Lu Weiming & Deng Jiaoyu: Exploring the Unique Values of Chinese Modernization from the Perspective of the "Two Combinations"
General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the opening ceremony of the seminar for high-level officials to study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, pointed out: "The unique worldviews, values, outlooks on history, civilization, democracy, and ecology, along with their great practices contained within Chinese-path modernization, constitute a major innovation in global modernization theory and practice." The Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Advancing Chinese-path Modernization requires "improving the institutions and mechanisms for cultivating and practicing Socialist Core Values." This further clarifies the important position of collectively forging values within Chinese-path modernization from an institutional dimension. Overall, the unique values contained within Chinese-path modernization clarify the direction for Chinese-path modernization, ensuring that its advancement always adheres to being people-centered and avoids the divergent paths of Western modernization—namely, the supremacy of capital and [social] polarization. Chinese-path modernization serves as the practical carrier of these "unique values"; it is a brand-new modernization model under the guidance of these values, which continuously enriches, develops, and innovates the connotation of these "unique values" through concrete practice across various fields.
The unique values contained within Chinese-path modernization represent the inheritance and development of the value propositions of scientific socialism. They possess a unique scientific connotation and hold significant importance for the great cause of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong nation and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. Currently, the academic community has carried out relatively extensive research on the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization. Regarding the foundation of value formation, Chen Xixi has pointed out that the Marxist idea of the people as the subject and the mass line [1] formed during the Party's century-long struggle together constitute the theoretical basis and historical logic of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization. Wang Yan and Xiong Feng believe that values conforming to the direction of modernization should be formed through the critique of the logic of capital. Tong Ping argues that the unique values of Chinese-path modernization should be based on Marx's thoughts on modernity while steadfastly maintaining a China-centered value position to demonstrate Chinese power in modernization. Regarding the connotation of these values, Hao Lixin and Chen Yingying believe that the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization include being people-centered, common prosperity, coordinated development, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development. Zhang Yan and Chen Weifeng point out that "the modernization of the person" is the core proposition of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization. Regarding the significance of these values, Feng Yanli and Liu Meirui believe there is an urgency to construct these values because doing so allows for a response to new changes in the principal contradiction in Chinese society [2], highlights China’s significant advantages in ideological construction, and responds to the new expectations of the masses. Viewed synthetically, in addition to studying the theoretical roots, historical foundations, and realistic basis for the formation of these unique values, one can further delve into their rich cultural logic. While current academic summaries of these values vary slightly, they mostly focus on concepts such as the modernization of the person, the supremacy of the people, common prosperity, coordinated development, harmonious coexistence, and peaceful development; these still need further enrichment in integration with the concrete practice of Chinese-path modernization. The unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization both embody the advanced essence of scientific socialism and are rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, originating from the concrete realities of Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, to decode these values and clarify their cultural genes—thereby better understanding the unique charm and inexhaustible driving force of Chinese-path modernization—one must proceed from the research perspective of the "Two Combinations" [3]. "Combination" is itself innovation; in the process of the "Two Combinations," the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization are continuously enriched, perfected, and innovated.
I. The Formative Basis of the Unique Values Contained in Chinese-Path Modernization
Values are the positions, viewpoints, and attitudes people hold regarding value issues; they are ideological concepts representing the subject’s cognitive grasp of value and reflect the evaluative criteria chosen for judging specific things and behaviors. Marx believed that human ideas are "nothing else than the material world reflected by the human mind, and translated into forms of thought." As core concepts, the formation of values has deep ideological origins and is profoundly influenced by factors such as historical traditions and the realistic environment. To deeply elucidate the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization, one must naturally seek their formative basis.
(1) Theoretical Roots
Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China and is the concrete practice of the cause of scientific socialism in contemporary China. The value propositions of scientific socialism are the theoretical roots of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization; therefore, it is necessary to deeply study the important content of values in Marxist classical works and extract their core connotations. Classical works contain a vast number of specific discourses on scientific socialist value propositions, reflecting the grand vision of scientific socialism and establishing the evaluative standards for social systems at the level of values. The people’s standpoint is the fundamental value standpoint of scientific socialism because "historical activity is the work of the masses," and the proletarian movement seeks the interests of the vast majority. Scientific socialism takes the ultimate liberation of all humanity and the realization of the free and well-rounded development of the individual as its highest value goal. Specific value propositions can be examined from the perspectives of economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and international relations. Economically, it advocates for "the goal of wealth for all" based on the immense liberation and development of productive forces. Politically, the first step of the proletarian revolution is to win the revolution, rise to the status of the "ruling class," and "win the battle of democracy." Culturally, one must establish "communist consciousness" and achieve "truly human morality." Socially, it aims to achieve fairness and justice and eliminate the "Three Major Differences" [4] (the differences between industry and agriculture, urban and rural areas, and mental and manual labor). Regarding ecological civilization, it advocates "living in harmony with the recognized laws of nature." In international relations, it advocates for true international peace and equality. These specific value propositions of scientific socialism laid a solid theoretical foundation for the formation of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization, ensuring that Chinese-path modernization follows the advanced essence and developmental direction of scientific socialism.
