The Scientific Nature of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
By: Qu Qingshan
Qiushi Journal October-December 2016|Vol.8, No.4, Issue No.29 |
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, with a view to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics (hereinafter referred to as Chinese socialism), General Secretary Xi Jinping has raised the question of how we should view
the scientific nature of Chinese socialism. Gaining an accurate understanding of this key question will help us to bolster our confidence in the path, theories, and system of Chinese socialism and establish strong political and strategic resolve.
I. Chinese socialism constitutes a new stage and outcome of scientific socialism in China.
Scientific socialism represents the source and root of Chinese socialism, while Chinese socialism represents a new stage and outcome of scientific socialism in China. To uphold and develop Chinese socialism is to adhere to scientific socialism.
From the birth of scientific socialism to the establishment and development of Chinese socialism, the scientific nature of socialism has been central to the entire history of the world socialist movement.
In its 500-year history, the world socialist movement has witnessed the birth and development of utopian socialism, the creation of scientific socialism by Marx and Engels, the victory of the October Revolution in Russia led by Lenin, the practice of socialism in the Soviet Union, the formation of the Soviet model, the exploration and practice of socialism by the CPC following the founding of the PRC, the historic decision of the CPC to initiate reform and opening up, and the establishment and development of Chinese socialism. Following the
leap from utopian socialism to scientific socialism, and from socialism in theory to socialism in practice, both historical progression and logic dictated that developing and consolidating socialism would become the theme of a new historical period.
By drawing on China’s successes and setbacks in the development of socialism, especially successful experiences since introducing the reform and opening up policy, and
learning from the historical experiences of other socialist countries,
Chinese Communists have offered, for the very first time, systematic answers to a series of fundamental questions through their integration of theory and practice, opening up new horizons for scientific socialism. These questions revolve around how to establish socialism in an economically and culturally underdeveloped country like China, and how to consolidate and develop socialism in China. Chinese socialism constitutes a historic contribution to scientific socialism by Chinese Communists.
It is an inevitable outcome of scientific socialism and a dialectical unity between the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of China’s social development.
Upholding the basic principles of scientific socialism, Chinese socialism is socialism, not some other -ism.
It adheres to the worldview and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, identifies the realization of communism as its highest ideal, preserves a political party of the working class as the leading core, upholds the position of the people as the principal actors in the country, preserves public ownership as the foundation of the socialist economic system, views the people’s role as masters of the country as the core of socialist democracy, maintains Marxism as the guiding ideology, commits to the realization of common prosperity, and promotes the well-rounded development of the person. These all reflect the basic principles of scientific socialism, representing concrete manifestations of these basic principles under new historical conditions.
Though China has borrowed certain specific practices from developed capitalist countries in the West on an operational level, such as managerial approaches and mechanisms, our essential social system has always conformed to the basic principles of scientific socialism.
In recent years, some people have questioned the nature of Chinese socialism,
claiming that China is not practicing socialism but “capitalist socialism” or “state capitalism.” Their intention is to sever Chinese socialism from scientific socialism and set the two against each other, thus denying that the former is in essence scientific socialism. As Xi Jinping has commented, “Chinese socialism upholds the basic principles of scientific socialism whilst endowing them with unique Chinese features in view of contemporary conditions. That is to say, Chinese socialism is socialism, not some other -ism.” Xi has also stressed,
“No matter how we reform or open up, we will always adhere to the path, theories, and system of Chinese socialism.” These important statements reveal the scientific nature of Chinese socialism, and demonstrate the CPC’s firm commitment to upholding and developing it.
A stark contrast: the black and white photo, taken on July 28, 1976 by Chang Qing, shows the city of Tangshan, which was left in a state of total ruin by a catastrophic earthquake; the color photo, taken by Xinhua reporter Yang Shiyao on July 9, 2016, shows Tangshan’s South Lake Park. Following 1976’s devastating earthquake, many people thought that the city of Tangshan would never reemerge. However, 40 years later, a new Tangshan has risen miraculously from the ruins. XINHUA
II. Chinese socialism constitutes a scientific form of socialism rooted in China’s soils.
A scientific theory and system must be localized before it can function properly. The only path, theory, and system that can work in China and genuinely display its scientific nature is one that conforms to China’s realities. The scientific nature of Chinese socialism is embodied not only in the basic principles of scientific socialism that it adheres to, which are scientific by their very nature; but also in that it is rooted in China’s soils, has deep historical origins and a broad basis in reality, and is uniquely Chinese in character. Therefore, we may say that Chinese socialism is a scientific form of socialism that conforms to China’s realities.
First, Chinese socialism has emerged from more than 5,000 years of Chinese cultural tradition. The conception, birth, and development of Chinese socialism would not have been possible without the rich nourishment of China’s fine traditional culture.
An important reason why China has accepted Marxism and scientific socialism, as opposed to some other ideology, is that Chinese culture inherently identifies with scientific socialism. The state and society-centric values of traditional Chinese culture are compatible with the collectivism advocated by scientific socialism. In a certain sense, the combination of scientific socialism with China’s realities represents the integration of Marxism and China’s fine traditional culture.
