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The New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Book Reviews

Abstract

This book is a popular theoretical reader comprising five sections: "The Great Changes Unseen in a Century and China's New Era," "Distinctive Characteristics of the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics," "The New Era is an Epoch of Chinese Development Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era," "Persisting in and Improving the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing the Modernization of State Governance System and Governance Capacity in the New Era," and "The Party's Self-Revolution and the Great Struggle in the New Era." This work aims to assist the vast numbers of Party members and leading cadres in correctly understanding the major political judgment that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, strengthening their ideals and convictions in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and contributing their strength to winning new victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

Author Biography

Xin Xiangyang is currently the Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). He concurrently serves as the Dean of the School of Marxism at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Vice Director of the Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Executive Vice Director of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and Vice Director of the World Socialism Research Center. He is a Grade-2 Research Fellow and doctoral supervisor. In 2012, he was awarded the State Council Special Government Allowance; in 2015, he was recognized as one of the "Four Batches of Talents" in the propaganda and cultural system by the Central Propaganda Department. He is a leading talent in the "Ten Thousand Talents Program" of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and serves as a judge for both the National Social Science Fund and the National Publication Foundation. He has published 20 monographs, edited or co-authored over 30 books, and published more than 400 articles in newspapers and journals such as the People's Daily, Guangming Daily, Marxist Studies, and Studies on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. He has led or participated in over 50 national, provincial, or ministerial-level research projects and has received more than 10 national, provincial, or ministerial-level awards.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Great Changes Unseen in a Century and China's New Era Section 1: Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has Entered a New Era

  1. The Chinese nation has welcomed the great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong [1]
  2. Contemporary China is increasingly approaching the center of the world stage
  3. The shift in the principal contradiction of our society is a historical change affecting the overall situation [2] Section 2: Profoundly Grasping the Rich Connotations and Major Significance of the New Era
  4. Viewing the entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a New Era from the historical dimension of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
  5. Viewing the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics from the theoretical dimension of the basic principles of scientific socialism Section 3: Viewing the New Era from the Perspective of the Century-Long Contest Between Two Systems
  6. The contest between socialism and capitalism has never ceased over the past century
  7. The advantages possessed by contemporary China under the "One Globe, Two Systems" pattern
  8. Winning the comparative advantage against capitalism in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics through competition Section 4: Viewing the New Era from the Perspective of Institutional Maturity and Finalization
  9. Promoting high-quality development, building a modernized economic system, and meeting the higher material and cultural needs of the masses
  10. Realizing the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security through scientific institutional construction
  11. Meeting the people's new demands for democracy, rule of law, fairness, justice, security, and the environment through the building of an effective institutional system
  12. Promoting the establishment and improvement of the national basic public service system to achieve "nurturing in early childhood, education for the students, remuneration for the workers, medical services for the sick, elderly care for the aged, housing for the residents, and support for the weak" [3], continuously advancing toward common prosperity for all people
  13. Realizing the new expectations of the people through a comprehensive and systematic system of institutions and governance

Chapter 2: Distinctive Characteristics of the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Section 1: An Era of Continuously Turning Socialist Ideals into Reality

  1. Viewing the New Era from the 500-year history of world socialism
  2. Viewing the New Era from the 100-year historical process of the primary stage of socialism [4]
  3. Viewing the New Era from the historical process of socialism with Chinese characteristics
  4. Viewing the New Era from the historical process in which the consolidation and development of socialism requires several generations, a dozen, or even dozens of generations Section 2: An Era Organically Combining Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Chinese Civilization
  5. The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics emerged from the 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization
  6. Chinese civilization glows with new vitality on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era Section 3: An Era Continuously Answering the "Questions of the World"
  7. Answering the "Wittfogel Question" [5]
  8. Answering the "Fukuyama Question" [6]
  9. Answering the logical question of "a strong country must seek hegemony" [7]

Chapter 3: The New Era is an Epoch of Chinese Development Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Section 1: The Historico-Philosophical Nature of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