(2) Historical Foundation
Chinese-path modernization is led by the Communist Party of China; the Party's leadership determines the fundamental direction, future, and destiny of Chinese-path modernization. The unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization have been continuously enriched and perfected throughout the Party's century-long struggle. During the New Democratic Revolution [5] period, Li Dazhao pointed out that China's development path need not be confined to the two "pivots" of Eastern and Western civilizations; to respond to the crisis, "there must be the rise of a third new civilization, or it will not suffice to cross this perilous cliff." The "third new civilization" proposed by Li Dazhao at that time referred more to the experience of the Russian October Revolution, but he also believed it must be combined with China's own actual conditions. The Party's New Democratic Theory clarified the socialist future of the Chinese revolution. During the period of Socialist Revolution and Construction, due to a lack of practical experience in socialist modernization, China began to study the Soviet model of socialist modernization and achieved historical successes, though many drawbacks were also exposed. Mao Zedong keenly recognized problems exposed in Soviet modernization, such as the highly centralized planned economy, the imbalance between light and heavy industries, limited improvements in people's living standards, and irrational industrial layouts, noting that we could not tread "the detours they have traveled." Therefore, he proposed using the Soviet Union as a warning/reference to explore a modernization path ahead of time. During the new period of Reform and Opening-up and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping led the entire Party and the people of the country in liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts, explicitly proposing the major proposition of "Chinese-style modernization." This mainly included the realization of the "Four Modernizations," building a xiaokang [well-off] society [6], "grasping with both hands" (material and spiritual civilization), and achieving common prosperity. The construction of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics provided a direct ideological basis for the systematic summary and elucidation of Chinese-path modernization in the New Era. Some Western countries attempted to export so-called "democracy" and "freedom" to suppress or even subvert socialist China. In response, Jiang Zemin pointed out that the West’s promotion of its political system "is meant to incorporate developing countries into their development model and turn them into appendages." Thus, Jiang Zemin attached great importance to basing modernization on China’s reality, promoting economic modernization through the socialist market economy and educational modernization through "rejuvenating the country through science and education," among other initiatives. As Reform and Opening-up deepened, addressing the important issue that social construction lagged behind rapid economic development, Hu Jintao proposed the Scientific Outlook on Development, taking the construction of a socialist harmonious society as the goal and task to promote modernization, gradually shifting from economic modernization toward the modernization of the person.
From the perspective of the CPC's journey of leading revolution, construction, and reform, the "Two Combinations" are the theoretical basis and the only path for promoting Chinese-path modernization. In the process of the CPC leading Chinese-path modernization, a series of values with Chinese and era-specific characteristics have been formed. These values not only laid the historical foundation for the formation of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization but are also important components of those values.
(3) Realistic Basis
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly grasped the historical coordinates of the New Era, comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization. The long-term exploration and practice of Chinese-path modernization have gradually formed and crystallized a series of values with New Era characteristics, among which "being people-centered" is the most core value concept. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that whether the road to modernization is smooth "depends on whether we adhere to being people-centered." The 18th National Congress formally proposed the Socialist Core Values, which, as the core content of the socialist core value system, have become the value guide for Chinese-path modernization. Meanwhile, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has entered a new journey. In deepening exchanges with other countries and regions, the shared values of humanity—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—have further formed. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Any country pursuing modernization should uphold the concepts of solidarity, cooperation, and common development." The resulting value concepts, such as peaceful coexistence, being kind to neighbors, and win-win cooperation, transcend the value traps of modernization dominated by the West and contribute new values to the modernization of humanity. The shared values of humanity are an important manifestation of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization in the international arena, becoming a value bond connecting the elements of world peace and development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has made significant original contributions to the theory of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization. He not only explicitly proposed the proposition of "unique values," providing a clear value guide for Chinese-path modernization, but also put forward specific value goals and paths for value realization, providing an important framework for practicing the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization.
