of CPC thought is marked by the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, and the theoretical essence of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context is marked by the creation of new theories in the centennial history of the CPC.

I. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

and What Marks the Centennial CPC Thought

Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is the process of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of China. The CPC leads, practices and creates theories of this integration.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the trickles of Marx’s thought and socialist doctrine spreading in China, under the influence of the October Revolution in Russia and after the May Fourth Movement, began to converge into a rushing tide of social and political ideas, which became the guiding thought for a group of Communists in the early days of the CPC to change China.

In 1920, Li Dazhao already proposed that as for the socialist ideal, “because of the different situations in different places and times, it must be sought only when it is suitable, so that a new system will emerge that integrates commonalities and characteristics (commonalities are universal while characteristics are different at any time and place). Therefore, when it happens in China in the future, it will be different from that in Britain, Germany and Russia.”[2] Young Mao Zedong also realized in 1920 that, “If we want to do our best in the present world, of course we cannot but do it in the territory of ‘China.’ It seems that the situation in this territory must be investigated and studied on the spot.”[3] Both Li and Mao already understood the basic method to be followed in applying Marxism to the Chinese realities, reflecting their intellectual consciousness as founders of the CPC.

The process of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution was not a smooth one, but a long process of practical exploration and repeated intellectual understanding. In the early years of the CPC, there was a Right opportunist line championed by Chen Duxiu, and later there were “Left” opportunist errors represented by Wang Ming. These people’s practical exploration and intellectual understanding of the Chinese revolution were detached from the Chinese realities, and they mechanically copied individual words and phrases of Marxist tenets and individual Marxist conclusions or ready-made foreign experiences, and opposed China taking its own path of social revolution based on the Chinese realities, resulting in serious setbacks to the Chinese revolution.

It was in the struggle against these Right and “Left” opportunist errors that Mao Zedong Thought was formed and developed by integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution, and by upholding the truth and correcting mistakes. The integration of the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the actual situation in China is the source of the development of CPC thought, and the unique endowment of the CPC that enable it to keep its vitality in the social revolution and self-reform.

In 1938, when Mao Zedong proposed to “adapt Marxism to the Chinese context” at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, he emphasized that “talk about Marxism in isolation from China’s characteristics is merely Marxism in the abstract, Marxism in a vacuum.”[4] During the new-democratic revolution, the CPC’s scientific understanding of the nature of Chinese society, its correct choice of the road and mode of social revolution, its accurate judgment and formulation of its line and policies, and its promotion of social revolution and self-reform all reflected the successful application of the fundamental tenets of Marxism in China, and were based on the theories created by the CPC in this process. The fundamental principle of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of China was conscious followed by the CPC in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially when socialism was established as China’s fundamental system in 1956, Mao Zedong put forward the idea of the “second period of integration” of Marxism with the Chinese realities from the perspective of history, theory, and realities. In April 1956, Mao Zedong, referring to the question of “what lessons” the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had to teach the CPC, stated that, “The most important thing is to think independently and to integrate the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution and construction.” Looking back on the history of the Party, Mao Zedong spoke with deep feeling: “During the democratic revolution, we succeeded in achieving this integration only after we had suffered great losses, and achieved the victory of the new-democratic revolution. Now it is the period of socialist revolution and construction, and we have to have a second period of integration to find out how to build socialism in China.”[5] Having a second period of integration became the guiding thought of the Chinese Communists in their exploration of how to build and develop socialism in China.

After nearly 20 years of arduous exploration and tortuous process of building socialism in China after 1956, the CPC gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of the second period of integration and strengthened its intellectual identification and theoretical consciousness of the second period of integration. In 1982, Deng Xiaoping proposed in his opening speech of the 12th National Party Congress that, “We must integrate the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete realities of China, blaze a path of our own and build a socialism with Chinese characteristics.”[6] This idea opened up a new process of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, expanded the horizon for creating new theories of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in the new period, and sublimated the realm of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context with the characteristics of China and the times.