In China, only when an idea, theory, and culture get accepted by Chinese culture and help the country’s development can that idea, theory, and culture become a scientific theoretical guideline and common foundation for the united efforts of all Chinese people.
Second, Chinese socialism has emerged from a profound reflection of the Chinese nation’s experiences during more than 170 years of modern history. The kind of ideology a country adopts, and whether or not that ideology is scientific, depend on the capacity of that ideology to resolve the historical problems faced by that country.
Since the advent of modern times, the Chinese people have committed themselves to two historical goals: the first being national independence and the liberation of the people; and the second being the strength and prosperity of the country and the happiness of the people. China has experimented with a long succession of ideologies: capitalism, reformism, liberalism, social Darwinism, anarchism, pragmatism, populism, and syndicalism; but none were able to resolve the question of China’s future and destiny. In a certain sense, the Chinese nation’s search for and development of its path during more than 170 years of modern history has been a process of eliminating various ideologies and paths and choosing a scientific and correct one, which eventually turned out to be socialism.
Third, Chinese socialism has emerged from our constant explorations since the founding of the People’s Republic of China more than 60 years ago. Although Chinese socialism was created in a new period of reform and opening up, its foundation had been laid down before this period. The founding of the PRC and establishment of the basic socialist system have established the fundamental political preconditions and institutional foundations for all development and progress in China today.
Fourth, Chinese socialism has emerged from our great endeavors in reform and opening up over more than 30 years. Chinese socialism has gradually taken shape during the course of China’s reform and opening up. The 12th National Congress of the CPC introduced the proposition of “building a Chinese socialism”; the 13th National Congress of the CPC established the Party’s basic line for the primary stage of socialism and outlined a theoretical framework for developing Chinese socialism; the 15th National Congress of the CPC established
Deng Xiaoping Theory as a guiding principle of the Party; the 16th National Congress of the CPC identified the
Three Represents as a guiding principle of the Party; and the 18th National Congress of the CPC summarized Chinese socialism in terms of a path, a body of theories, and a system. As China’s reform and opening up drive progresses, the CPC is increasingly enhancing its understanding of Chinese socialism, applying its features and laws with increasing maturity and accumulating more and more experience.
Under the banner of Chinese socialism, with an indomitable enterprising spirit and commitment to innovation, the CPC and Chinese people have written a magnificent epic of self-improvement and advancement, bringing about development at unprecedented speeds, rapidly raising the living standards of the people, and allowing the Chinese nation to welcome bright prospects for its own rejuvenation.
China’s problems can only be solved by looking to China for the right path. Chinese socialism represents a choice that the Chinese people have made on the basis of the country’s unique culture, history, and basic national conditions, and through a long-term process of struggle and exploration.
It is by no means accidental, nor is it a subjective choice made by a person or a political party. Chinese socialism is a scientific form of socialism rooted in China’s soils, reflecting the will of the people, and geared to the needs of China’s development and a new era.
III. Chinese socialism constitutes a developing form of scientific socialism.
Socialism is constantly breaking new ground as it develops in step with the times and through the course of practice. As 170 years of history since the publishing of the
Manifesto of the Communist Party has shown, Marxism and scientific socialism can only demonstrate their great vitality, creativity, and appeal, and fully exert their scientific nature, when they are integrated with the actual conditions of a country, when they move forward in step with the times, and when they share the same mission as the people.
Freeing the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping up with the times, being realistic and pragmatic, using developing scientific theory to guide practice, and taking practice as the sole criterion for testing everything constitute not only important experiences that have enabled the CPC to preserve its advanced nature and push forward Chinese socialism, but are one of the major reasons why Chinese socialism remains scientific, vital, and vigorous.
While leading the people in new explorations, the CPC Central Committee headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping has continued to expand the path, enrich the theories, and improve the system of Chinese socialism. A series of important speeches by Xi Jinping contain rich theoretical and practical insight on upholding and developing Chinese socialism: The concept of
the Chinese Dream – the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation – has broadened and deepened the goals and requirements of Chinese socialism;
the Belt and Road Initiative,
Yangtze River Economic Belt Initiative, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Integration Initiative have deepened and expanded the five-pronged overall plan for the development of Chinese socialism; the
Four Comprehensives, which serves as the general plan for China’s national governance under new circumstances and the overall strategy for the long-term development of the CPC and country, has enriched and developed the theories of Chinese socialism;
the principles of innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development, which serve as a guide for upholding and developing Chinese socialism, have enriched and developed CPC’s theories on development; and the assertions that the CPC should supervise its own conduct and run itself according to a strict code of conduct, that the improvement of conduct is an ongoing endeavor, that we should confine power to an institutional cage, and that we should not only cage the “tigers” but also swat the “flies” have enriched and developed Marxist theories concerning party building. Xi Jinping’s important speeches represent the truest and most focused manifestation of contemporary Chinese Marxism.
Qu Qingshan is Director of the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee.
(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No.6, 2016)