(4) Cultural Foundation
Marx and Engels believed that successive generations in history develop by "continuing the inherited activity" of the previous generation while "changing the old circumstances through a completely altered activity." Here, Marx and Engels point out that history develops in a spiral structure of inheriting tradition and pioneering innovation. Thus, people’s ways of thinking and value concepts are influenced by their national traditional culture, which is then combined with the requirements of the times to sublate and innovate traditional value concepts. This is essentially consistent with the traditional Chinese concept of "discarding the old and establishing the new" (gé gù dǐng xīn). "Chinese civilization has continuously developed through inheritance and innovation." The formation and development of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization are naturally inseparable from the fine traditional Chinese culture that has accumulated in the blood of the Chinese nation over the long term. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, the Socialist Core Values "embody the essential requirements of socialism and inherit the fine traditional Chinese culture." Chinese culture has a long history and is the unique spiritual hallmark of the Chinese nation. Within it, the "learning of self-cultivation" such as "investigating things to extend knowledge" (gé wù zhì zhī) and "making one's intentions sincere and heart righteous" (chéng yì zhèng xīn); the "way of regulating the family" based on filial piety and the "Five Relationships" [7]; the political pursuit of "the people as the foundation of the state" and "governing with virtue"; and the noble ideals of "harmony among all nations" and "Great Unity" (tiān xià dà tóng)—all are rich nutrients for the formation and development of the unique values of Chinese-path modernization. To ensure these unique values adhere to their "roots and veins" and remain rich in Chinese characteristics, they must be rooted in the soil of Chinese history and culture, absorbing the essence of excellent traditional value concepts, and undergoing creative transformation and innovative development. By providing new interpretations and endowing them with new connotations, they become modern value concepts that contribute Chinese wisdom to improving the level of civilization across society and promoting Great Unity in the world.
II. The Scientific Connotation of the Unique Values Contained in Chinese-Path Modernization
In the process of modernization since the founding of New China, and especially since the start of the New Era, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has combined the value propositions of scientific socialism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. This has formed a series of values rich in Chinese characteristics and the features of the times, providing correct value guidance for Chinese-path modernization and endowing it with an advanced essence and unique endowments. Its theoretical content is immensely rich; summarized broadly, it primarily includes several major aspects: the supremacy of the people, fairness and justice, common prosperity, harmony and coexistence [8], and a shared future for humanity.
(1) The Supremacy of the People The supremacy of the people (人民至上) is both an intrinsic requirement of scientific socialist values and a political pursuit within fine traditional Chinese culture; moreover, it reflects the contemporary characteristics continuously integrated by the CPC in the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization.
The value of the supremacy of the people originates from the "people's standpoint" advocated by scientific socialist values. Marxism is a theory about human beings, and Marx took concrete individuals in social life as his object of study. Therefore, the value standard focused on the practice and development of the human being is the core of scientific socialist values. As Marx and Engels stated, "along with the thoroughness of the historical action, the size of the mass whose action it is will therefore increase." Based on historical materialism, Marx and Engels criticized the doctrines of the French doctrinaires, arguing that the doctrinaires excluded the masses to rule alone, and that "they counterposed the sovereignty of Reason to the sovereignty of the people." Marx’s explicit use of the discourse of "the sovereignty (supremacy) of the people" illustrates the firm people's standpoint of the socialist movement. Since historical activity is the cause of the masses, the socialist movement must serve the interests of the majority. It is only natural for a proletarian party to uphold the value of the supremacy of the people, making the realization, maintenance, and development of the fundamental interests of the broadest possible majority the starting point and ultimate goal of all work.
At the same time, the value of the supremacy of the people is the product of the critical inheritance and development of "people-based" (民本) thoughts found in fine traditional Chinese culture, such as "The people are the foundation of a state; when the foundation is firm, the state is peaceful" (from the "Song of the Five Sons" in the Book of Documents [9]) and "Lighten taxes and levies, do not be demanding of the people, treat them with loyalty and love, and the people can be made close" (from the "Five Assistants" in Guanzi [10]). Combining the essence of the people's standpoint with people-based thought, the CPC creatively proposed "serving the people heart and soul" and made it the fundamental purpose of the Party. Mao Zedong clearly pointed out that the words and deeds of Communists must take "conforming to the maximum interests of the broadest masses of the people... as the highest criterion." The "broadest masses" and "maximum interests" emphasized by Mao essentially highlight the importance of the fundamental interests of the masses from the perspective of the group's extensiveness and the totality and long-term nature of those interests. Deng Xiaoping valued the demands and the pioneering spirit of the masses. In the early period of Reform and Opening-up, many achievements in rural reform were created by the grassroots masses. Deng highly affirmed this: "In rural areas, the invention of the household contract responsibility system belongs to the peasants." Valuing the voice of the masses and respecting their pioneering spirit is an expression of prioritizing their fundamental interests, a value passed down through the history of socialist development.