Throughout the new period of reform and opening up, the Chinese Communists gave given a new intellectual connotation to the second period of integration. They raised and explored solutions to the questions of what true Marxism is, and how to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context in keeping with the times, and increase its appeal to the people, thus realizing the second historic leap in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context.

After the 18th National Party Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, faced with the new realities of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, proposed that, “We should treat science with a scientific attitude, pursue truth with the spirit of truth, and constantly give Marxism a new connotation of the times.”[7]

At a conference celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, Xi Jinping proposed that in the course of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, “We need to combine theory and practice, answer the questions posed by the times and the people, and dispel the mist clouding our practices and judgment, in an effort to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, keep it up-to-date, enhance its popular appeal, and break new ground.”[8] Xi also stated that, “Communists must take reading Marxist classics and understanding Marxist principles as a way of life and an intellectual pursuit, and apply the classics to foster our integrity, temper our way of thinking, broaden our horizon, and guide our practice.”[9] This is the essence of the CPC’s “mandatory course” in Marxist theory. It is the strength we have in studying Marxism, a powerful instrument. It is also integral for keeping Chinese Marxism full of vitality. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era keeps pace with the times and shares the same future with the people. It also pays attention to and answers major issues raised by the times and practice and sublimates the realm of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context in the new era.

II. Stages of Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese Context

and the Main Idea of the Centennial CPC Thought

In 1941, Mao Zedong pointed out that, “A policy should be established of focusing such education on the study of the practical problems of the Chinese revolution and using the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism as the guide, and the method of studying Marxism-Leninism statically and in isolation should be discarded.”[10] The historical changes in Chinese society over the past century have coincided with the stages of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the features of these stages. They have complemented the formation, enrichment and sustained development of the centennial CPC thought. They have made it their purpose to complete the historical tasks of striving for national independence and people’s liberation and of making the country prosperous and strong and the people rich. And they have also focused on China’s practical issues and made national rejuvenation their banner.

The “practical problems” that Marxism faced when it was first adapted to the Chinese context were the problems of national independence and people’s liberation. After 28 years of tenacious struggle, the CPC led the Chinese people in winning the new-democratic revolution through great hardships and sacrifices, and achieving national independence and people’s liberation, which had been the dream of generations of Chinese people.

With the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese people became the masters of the country, society and their own destiny, and achieved the great transformation to a people’s democracy and a high degree of unification and unprecedented solidarity among all ethnic groups in China. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communists such as Mao Zedong led the people of China in creatively transforming from the new-democratic revolution to the socialist revolution on the basis of rapidly healing the wounds of the war and restoring China’s economy. In this course, the Chinese Communists began to focus on industrialization and modernization as the goal and on the realization of the second major historical task of making the country prosperous and strong and the people rich, with the theme of prosperity and strength of the country and common prosperity of the people.

In September 1954, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the First Session of the National People’s Congress, Mao Zedong put forward the goal of “building an economically and culturally backward country like ours into a great industrialized country with a high degree of modern culture.” Zhou Enlai also emphasized in his Report on the Work of the Government that, “If we do not build up a strong modern industry, modern agriculture, modern transportation and modern national defense, we will not be able to get rid of backwardness and poverty, and our revolution will not achieve its goal.”[11] The modernization of the country became the fundamental goal of the CPC in governing the country and the fundamental task of the unremitting struggle of the Chinese people, as well as the “central problem” facing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context.

