Zhou Lei and Chang Shaohua: Behind Formalism Lie Utilitarianism and Pragmatism
Our Party has always opposed formalism. As early as the era of the revolutionary wars, Comrade Mao Zedong criticized formalism as something "naive, low-level, vulgar, and brainless." General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Formalism and bureaucratism are great enemies to achieving the Party's mission and tasks in the New Era and on the new journey; they are a chronic and stubborn disease [1] within the Party." Behind formalism, utilitarianism and pragmatism are often at work, rooted in a misaligned outlook on political achievements [2] and a lack of a sense of responsibility.
Marx said: "If form is not the form of content, then it has no value whatsoever." Form is the carrier and expression of content; it serves the content. If form is excessively exaggerated and deviates from actual content, it turns into formalism. In reality, formalism often manifests in many guises. For example, the boastful style of those whose actions do not match their words and who do not seek practical results; the superficial window-dressing of "mountains of documents and seas of meetings" [3] and "flowery fists and embroidery kicks" [4]; and the "watered-down" political achievements of those who crave hollow fame and engage in fraud... All of these, without exception, substitute vigorous forms for solid implementation, seriously deviating from the nature and purpose of the Party.
Behind formalism, one can always see the shadow of utilitarianism. Utilitarians tightly bind the undertaking of tasks and careers to personal interests, relying on the practice of formalism to win "fame and fortune" for themselves, pursuing the accumulation of flashy but unsubstantial "political achievements" to earn political capital. They feel that whatever brings them the greatest benefit and shows results the fastest is "good"; conversely, the rest is "bad" or "useless." Utilitarians only hold "themselves" in their hearts and fail to see the "urgent, difficult, and anxious" [5] problems of the masses. Consequently, regarding those long-standing, difficult problems involving high complexity, high risk, and long resolution cycles, they would rather stall than take risks or shoulder responsibility. Toward unhealthy tendencies [6] against which the masses react strongly, they adopt an attitude of "it's none of my business, hang it up high" [7] and act as silent "gentlemen," neither daring nor willing to "invite trouble" or offend others for the sake of the people's affairs.
Behind formalism, there is also the variant of pragmatism. Pragmatists adhere to the doctrine of "effect above all else," using any means to reach an end, speaking only of what is "useful" or "effective" while ignoring principles and bottom lines. Pragmatists feel that "seeking truth and working pragmatically" is "too difficult" and "too slow." They worry that projects with long cycles and slow results are not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but easily end up "making a wedding dress for someone else" [8]; it is better to engage in "vanity projects" [9] and superficial efforts that save time and labor and offer high "cost-effectiveness." Party members and cadres who hold a pragmatist view toward their work often believe that whatever easily resolves immediate trouble, quickly passes inspection, and significantly boosts political achievements is "good"; the rest is "useless." They are adept at opportunistic shortcuts in their work, doing whatever adds luster to their own record of political achievements regardless of whether the methods are appropriate, the procedures are compliant, or the masses are satisfied. In the final analysis, they engage in superficial window-dressing for their own "utility," ignoring the interests of the masses and sacrificing long-term development.
There is a thought-provoking passage in Zhijiang Xinyu [10]: Every leading cadre must carry their "black gauze cap" [11] in their hands to do work for the people, and must not clutch their "black gauze cap" to their chests to be an "official" for themselves. Whether it be utilitarianism or pragmatism, both put one's own promotions, honors, and rewards first while casting the interests of the masses aside, engaging in formalism for personal gain. Over time, this makes formalism a "psoriasis" [12] that is difficult to uproot. Formalism severs content from form, violating the principle that form serves content. The one-sided pursuit of form while ignoring content is the "bitter fruit" grown from the "withered vine" of "utility" and "pragmatism." To put effort into rectifying formalism, one must "follow the vine to find the melon" [13] and pull up the "withered vines" of utilitarianism and pragmatism by the roots. We must guide Party members and cadres to not admire vanity, not perform hollow work, and not seek empty fame; to always remember that "if one does not have the common people in one’s heart, one should not be an official"; to adhere to a work style of seeking truth and being pragmatic; and to firmly establish a correct outlook on political achievements. They must benefit the people through personal, arduous, and practical work, cultivating a broad vision and long-term perspective for undertaking careers. They should be willing to perform "latent achievements" [14] that lay foundations and benefit the long term, renounce the impetuous mentality of being eager for quick success and instant benefits, and try every possible means to seek tangible interests for the people.