The supremacy of the people is the value destination of Chinese-path modernization. In the New Era, the people’s needs for a better life advance with the times. General Secretary Xi Jinping, combining the needs of the era, requires that work in all fields, aspects, and links reflect the fundamental value proposition of the supremacy of the people: we "must fully respect the wishes expressed by the people, the experience created by the people, the rights owned by the people, and the role played by the people." We must "focus on ensuring and improving people's livelihoods," promote social undertakings, and "ensure that the fruits of reform benefit all people more extensively and fairly." The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century summarized the historical experience of the "Ten Persistences," among which is "persisting in the supremacy of the people." This is a clear critique and transcendence of capital-centered capitalist modernization. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out that one of the characteristics of Chinese-path modernization is "modernization of a huge population." Therefore, ensuring that the achievements of modernization benefit more than 1.4 billion people is the concentrated expression of the "people-oriented" nature of Chinese-path modernization.
(2) Fairness and Justice The value of fairness and justice contained in Chinese-path modernization is an enriched development of scientific socialist value propositions, a critical inheritance of the ideas of honoring virtue and prioritizing righteousness in fine traditional Chinese culture, and a summary of the valuable experience of the CPC in leading the process of Chinese-path modernization.
Equality—that is, fairness and justice—is a value proposition of scientific socialism, "the principle of a perfect political or social system," and a value commonly pursued by humanity. However, in a class society, true fairness and justice are difficult to achieve. Engels criticized the illusion of fairness and justice in capitalist society: the private ownership of the means of production leads to economic polarization, which inevitably leads to political and social inequality and injustice in international relations. Correcting the errors of bourgeois fairness and justice, Engels pointed out that equality in social life should not be superficial; "it should also be real, and should be implemented in the social and economic spheres." Only under the conditions of socialism and communism, after the abolition of private property and classes, can true fairness and justice in the economic and social fields be realized. In the economic field, the goal should be common prosperity, "to ensure that all members of society have a material life that is rich and becomes more abundant day by day." In the social field, Lenin pointed out the need to "eliminate the distinction between town and country, between manual and mental workers" and "eliminate the distinction between workers and peasants."
The intellectual resources concerning equality in fine traditional Chinese culture are also very rich. For example, Mencius emphasized that human nature tends toward goodness and proposed four types of innate conscience: the heart of compassion, the heart of shame and dislike, the heart of deference, and the heart of right and wrong, stating that "all people possess them" (Mencius: Gaozi I). This discourse laid the ontological foundation for the idea that people should have equal personal dignity. Mozi proposed the idea of "universal love" (兼爱), attempting to achieve social harmony by treating everyone equally—that is, "regarding the person of another as one regards one's own person" (Mozi: Universal Love II). Guanzi: Conforming to the Law explained from the level of national governance that administrative orders should treat all people equally: "Governance (政, zhèng) means being upright (正, zhèng). Being upright is the means by which the destiny of all things is correctly determined."
The CPC has committed itself to the "Two Combinations," refining, supplementing, and developing the value of fairness and justice. After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong recognized deeply that social fairness and justice are manifested in the equality of political rights, and even more so in the equality of interests such as material and cultural wealth. Socialism should satisfy basic equality and justice at the economic level; neither absolute egalitarianism nor excessive gaps between the rich and poor conform to socialist principles. Thus, he "opposed both egalitarianism and excessive disparities." Deng Xiaoping pointed out that Party cadres must be "servants of the people," they must "treat others as equals, and serve the people heart and soul." In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that "promoting social fairness and justice must be taken as the core value pursuit."
The value of fairness and justice contained in Chinese-path modernization is reflected in multiple aspects, including economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and international relations—such as common prosperity for all, political democracy, the common prosperity of both material and spiritual life, social justice, ecological fairness, and a fair and reasonable international order. In the New Era, the people’s demand for fairness and justice is more comprehensive and specific: they want to feel fairness and justice in judicial cases, and they want education, medical care, and social security to benefit the people more fairly. To realize the value of fairness and justice, on the one hand, we must comprehensively promote the "law-based governance of the country" to safeguard social fairness and justice through institutional means; on the other hand, we must emphasize that "persisting in carrying forward the spirit of struggle" is a major principle of Chinese-path modernization, continuously enhancing our ability to struggle [11] to resolve prominent contradictions and problems in various fields and promote social fairness and justice.
