Promoting the Great Practice of Common Prosperity with the Historical Initiative Spirit

The historical initiative spirit manifests the historical self-awareness of the CPC’s theoretical innovation, the historical responsibility of putting the people first, the historical duty of developing the country and rejuvenating the nation, and the historical courage of self-revolution. It is the unique spiritual asset of Chinese Communists and the source of strength for our Party to unite and lead the entire nation in overcoming all difficulties and obstacles. In the New Era, the CPC has continued to adhere to making the achievement of common prosperity for all the people the goal of struggle, upheld the people-centered development philosophy, successfully overcome various risks and challenges, realized the First Centenary Goal,[1]1 The First Centenary Goal refers to the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in 2021. and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on Chinese soil. From building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to comprehensively building a modern socialist country, we are required to stand at the strategic height of carrying forward the historical initiative spirit, deeply understand the theoretical basis of common prosperity, stimulate the practical source of common prosperity, continuously create the inexhaustible driving force of common prosperity, and constantly consolidate the solid guarantee of common prosperity, so as to solidly advance common prosperity.

历史主动精神彰显着中国共产党理论创新的历史自觉、人民至上的历史担当、发展兴国的历史责任、自我革命的历史勇气，是中国共产党人特有的精神财富，是我们党团结带领全国人民战胜一切艰难险阻的力量源泉。进入新时代，中国共产党继续坚持把实现全体人民共同富裕作为奋斗目标，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，成功战胜了各类风险和挑战，实现了第一个百年奋斗目标，在中华大地上全面建成了小康社会。从全面建成小康社会到全面建设社会主义现代化国家，要求我们站在发扬历史主动精神的战略高度，深刻理解共同富裕的理论依据，激发共同富裕的实践源泉，持续创造共同富裕的不竭动力，不断夯实共同富裕的坚实保障，扎实推进共同富裕。

Deeply Exploring the Theoretical Basis of Common Prosperity

深入探究共同富裕的理论依据

Common prosperity is not an abstract theoretical slogan; it has rich conceptual connotations that need to be deeply understood from the perspective of the fundamental principles of Marxism and the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Marx pointed out, “The national centralization of the means of production will become the national basis of a society composed of associations of free and equal producers, who will carry on social labor according to a common and rational plan.” The implementation of public ownership of the means of production makes it possible to regulate social production in a planned way according to the needs of all members of society, so that all members of society can jointly enjoy the benefits created by society and their talents can be fully developed. Engels emphasized that the so-called social ownership of the means of production means “the whole society will manage all these branches of production, that is, operate them for the common benefit, according to a common plan, and with the participation of all members of society.” Clearly, according to Engels’ exposition, common prosperity is not the equal distribution of social means of production, but the equal enjoyment by members of society of the rights to manage, use, and distribute social means of production. The CPC, with the historical initiative spirit, deeply explores the theoretical basis of common prosperity and correctly answers the “China’s question” of common prosperity. We must deeply study the experiences and theories of common prosperity produced in different historical periods of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, so as to better understand the path of common prosperity with Chinese characteristics.

共同富裕并非抽象的理论口号，而是有其丰富的概念内涵，需要从马克思主义基本原理和中国特色社会主义伟大实践的视角加以深入理解。马克思指出，“生产资料的全国性的集中将成为由自由平等的生产者的各联合体所构成的社会的全国性的基础，这些生产者按照共同的合理的计划进行社会劳动”。实行生产资料公有制，能够按照全体社会成员的需要有计划地调节社会生产，使得社会成员共同享受社会创造出来的福利，并且使得社会成员的才能得到全面的发展。恩格斯强调，所谓全社会占有生产资料是指“所有这些生产部门由整个社会来经营，就是说，为了共同的利益、按照共同的计划、在社会全体成员的参加下来经营”。显然，按照恩格斯的论述，共同富裕并不是社会生产资料的平均分配，而是社会成员平等地享有社会生产资料的管理权、使用权和分配权。中国共产党以历史主动精神深入探究共同富裕的理论依据，正确回答了共同富裕的“中国之问”。我们要深入研究中国革命、建设、改革不同历史时期产生的共同富裕经验和理论，从而更好地理解中国特色的共同富裕之路。

The CPC’s theoretical innovation and practice of common prosperity run through all stages of revolution, construction, and reform. The “Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on the Development of Agricultural Producers’ Cooperatives,” drafted under the personal direction of Mao Zedong, used the term “common prosperity” for the first time in an important Party document. Deng Xiaoping, in his Southern Talks,[2]2 The Southern Talks refer to a series of speeches made by Deng Xiaoping during his inspection tour of southern China in early 1992, which reaffirmed the direction of reform and opening up and accelerated market-oriented reforms. put forward the complete thesis on the essence of socialism: “The essence of socialism is to liberate and develop the productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarisation, and ultimately achieve common prosperity.” As to how to follow the path of common prosperity in this great Eastern country of China, our Party has continuously promoted theoretical innovation on common prosperity based on the actual conditions of different historical periods.