In 1956, the establishment of socialism as China’s fundamental system laid a solid political premise, a firm path foundation and a strong institutional guarantee for socialist modernization, and the Chinese Communists such as by Mao Zedong had put the issue of socialist modernization on the important agenda of state affairs. In February 1957, Mao Zedong proposed to “build our country into a socialist state with modern industry, modern agriculture and modern science and culture.” In December 1964, in the Report on the Work of the Government at the First Session of the Third National People’s Congress, Zhou Enlai formally announced China’s ambitious goal of achieving the “Four Modernizations.”[12] At the First Session of the Fourth National People’s Congress held in January 1975, Zhou Enlai again declared: “Within this century, we will fully modernize agriculture, industry, national defense and science and technology, so that China’s economy will lead the world.”[13]

At the beginning of the new period, Deng Xiaoping emphasized, “The destiny of our country and people hinges on the success of the Four Modernization.”[14] He also proposed, “In our democratic revolution, we had to act in accordance with China’s specific situation and follow the path discovered by Mao Zedong of encircling the cities from the rural areas. Now, in our national construction, we must likewise act in accordance with our own situation and find a Chinese path to modernization.”[15] “Chinese modernization” most profoundly clarifies the essence of China’s modernization and most directly expresses the purpose of achieving national rejuvenation. It also profoundly reveals the characteristics of the new stage of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

In the 21st century, the CPC has not only made Chinese modernization go hand in hand with the Two Centenary Goals,[16] but also further integrated it with the pursuit of national rejuvenation. As we entered the 21st century, Jiang Zemin emphasized that, “Developing China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and modern socialist country was the great ideal of Mao Zedong, his comrades-in-arms and millions of revolutionary martyrs, the inevitable conclusion of over a hundred years of the development of Chinese society, and the common wish of the entire Chinese nation.”[17] Standing at the historical height at the turn of the century, the Chinese Communists took it as their solemn mission to adhere to the Party’s basic line, rally and lead the Chinese people in “progressing toward the new century, the glorious goal of modernization, and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”[18]

Since the 18th National Party Congress, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core, has upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, stayed to their original aspiration and founding mission and moved forward. They have striven to win the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, giving the “Chinese modernization” the connotation of a new era.

In the new era, “Chinese modernization” has been sublimated in terms of the connotation of the goal. The principal contradiction of society in the new era has been transformed into the gap between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing need for a better life. The fundamental strategy and way out to solve and deal with the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development in the principal contradiction of society lies in the strategy of promoting economic, political, cultural, social and ecological advancement. The connotation of the Party’s basic line is also sublimated to “build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.”

In addition, under the the four-pronged comprehensive strategy,^[19] a new issue of modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance is raised. To modernize China’s system and capacity for governance is to make all systems more scientific and complete, to institutionalize, standardize and proceduralize the governance of the Party, the state and society, to make good use of the institutions and laws to govern the country, and to improve the Party’s scientific governance, democratic governance and law-based governance.

Moreover, the Party enhanced the resolve to strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to pursue the great struggle, great project, great cause, and great dream. If we strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we can face all the difficulties and challenges without fear. We will take neither the old path of being closed and inflexible, nor the erroneous path of abandoning socialism. We will create a new phase of modernization in the new era and new miracles of modernization. The great struggle, great project, great cause, and great dream are an organic whole. The great dream is the goal, guiding the correct direction toward “Chinese modernization”; the great struggle is the source of inexhaustible power for “Chinese modernization”; the great project is the root, laying a solid foundation of “Chinese modernization”; and the great cause is the way forward, indicating the development direction of “Chinese modernization.”

Finally, in the strategic planning, the milestones of the Second Centenary Goal were further defined. The 19th National Party Congress proposed to achieve the Second Centenary Goal in two stages: to basically realize socialist modernization from 2020 to 2035, and to build a strong modern socialist country from 2035 to 2050. Xi Jinping pointed out: “This is our strategic vision for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era: Finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, move on to basically realizing modernization, and then turn to making China a great modern socialist country in every dimension. We must work with resolve and tenacity and strive to write a brilliant chapter on our new journey to socialist modernization.”[20]

The CPC keeps pace with the times and protects its foundations while innovating. It firmly grasps the basic trends and characteristics of social and contemporary development. It centers on “practical problems.” The CPC constantly enriches its intellectual brilliance in the new process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. It closely follows the process of China’s historical social transformation and takes national rejuvenation as the original aspiration and founding mission. All this highlights the characteristics of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in the current stage and the main theme of the centennial CPC thought.