(3) Common Prosperity The value of common prosperity is manifested in the fact that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all the people, forming a sharp contrast with the polarized modernization of Western capitalism.
Although Marx and Engels did not directly use the term "common prosperity" (共同富裕), they explicitly expounded the idea. Marx analyzed that the capitalist ownership of the means of production is the root cause of the wealth gap in capitalist society. The profits seized by capital increase rapidly and are transformed into new capital that concentrates quickly, forming a vicious circle and increasingly severe social polarization. "As long as the natural tendency of capital is left alone, accumulation is generally an inevitable result." Here, the "natural tendency of capital" Marx speaks of is the process of uncontrolled, disorderly expansion and rapid concentration of capital, which leads to the proletariat gradually losing control over the means of production and being forced to sell its own labor power. In communist society, however, production will be aimed at the wealth of all people. To this end, the public ownership of the means of production, distribution according to work, and planned regulation of the national economy must be unified into an institutional arrangement in the economic field, thereby fundamentally realizing the value goal of common prosperity. Fine traditional Chinese culture contains rich values of "equalizing wealth" (均贫富), such as "do not worry about scarcity, but worry about inequality" (Analects: Ji Shi) and "diminish the surplus to supplement the deficient" (Tao Te Ching: Chapter 77). The value of "equalizing wealth" had a profound impact on traditional society; many peasant uprisings in feudal society proposed slogans related to it, but these remained utopian and lacked a scientific path of practice.
The Chinese Communists have committed themselves to the "Two Combinations," particularly the "Second Combination," greatly inheriting and developing the expositions of classical Marxist writers on common prosperity. The value of common prosperity in Chinese-path modernization is first reflected in the common prosperity of material life. In 1955, Mao Zedong pointed out that by formulating reasonable plans under the new socialist system, the country could become richer and stronger year by year, "and this wealth is common wealth, and this strength is common strength." On the basis of summarizing the lessons of socialist construction in China, the Soviet Union, and Eastern European countries, Deng Xiaoping clearly proposed the major proposition of the "essence of socialism": "The essence of socialism is to liberate and develop the productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and ultimately achieve common prosperity." Deng’s "theory of the essence of socialism" was primarily articulated at the level of values rather than specific institutional arrangements; this was a major original contribution by Deng to scientific socialism. General Secretary Xi Jinping has reinforced the strategic position of common prosperity: "Eliminating poverty, improving people's lives, and achieving common prosperity are the essential requirements of socialism." This discourse on "essential requirements" explains the important position of common prosperity in Chinese-path modernization and reflects the intrinsic requirements of scientific socialism.
In the New Era, on the basis of "essential requirements," General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out that common prosperity "is an important manifestation of our Party's fundamental purpose of serving the people heart and soul, and is a major responsibility of the Party and the government." In the New Era, common prosperity not only holds an unmatched strategic position but has also achieved major breakthroughs at both theoretical and practical levels. Theoretically, the Party clearly stated that common prosperity is the prosperity of all people and is all-dimensional, to be carried out in stages. Practically, the Party and the state have integrated common prosperity into the blueprint for high-quality development, achieving fruitful results through measures such as the battle against poverty, the promotion of comprehensive rural revitalization, and the improvement of the distribution system.
Common prosperity is not only the prosperity of all the people, but also the prosperity of both the material and spiritual lives of the masses. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material and spiritual civilizations are coordinated, completely rejecting the serious defect of bloated materialism found in Western capitalist modernization. In capitalist society, morality often degenerates into a "cloak" used to conceal bourgeois exploitation; proceeding from abstract human nature, the moral outlook that maintains bourgeois interests is distorted into so-called "universal morality." Based on a scientific analysis of the nature of morality, Engels proposed a "truly human morality." Only by truly eliminating class antagonisms at the social, institutional, and ideological levels can "a truly human morality become possible." Addressing the infiltration of bourgeois values and morality, Deng Xiaoping emphasized the importance of socialist moral construction: "How can we build socialism without communist morality?" In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the common prosperity of spiritual life. He clearly pointed out that to strengthen the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, one must "integrate spiritual civilization construction into the entire process of reform, opening-up, and modernization, and permeate it into all aspects of social life." The construction of spiritual civilization must first "clear the source" (正本清源), emphasizing the guiding position of Marxism, strengthening the leadership of core socialist values, enhancing education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism, and extensively carrying out mass activities for the construction of spiritual civilization. The common prosperity of material and spiritual life is the foundation for scientific socialism to achieve true human liberation, and it is a unique value contained in Chinese-path modernization.