  1. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era consistently emphasizes historical materialism
  2. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era consistently considers historical and realistic issues from the heights of historical philosophy
  3. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era consistently opposes historical nihilism [8] Section 2: The Profound Academic Logic of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era
  4. The "Two Never-Shes" and the "Three Whys" [9]
  5. The "Three Zones" in the field of ideology and public opinion and the strengthening of socialist ideological construction [10] Section 3: The Nature of Upholding the Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era
  6. Profound domestic and international changes highlight the quality of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era
  7. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era adheres to the correct line and correct direction
  8. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era continuously advances innovation in theory, practice, and systems

Chapter 4: Perfecting and Advancing the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and the National Governance System in the New Era Section 1: The Construction of National Capacity over 70 Years of the New China

  1. The period from the founding of the New China to the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee laid the basic institutional foundation for the democratic and stable nature of contemporary China’s national capacity
  2. The new period of reform and opening up laid the foundation of institutional mechanisms for the vitality and social nature of contemporary China’s national capacity
  3. The New Era is laying the institutional system foundation for the organic and just nature of China’s national capacity Section 2: The System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and the National Governance System under the Horizon of Marxism
  4. Under the guidance of Marxism, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the national governance system develop continuously based on following objective laws
  5. Under the guidance of Marxism, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the national governance system are perfected incrementally Section 3: The Theoretical Logic of the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in "Concentrating Resources to Accomplish Major Tasks"
  6. This is a system for accomplishing major tasks through a "relay race," ensuring work continues generation after generation
  7. This is a system that concentrates the will, wisdom, and strength of the people to accomplish major tasks, capable of resolving various difficulties and challenges

Chapter 5: The Party's Self-Revolution and the Great Struggle in the New Era Section 1: The Theoretical Construction of the Party's Advancement of Self-Revolution

  1. Advancing self-revolution requires firm ideals and convictions
  2. Advancing self-revolution requires strengthening cultivation of Party spirit
  3. Advancing self-revolution requires comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and solemnizing intra-Party political life
  4. Advancing self-revolution requires the combination of regular education and concentrated education
  5. Advancing self-revolution requires the courage to conduct criticism and self-criticism
  6. Advancing self-revolution requires strengthening intra-Party supervision and accepting supervision by the people
  7. Advancing self-revolution requires maintaining the advanced nature and purity of Communists Section 2: The "Four Unities" in Advancing the Party's Self-Revolution
  8. Persisting in the unity of strengthening the Party's centralized and unified leadership and solving intra-Party problems
  9. Persisting in the unity of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground
  10. Persisting in the unity of strict management and compassionate care
  11. Persisting in the unity of organizational promotion and individual initiative Section 3: Resolutely Winning the Great Struggle with Many New Historical Characteristics
  12. Why we must prepare to engage in the Great Struggle
  13. The rich connotations of the Great Struggle Section 4: Enhancing the Art of Struggle in the New Era
  14. The importance of enhancing the art of struggle in the New Era
  15. Methods and means for enhancing the art of struggle in the New Era

References Forward

Preface

In his important speech at the Symposium on the Work of Philosophy and Social Sciences, General Secretary Xi Jinping, while analyzing the development of our country's philosophy and social sciences, clearly pointed out: "Our country is a major power in philosophy and social sciences. Our research teams, number of papers, and government investment are among the top in the world, but currently, our capacity and level in terms of academic propositions, academic thought, academic views, academic standards, and academic discourse are not yet commensurate with our comprehensive national strength and international status." At the same time, he emphasized the need to focus on building philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. To build philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, the foundation lies in constructing a disciplinary system, an academic system, and a discourse system; the key lies in building the discourse system, and the core lies in refining "identifying concepts" (标识性概念) and categories. Only by refining identifying concepts and categories from the great practice of China's revolution, construction, and reform can we form our own discourse and discourse system. Only by building a set of systematic and scientific discourse systems can we properly construct corresponding disciplinary and academic systems. And only with these systems in place can we build philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics that embody Chinese features, Chinese style, and Chinese ethos.