III. The Historic Leap of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

and the New Theories Created by the CPC over the Past Century

In emphasizing the significance of acquiring a better understanding of the centennial history of the CPC, Xi Jinping pointed out, “Over the past century, our Party has been committed to the unity of freeing the mind and seeking truth from facts, and the unity of cultivating the root and protecting the foundations while innovating. We have constantly opening up new horizons of Marxism, producing Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which have provided scientific theoretical guidance for the development of the Party and the people’s cause.”[21] The centennial CPC thought not only applies the fundamental tenets of Marxism to China’s realities, but also forms new thoughts in the process and raises them to a new connotation of Marxist theory, thus creating the CPC’s new theories of Marxism.

In the history of the centennial CPC thought, the first historic leap of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context was concentrated in the creation of the new theories of Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong emphasized many times that, “Chinese Communists can be regarded as linking theory with practice through serious research into the realities of China’s history and revolution by doing creative theoretical work to meet China’s needs in different spheres.”[22] Mao Zedong revealed that the essence of “the creation of new theories” in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context lies in the creation of new theories of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context that “meet the needs of China.”

The new theories contained in Mao Zedong Thought creatively resolved a series of major problems of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the Chinese realities “to meet the needs of China.” After a profound analysis of China’s social form and class situation, and after unremitting exploration, the new theories clarified the nature, targets, tasks and driving force of the Chinese revolution, proposed a two-step strategy of moving toward socialism through the new-democratic revolution, formulated the general line of the new-democratic revolution, and opened up the revolutionary road of surrounding the cities from the countryside and finally seizing national victory. The new theories creatively solved a series of major problems of building a Marxist party in China’s special social and historical conditions “in line with China’s needs.” They built the Party into a Marxist party armed with scientific theory and revolutionary spirit, in flesh-and-blood contact with the people, and fully consolidated intellectually, politically and organizationally. The new theories creatively solved a series of major problems of creating a people’s armed force under the absolute leadership of the Party “in line with China’s needs,” and building a new type of people’s military with an unrelenting spirit that can overwhelm all enemies and never be subjugated by them. They creatively solved a series of major issues “in line with China’s needs” for the revolutionary united front that unites the greatest number of people of the nation in common struggle, so as to unite the greatest number of allies for the cause of the Party and the people. They also creatively proposed and implemented a series of correct strategies that “meet China’s needs,” promptly solving extremely complicated problems in the course of the Chinese revolution, and guiding the Chinese revolutionary ship to keep riding the waves.[23]

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communists such as Mao Zedong took a new path of socialist transition with Chinese characteristics based on China’s unique national conditions and the current situation of economic and social development, creatively put forward the theory of the transition period with Chinese characteristics, blazed the path of building socialism in China, and created new theories that “meet China’s needs,” including the theory of socialist contradictions, comprehensive balance and overall balance, independence and self-reliance.

In the new period of reform and opening up, in the second historic leap of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development formed a series of new theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics that “meet China’s needs.” The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party re-established the intellectual line of freeing the mind and seeking truth from facts, and shifted the focus of the work of the Party and the country. The 12th National Party Congress first proposed to “build socialism with Chinese characteristics,” laying the foundation and indicating the direction for the creation of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics. After the 12th National Party Congress, the reform of China’s economic system was rapidly launched nationwide, and the theory of socialist reform and opening up, the theory of the socialist commodity economy, the theory of the primary stage of socialism, the theory of the Party’s basic line in the primary stage of socialism, the “three-step” strategy for economic development, the theory of the essence of socialism, the guidelines for promoting socialist cultural-ethical progress, and the concept of “one country, two systems” were successively put forward.

The 14th National Party Congress put forward the concept of “Deng Xiaoping’s theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics,” proposed to build and develop a socialist market economy, and made incisive elaborations on the development path and stages of socialism.

On the basis of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents thought further answered the question of what socialism is and how to build it, creatively answered the question of what kind of party to build and how to build it. It deepened the understanding of the law of Communist Party rule, the law of socialist construction and the law of human social development, and ensured that our Party’s guiding thought keeps pace with the times.