(4) Harmony and Coexistence
Harmonious coexistence is concentrated in the relationship between man and man, and man and nature.
In terms of the relationship between man and man, capitalist modernization has separated workers from the means of production. Workers can only maintain their livelihoods by selling their labor power, leading to a state of tense opposition between labor and life. This results in alienated labor that purely sustains biological existence. Over time, this alienated labor has severed normal ties of blood, family, and society, prompting human relationships to degenerate completely into interest-based relations of monetary exchange, thereby creating tension between individuals. As Marx pointed out, under capitalist conditions of production, individuals exploit one another, "and their mutual conflict itself is only a recreation of the conditions on which this interaction is based." The "He" (harmony) culture, which prizes concord, is one of the essences of fine traditional Chinese culture. At the social level, fine traditional Chinese culture views the differences between social individuals objectively: "That things are unequal is in the nature of things" (Mencius: Teng Wen Gong I) [12]. It requires tolerance of differences and contradictions between things to ultimately achieve a state of harmonious coexistence characterized by "harmony without uniformity" (Analects: Zilu) [13] and "enmity must be resolved through harmony" (Zhengmeng: Taihe) [14]. In 1957, Mao Zedong published "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People," which was a further development of "On Contradiction" from the Yan'an period. Integrating the social realities of the time, he used the thesis of "two types of contradictions of different natures" to classify social contradictions into those between the enemy and ourselves and those among the people. The former are antagonistic, while the latter are non-antagonistic. "Two types of contradictions of different natures" represent a creative transformation of the content of universal harmony found in fine traditional Chinese culture. By distinguishing these two types of contradictions, the stability of the nascent socialist regime was promoted. Entering the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the traditional "He" culture, noting that "Chinese culture prizes harmony, and China's 'He' culture has a long history." The cultural tradition of valuing harmony is an important intellectual resource for social construction and social governance in the New Era. The core of social construction and social governance is people: "Only when people live together in harmony can society be stable and orderly." In the New Era, the Party further maintains social harmony and stability through various means, such as persisting with and developing the "Fengqiao experience" [15] for the New Era, building a social governance community, and improving judicial systems and mechanisms. These measures all embody the value of harmonious coexistence.
In terms of the relationship between man and nature, capitalism possesses a profit-seeking nature and regards natural elements such as water and land as objects to be exploited at will as a matter of course. Such a mode of production has caused the relationship between man and nature to deteriorate rapidly. Based on his critique of capitalist modernization, Marx proposed that in communist society, the breaking of alienated labor and the realization of the return of human nature constitutes both humanism and naturalism; it is the "genuine resolution of the conflict between man and nature, and between man and man." Fine traditional Chinese culture contains rich ecological wisdom, advocating for conforming to and integrating into nature. For instance, "The ruler does not hunt in the marshes in spring, high officials do not deplete the herds, and scholars do not take fawns or eggs" (Liji: Quli II) [16] and "Though the mountains and forests be vast and the vegetation beautiful, the prohibition on harvesting must be timed" (Guanzi: Baguan) [17]. Expressions in traditional classics that value nature and advocate for sustainable development are found everywhere. Chinese-path modernization rejects the "pollute first, treat later" model used in the process of Western modernization. In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has not only incorporated "ecological civilization construction" into the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan," proposing the concept that man and nature form a life community and "planning development from the height of harmonious coexistence between man and nature," but has also leveraged China's strategic, institutional, latecomer, and spatial advantages. This has driven a series of major achievements in the practice of ecological civilization construction, continuously promoting harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
(5) A Shared Future
Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of taking the path of peaceful development. This is both a requirement for scientific socialism to establish a "true community" and a continuation of the concepts of "being kind to neighbors" and "harmonizing all nations" from fine traditional Chinese culture.