Concepts are closely related to disciplinary construction and theoretical development, much like the relationship between cells and life. If identifying concepts are lacking or do not form a system, scientific theories are difficult to form, and disciplinary systems cannot be built. Identifying concepts are both the foundation for the development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics and the hallmark of our Party's theoretical maturity. The more specific a concept's orientation in practice, the more thorough the theoretical edifice it supports becomes, and the greater the explanatory power of the theory. Marxist epistemology holds that the proposal of a mature concept is an indispensable stage in theoretical innovation moving from the abstract to the concrete. That is to say, theoretical innovation must first involve the refinement or innovation of concepts. Only when continuously refined concepts gain recognition and acceptance do they possess vitality, thereby making the theory clear and achieving logical, systematic, and scientific rigor.

Although we have the greatest right to speak in interpreting Chinese practice and building Chinese theory, because identifying concepts and categories that can gain recognition at home and abroad are still lacking and unsystematized, the international voice of our country's philosophy and social sciences remains relatively small. We are still in a situation where we have the truth but cannot express it, or where it is expressed but fails to spread. It is an urgent priority in building our discourse system—and by extension, our disciplinary and academic systems—to be adept at refining identifying concepts and creating new concepts, categories, and expressions that are easy for the international community to understand and accept.

In the great practice of achieving brilliant achievements in revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has followed the laws of human social development, conformed to the characteristics of the times, and given full play to its innovative capacity. It has successively formed Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, while simultaneously refining many identifying concepts that support these theories. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has systematically answered the major question of the era—"what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics should be maintained and developed in the New Era, and how to maintain and develop it"—from the combination of theory and practice. With a brand-new perspective, it has deepened the understanding of the laws of Communist Party governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of human social development, conducting arduous theoretical exploration and achieving major theoretical innovation results, which formed Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Since the 18th National Congress, many new identifying concepts that conform to the characteristics of the times have been refined. Because of their scientific nature, these concepts have not only become solid foundation stones for the theoretical edifice of the New Thought, but have also increasingly gained universal recognition domestically and internationally. For example, in May 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech at the Symposium on the Work of Philosophy and Social Sciences: advancing the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity; developing the socialist market economy; developing socialist democratic politics; developing socialist deliberative democracy; building a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics; developing advanced socialist culture; cultivating and practicing core socialist values; building a socialist harmonious society; building ecological civilization; building a new system for an open economy; implementing a holistic approach to national security; building a community with a shared future for humanity; promoting the "Belt and Road" Initiative; adhering to a correct approach to justice and interests; strengthening the Party's governing capacity; adhering to the path of building a strong military with Chinese characteristics and realizing the Party's goal of military strengthening under new circumstances; and so on—these are all original, era-specific concepts and theories we have proposed.

The Think Tank for Marxist Theoretical Innovation of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences intends to extract some important and core identifying concepts from the Party's innovative theories since the 18th National Congress to conduct theoretical and academic interpretations, forming the "Identifying Concepts of New Era and New Thought" research series. In selecting and interpreting these concepts, several basic requirements were followed: First, they must embody both academic and political qualities, achieving an organic combination of the two. Second, they must embody both theoretical and practical value. These concepts are abstracted, refined, and sublimated from practice, possessing significant practical and theoretical value; simultaneously, they provide guiding value for advancing practice. Third, they must be based on embodying "Chinese characteristics" while also absorbing beneficial foreign experiences and theories. Fourth, they must be based on China while looking at the world. Fifth, they must adhere to Marxism while embodying excellent traditional Chinese culture, achieving an organic combination of the duo.

This think tank has collaborated with the People's Daily Press to publish the "Identifying Concepts of New Era and New Thought Series." The first series of eight books has already been published, and this current publication marks the second series of eight new books. It is our hope that this series will help the vast number of Party members and cadres study and comprehend the New Era and New Thought.

Editorial Committee of the Think Tank for Marxist Theoretical Innovation, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Web Editor: Xinran