The Scientific Outlook on Development creatively answered the major issues of China’s development in the new century and gave the Marxist theory of development a new connotation and practical requirements.

The political report of the 17th National Party Congress for the first time used the concept of “socialist theory with Chinese characteristics” and proposed that “the fundamental reason for all our achievements and progress since the reform and opening up is that we have blazed the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and formed the socialist theory with Chinese characteristics.”[24]

Since the 18th National Party Congress, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has closely followed the issues of contemporary China and created more new theories of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, including the following:

l  the concept that CPC leadership is the most essential feature and the greatest institutional advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics;

l  that strict Party self-governance shall be implemented in all respects to realize the Party’s social revolution and self-revolution;

l  the new development philosophy, the new economic normal and new ideas of supply-side structural reform, and the need to keep reform oriented toward developing a socialist market economy reform and promote China’s high-quality development;

l  the five-sphere integrated plan^[25] and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy;

l  a new judgment of the basic economic system at the primary stage of socialism;

l  the modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance;

l  the Belt and Road Initiative and the need to create a new pattern of opening up;

l  targeted poverty alleviation and the theory of poverty eradication;

l  the fundamental system of Marxism in the guiding position of ideology, and the need to enhance the confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to enhance the Party’s leadership and management of ideological work, and the say the Party has in it;

l  the concept of lucid waters and lush mountains being invaluable assets and the theory of ecological civilization;

l  the goal and strategy for strengthening the military in the new era; and

l  a series of new theories such as building a new type of international relations and the human community with a shared future.

A series of new theories of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has given a new connotation to Marxism in the 21st century.

Looking back at the brilliant achievements of the CPC in creating new theories over the past century, we can see that the course of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context over the past century contains two basic aspects: the first is to apply Marxism in China, that is, to apply the fundamental tenets of Marxism in China’s concrete realities, and analyze and solve China’s practical problems, just as Mao Zedong pointed out that it is necessary to “apply Marxism concretely in China so that its every manifestation has an indubitably Chinese character, i.e. to apply Marxism in the light of China’s specific characteristics.”[26] The second is to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context, that is, to elevate the theories derived from the application of the fundamental tenets of Marxism to Chinese realities to new theories of Marxism just as Mao Zedong pointed out, “It is necessary to make the Chinese revolution’s rich practice Marxist” and “to apply the methods of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin in China and create new things in China.”[27]

“Applying Marxism in China” and “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” and their mutual integration constitute the basic process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The former is characterized by the application of theory to practice, while the latter is characterized by the ascension of practice to theory. The former is the process of theoretical guidance and application, while the latter is the process of theoretical generalization and sublimation, that is, the creation of new theories. The two complement each other, advance each other and spiral upward, presenting the historical process of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and manifesting the new theories in the centennial CPC thought.

IV. The New Realm of Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese

Context and the Distinctive Features of the Centennial CPC Thought

The centennial CPC thought originated from the continuous practice and exploration of changing China and the world by integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the specific realities of China. It is evident in the historic changes and achievements made by the CPC in leading the Chinese people in struggling and forging ahead, and crystallized in the new theories created by the CPC in the two historic leaps in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

Mao Zedong was the first to put forward a series of scientific propositions such as “applying Marxism concretely in China” and “making China’s practice Marxist,” laying the cornerstone of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context. As the great theoretical achievement of the first historic leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, Mao Zedong Thought was newly developed and enriched not only in the new-democratic revolution, but also in the socialist revolution and construction.