Socialism possesses the characteristics of peace and inclusiveness, which are essentially different from the emphasis on confrontation and conquest in capitalist society. To a certain extent, capitalist society also exists in the form of a community, but it is only an "illusory community." As Marx said, social wealth increasingly stands in opposition to labor, "lying in estrangement, alienation, externalization, and in the fact that it does not belong to the worker but to the personified conditions of production, i.e., capital." The "illusory community" cannot achieve a stable internal cycle, resulting in the unregulated expansion of capital, which in turn leads to relative overproduction and under-consumption. Insufficient domestic consumption drives capitalist countries toward external expansion, which is the root cause of capitalist countries plundering weaker nations and peoples or even launching wars in world history. As capitalism developed from the stage of free competition to the monopoly stage, there emerged what Lenin called "the devastating, vile, imperialist world war and the impasse it created." Scientific socialism aims to overcome the inherent flaws of capitalist relations of production, balance the relationship between production and consumption, and perform distribution more rationally, thereby avoiding the unregulated external expansion of capital. Thus, "in proportion as the exploitation of one individual by another is put an end to, the exploitation of one nation by another will also be put an end to," eventually establishing a "true community." The "Tianxia" (all-under-heaven) [18] view in fine traditional Chinese culture regards other countries as component parts of the community of "Tianxia," advocating for harmonious interaction and "giving much while taking little." Simultaneously, it takes "virtue" as the principle of engagement rather than relying on military force—that is, "pacifying the frontier with virtue, so the troops are not exhausted and the weaponry does not dull" (Zuo Zhuan: The Fourth Year of Duke Xiang) [19]. These two modes of thinking and value concepts are highly compatible, giving rise to the value of a shared future upheld by the Communist Party of China over the long term.
The pursuit of peace is the distinct hallmark of Mao Zedong’s diplomatic thought. Mao Zedong proposed that the Communist Party of China "seeks not only peace for one country but peace for the world." During the period of socialist revolution and construction, our country proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, shaping the international image of the New China as a lover of peace. During the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping, based on the actual needs of economic construction, emphasized multiple times that realizing the Four Modernizations "internationally requires a peaceful environment." With the deepening of reform and opening up and the continuous development of socialism, China's comprehensive national strength has significantly increased, contributing greater power to safeguarding world peace. To promote the reform of the global governance system and change the long-standing situations of "winner-takes-all" and "zero-sum games," General Secretary Xi Jinping has noted that "countries, regardless of their size, strength, or wealth, are all equal members of the international community." Only when international members participate equally in decision-making, enjoy rights, and fulfill obligations can the international community develop sustainably, thereby constructing a fairer and more just new order and building a community with a shared future for humanity. The concept of a community with a shared future for humanity is the culmination of the value of a "shared future." It combines Marx's idea of the "true community," transforms the traditional Chinese value of "harmonizing all nations," and endows it with new connotations of the times and modern forms of expression. In the New Era, our country has proposed a series of global initiatives, driving continuous new progress in the practice of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
III. The Contemporary Value of the Unique Values Contained in Chinese-path Modernization
In an era of individual development and pluralistic values, the values proposed based on grasping the basic principles of scientific socialism and the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, combined with the specific practice of Chinese-path modernization, possess important contemporary value.
(1) Providing Value Guidance for Chinese-path Modernization
The unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization are in the same vein as the value propositions of scientific socialism, reflecting the advanced nature of socialism. They are the value expression of the basic principles of scientific socialism, providing not only value orientation and moral support for Chinese-path modernization but also demonstrating the superiority of the socialist system. These values emphasize putting the people first, pursuing common prosperity, and focusing on fairness and justice, reflecting a profound understanding of the laws governing the development of human society and the realization of human modernization. Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that modernization equals Westernization, expanding a new path to modernization. Socialism with Chinese characteristics defines the nature of Chinese-path modernization; Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that conforms to Chinese reality and reflects the basic principles of scientific socialism. Based on China's national conditions, cultural traditions, and the people's needs, the Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people to explore a modernization path suited to themselves, transcending the limitations of capitalist modernization and avoiding the pitfalls of the Western development model. This modernization upholds the people-centered development philosophy, focusing not only on economic development but also on realizing whole-process people's democracy, cultural prosperity, social justice, and green production and lifestyles. In essence, this is a manifestation of the advanced nature of the value propositions of scientific socialism. Therefore, the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization transcend the chronic ills of Western capitalist modernization, such as the supremacy of capital, the law of the jungle, and polarization. They represent a new direction for the development of human society and provide new ideas for world peace and development. At the same time, the practice of Chinese-path modernization enriches the connotations of the value propositions of scientific socialism. These new concepts and their institutional supports are the contemporary expressions of the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization. Thus, at a new historical starting point, we must continue to adhere to a problem-oriented approach, stick to the value propositions of scientific socialism, advance with the times, and constantly enrich the innovative theories and practices of the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization.
(2) Consolidating Value Consensus for Advancing National Rejuvenation and Building a Strong Country
In the New Era, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any time in history. Bringing together the powerful force of the collective struggle of all Chinese people will greatly advance Chinese-path modernization; therefore, uniting the masses to the maximum extent becomes an important task for promoting the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation. The unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization are a powerful spiritual driver for凝聚 (concentrating) China's strength. Our country has a vast territory, a huge population, and diverse regional cultures. For such a large country to ensure that people can fully exercise their talents, land can yield its full utility, materials can be put to their best use, and goods can flow smoothly, it is especially important to give full play to the advantages of a large state and build consensus to the maximum extent. This is both a contemporary manifestation of the unity of Chinese civilization and an inevitable choice for safeguarding national security. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that "when there is no unity in ideological understanding, we must find the greatest common denominator." As society develops, connections between people become closer, and exchanges between regions become more frequent; different customs and values will inevitably collide or even conflict during interaction. The Chinese nation has a tradition of "harmony without uniformity." It is difficult to achieve total "uniformity" in ideological concepts among different individuals, groups, and ethnicities who possess differences. Therefore, pursuing the "harmony" of the greatest majority of people to the greatest degree is vital—this is the "greatest common denominator" emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping. This concept of "harmony without uniformity" is reflected in all aspects of social life, such as respecting diversity and tolerating differences. It encourages people to find consensus within difference to achieve social harmony and stability. At the value level, the unique values contained in Chinese-path modernization constitute both a scientific and an open theoretical system. It advocates for a people-oriented approach, focuses on the free and comprehensive development of human beings, and pursues social fairness and justice. These values not only concern progress in material civilization but also emphasize the development of spiritual civilization, striving to build a harmonious, stable, and prosperous society, which conforms to the value pursuits of the vast majority of people. This systematized set of values should be continuously researched and interpreted, publicized rationally and effectively, and become the common value pursuit of the Chinese people in advancing the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation.
(3) Providing Value Support for Promoting the Common Values of All Mankind and Responding to the Discourse Trap of Western "Universal Values"
At present, certain Western countries utilize their discourse hegemony to export discourse to other nations. "Universal values" are a significant manifestation of Western discourse hegemony, attempting to create a discourse trap through discourse export to achieve a "public opinion encirclement" [20]. This export of discourse often carries heavy ideological coloring, ignores the historical backgrounds and cultural diversity of different countries and regions, and vainly attempts to dismantle the value systems of non-Western nations. Values are deep-seated components within a civilization; institutional systems across politics, economy, culture, and education are inevitably generated based on a specific set of values. Based on an accurate and profound grasp of these civilizational layers, it is easy to see that the export of Western "universal values" is, in essence, an attempt to export their institutional systems, cultural concepts, and developmental paths to other countries. For example, regarding the important concept of "democracy," "universal values" narrowly interpret it as specific political systems such as the separation of powers and multi-party elections. In essence, these specific systems are games played by interest groups; they cannot truly reflect the will of the people, nor are they applicable to the specific conditions of every country.
Therefore, we must conduct in-depth research into and promote the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization. On one hand, this allows for an interpretation of goals universally pursued by humanity—such as freedom and democracy—that possesses Chinese characteristics, thereby avoiding the discourse monopoly held by certain Western countries over these concepts. On the other hand, by deeply researching the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization, we can better tell the China story of the New Era and refine China’s values for the New Era, enabling the world to better understand the great achievements of Chinese-path modernization and to "read China" [21] more effectively. For instance, in the New Era, the "common values of humanity" [22] proposed by the Communist Party of China are the value concepts derived in the international sphere from the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization. They constitute a powerful response to the export of values carried out by the West under the guise of "universal values," a scientific interpretation of the value concepts that humanity follows in a general sense, and a concentrated reflection of Chinese wisdom.
The articulation and dissemination of the common values of humanity require a more solid academic foundation and a richer discourse expression. Consequently, we must persist in the unique values inherent in Chinese-path modernization, continuously deepen relevant research, and accelerate the construction of a Chinese discourse and narrative system. We must profoundly explain the essential differences between the common values of humanity and the so-called Western "universal values," analyze the discourse hegemony behind "universal values," and, more importantly, subject them to scientific and theoretical critique to win conviction.
(Author Biographies: Lu Weiming is a professor and doctoral advisor at the School of Marxism, Xi'an Jiaotong University; Deng Jiaoyu is a doctoral student at the School of Marxism, Xi'an Jiaotong University.)
Source: Governance Modernization Research, 2025, No. 2. Internet Editor: Jingmu