In 1956, after the establishment of socialism as China’s fundamental system, how to build and develop socialism in China became a new issue for the CPC. In this process, “Mao Zedong made a painstaking search for a socialist construction path suitable for the Chinese situation. Learning from the lessons of the Soviet Union, he proposed to create new theories and write new works, to ‘integrate for the second time’ the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the Chinese realities, to find out the correct path for socialist revolution and construction in China, and to formulate the strategy of building China into a strong socialist county.”[28] On the whole, Mao Zedong Thought “systematically answered the question of how to realize the new democratic revolution and socialist revolution in a large semi-colonial and semi-feudal Eastern country, and made a painstaking exploration of what kind of socialism should be built and how to build it, adding new treasures to the treasury of Marxism with its creative contents.”[29]

In 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party created a new period of reform and opening up. The theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics formed and developed in this new period include Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development and other major strategies for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. As a coherent organic whole, they all uphold Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought as their guidance; they all answer the primary basic question of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics; they are all based on the basic national conditions of the primary stage of Chinese socialism; and they all aim to achieve the goal of socialist modernization and national rejuvenation in China. With the focus on the same theme of development, these theoretical achievements adhere to the premise of starting from realities, focus on summarizing and refining the fresh experiences of different periods and stages of reform and opening up, focus on exploring and answering new problems encountered in different periods and stages, and present different contents of new theories.

Since the 18th National Party Congress, China’s social development has stood at a new historical starting point, and socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was formed under the historical condition that socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era. The “newness” of the new era lies in the fact that the principal contradiction in society has changed to the gap between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing need for a better life, which has put forward new requirements for the work of the Party and the country in all respects. The “newness” of the new era lies in the fact that China has entered a new stage of development, with changes in the development environment, development conditions and development goals and tasks. The “newness” of the new era also lies in the fact that the Chinese nation has achieved a tremendous transformation: it has stood up, grown rich, and is becoming strong, and completing a moderately prosperous society in all respects and will embark on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects.

In light of the centennial history of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the centennial CPC thought, Xi Jinping once pointed out that, “The fate of Marxism has long been closely linked with the fate of the CPC, the fate of the Chinese people and the fate of the Chinese nation. Its scientific nature and truth have been fully tested in China, its orientation toward the people’s interests and practice has been fully implemented in China, and its openness and relevance for contemporary China have been fully manifested in China.”[30] That is to say, “scientific nature and truth,” “orientation toward the people’s interests and practice,” and “openness and relevance for contemporary China” have become the brilliant features of CPC thought in the process of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context.

First, the scientific nature and truth of Marxism have been fully tested in China over the past century, which is reflected in the CPC’s sublimating the scientific nature and truth of Chinese Marxism through the great practice of connecting history and realities, international and domestic correlation, and integrating theory and practice. Especially since the 18th National Party Congress, facing the major contemporary issues of what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be upheld and developed and how to uphold and develop it in the new era, the Party Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core, has applied the Marxist stand, viewpoint and method, firmly grasped the new trends and characteristics of the changing times, and put forward the core principles and basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The theoretical features and basic guidelines of scientific nature and truth have been highlighted, showing the implications, essence, and theoretical nature of Marxism in the 21st century.

Second, Marxism’s orientation toward the people’s interests and practice has been fully implemented in China over the past hundred years, which is reflected in the CPC’s insistence on putting the people at the center, doing everything for the people, relying on the people, and unswervingly striving for the happiness of the people and the revival of the nation. This fundamentally demonstrates the fundamental position and value of CPC thought. Marxism “was founded to change the historical destiny of the people, formed in the practice of the people’s quest for liberation, and enriched and developed in the practice of the people’s quest for liberation, providing the people with powerful intellectual power to understand and transform the world.”[31] The essence of the “orientation toward the people’s interests” of CPC thought lies in the fact that the people are the creators of history and the fundamental force that determines the destiny of the Party and the country. It is necessary to always adhere to the principal position of the people, adhere to the Party’s commitment to serving the public good and exercising state power in the interests of the people, and practice the fundamental purpose of wholeheartedly serving the people. It is essential to carry out the Party’s mass line to the entire process of governance, relying on the people to made great historic accomplishments, and strive to achieve the goal to ensure the people’s aspirations live a better life.

Third, Marxism’s openness and relevance for contemporary China have been fully manifested over the past century, which is reflected in the course of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the development of CPC thought over the past hundred years. The CPC has maintained the theoretical quality of Marxism to keep pace with the times. It protected its foundations while innovating. This has made Chinese Marxism always stand in the forefront of the times, and advance with the times and in light of the situation and has made it possible to retain CPC thought’s openness and relevance for contemporary China.

Since the 18th National Party Congress, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has carried forward the theoretical quality of advancing with the times. Based on the foundation of the times, it has answered the questions of the times, stood at the forefront of the development of the times, promoted the adaption of Marxism to the Chinese context and its modernization. It represents the intellectual style and theoretical wisdom of 21st-century Marxism, and it has sublimated the realm of 21st-century Marxism as an “evolving open theory.”

Xi Jinping pointed out that, “Marxism has guided China to successfully embark on the path of building a strong, modern socialist country. The Chinese Communists, as loyal believers and firm practitioners of Marxism, are making persistent efforts to uphold and develop Marxism.”[32] Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a contemporary development of Marxism and a 21st-century Marxism. It will certainly open up a new journey of adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, and will also become a more brilliant theory for achieving the Second Centenary Goal of the CPC.

* This paper was published Marxism & Reality, no. 3, 2021.

[1] Xi Jinping, “Learn Party History, Understand the Thought, Achieve Practical Results, Create New Phases, and Welcome the Centenary of the Founding of the Party with Excellent Achievements,” People’s Daily, February 21, 2021.

[2] China Li Dazhao Research Association (ed.), Collected Works of Li Dazhao, vol. IV, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2013, p. 248.

[3] Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Chronicle of Mao Zedong (1893–1949) (Revised), vol. I, Beijing: Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2013, p. 54.

[4] Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991, vol. II, p. 534.

[5] Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Chronical of Mao Zedong (1949–1976), Beijing: Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2013, p. 557.

[6] Selected of Deng Xiaoping, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1993, vol. III, p. 3.

[7] Xi Jinping, “Deeply Perceive and Grasp the Power of Marxist Truth and Write a New Chapter of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era,” People’s Daily, April 25, 2018.

[8] Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 19th National Party Congress, Beijing, People’s Publishing House, 2019, vol. 2, p. 731.

[9] Ibid., p. 434.

[10] Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991, vol. III, p. 802.

[11] Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1984, vol II, p. 132.

[12] Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1999, vol. VII, p. 207.

[13] Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1984, vol II, p. 479.

[14] Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1994, vol II, p. 163.

[15] Ibid., p. 163.

[16] They are to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the Communist Party of China in 2021 and to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049.

[17] Selected Works of Jiang Zemin, Beijing, People’s Publishing House, 2006, vol. 1, p. 360.

[18] Ibid., vol. II, p. 126.

[19] The four-pronged comprehensive strategy is to make comprehensive moves to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, deepen reform, advance law-based governance, and strengthen Party self-governance.

[20] Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 19th CPC National Congress, Beijing: Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2019, vol. I, p. 21.

[21] Xi Jinping, “Learn Party History, Understand the Thought, Achieve Practical Results, Create New Phases, and Welcome the Centenary of the Founding of the Party with Excellent Achievements,” People’s Daily, February 21, 2021.

[22] Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991, vol. III, p. 820.

[23] Cf. Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 18th National Party Congress, Beijing, Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2014, vol. I. pp. 689–690.

[24] Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 17th National Party Congress, Beijing, Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2009, vol. I. p. 45.

[25] The five-sphere integrated plan is to promote coordinated economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement.

[26] Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991, vol. II, p. 534.

[27] Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1999, vol. II, pp. 374, 408.

[28] Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 18th National Party Congress, Beijing, Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2014, vol. 1. p. 691.

[29] Party Literature Research Office of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 17th National Party Congress, Beijing, Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2013, vol. II. p. 436.

[30] Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee (ed.), Selected Documents Produced since the 19th National Party Congress, Beijing: Central Party Literature Publishing House, 2019, vol. 1, p. 427.

[31] Ibid., p. 424.

[32] Ibid., p. 428.