中国共产党的共同富裕理论创新实践贯穿革命、建设、改革各个阶段。由毛泽东亲自主持起草的《中共中央关于发展农业生产合作社的决议》第一次在党的重要文件中使用“共同富裕”这一提法。邓小平在南方谈话中提出了完整的社会主义本质论断：“社会主义的本质，是解放生产力，发展生产力，消灭剥削，消除两极分化，最终达到共同富裕。”对于在中国这个东方大国如何走共同富裕之路，我们党根据不同历史时期的实际情况，不断推动共同富裕的理论创新。

Since the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on solidly advancing common prosperity on many important occasions and stressed: “The common prosperity we speak of is the common prosperity of all the people, the prosperity of both the material and spiritual life of the people, not the prosperity of a few, nor uniform egalitarianism.” To solidly advance common prosperity, the CPC led the entire nation in the social practices of poverty alleviation and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, which attracted worldwide attention. Theory and practice have proved that the Chinese-path modernization that achieves common prosperity originates from the correct guidance of Marxist theory, from adhering to the basic principles of scientific socialism, and from the historical initiative spirit of China’s continuous great practice of modernization. Grasping the historical initiative spirit and better promoting common prosperity through learning from the past means enhancing the historical self-awareness of theoretical innovation, deeply summarizing historical experience, strengthening the direction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the deep reflection on history, drawing wisdom and strength to promote common prosperity, and constantly improving the cognitive ability and practical level of the theory of common prosperity.

新时代以来，习近平总书记在多个重要场合就扎实推进共同富裕作出一系列重要论述并强调：“我们说的共同富裕是全体人民共同富裕，是人民群众物质生活和精神生活都富裕，不是少数人的富裕，也不是整齐划一的平均主义。”为扎实推进共同富裕，中国共产党率领全国人民进行了举世瞩目的脱贫攻坚、全面建成小康的社会实践。理论与实践证明，实现共同富裕的中国式现代化源于马克思主义理论的正确指导，源于坚持了科学社会主义基本原则，源于中国持续不断进行现代化伟大实践的历史主动精神。把握历史主动精神，在鉴往知来中更好地推进共同富裕，就是要提高理论创新的历史自觉，深刻总结历史经验，在对历史的深入思考中，坚定中国特色社会主义的方向，汲取促进共同富裕的智慧和力量，不断提高对于共同富裕理论的认识能力和实践水平。

Answering the Theoretical and Practical Questions with the Historical Initiative Spirit

以历史主动精神答好理论和实践课题

The people-character is the distinctive quality of Marxism. With the continuous development of practice and the times, the people have new needs and new demands in the process of pursuing a better life, raising new questions on common prosperity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We cannot wait until modernization is achieved to solve the problem of common prosperity; rather, we must always take meeting the people’s new expectations for a better life as the starting point and goal of development.” Facing new questions, carrying forward the historical initiative spirit and solidly advancing common prosperity means, based on the historical orientation of socialism with Chinese characteristics entering the New Era, the latest changes in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, and the latest expectations of the people for a better life, scientifically answering the practical problems faced in solidly advancing common prosperity and their solutions.

人民性是马克思主义的鲜明品格。随着实践和时代的不断发展，人民在追求美好生活的过程中也不断有新需要新要求，提出了共同富裕的新课题。习近平总书记强调，“我们不能等实现了现代化再来解决共同富裕问题，而是要始终把满足人民对美好生活的新期待作为发展的出发点和落脚点”。面对新的课题，发扬历史主动精神，扎实推进共同富裕，就是要根据中国特色社会主义进入新时代的历史方位，根据我国社会主要矛盾的最新变化、人民对美好生活的最新期待，科学回答扎实推进共同富裕面临的现实问题及其解决途径。

Marx’s discussion of common prosperity is by no means directed toward the equal distribution of material wealth, but is embodied in the fact that society “production will be for the enrichment of all,” thereby achieving the all-round and free development of everyone. Common prosperity is a common undertaking of all the people, a process in which all the people compete to exert the historical initiative spirit and join hands to create a better life. The CPC continuously carries forward the historical initiative spirit, leads the broad masses of the people to give full play to their initiative and agency in promoting common prosperity, fully stimulates the historical initiative spirit of all the people, continues to consolidate the material foundation of common prosperity through hard work and struggle, and at the same time promotes theoretical innovation on common prosperity. The CPC, carrying forward the historical initiative spirit, has taken meeting the people’s needs for a better life as the starting point and goal of theoretical innovation on common prosperity and governance practice, put forward a series of new theses, and carried out a series of practical explorations. At present, China has become the world’s second largest economy. Not only has it successfully solved the problem of feeding and clothing the people, but it has also made the people’s employment and sources of income increasingly rich and diverse, with residents’ incomes growing steadily over the long term, achieving a historic leap from inadequate food and clothing to moderate prosperity in all respects.[3]3 "Moderate prosperity in all respects" (xiaokang shehui) is a Chinese term for a society that is comfortably well-off, with the goal of eradicating absolute poverty and achieving basic material sufficiency for all.

马克思对共同富裕的讨论，其最终目标绝不是导向物质财富的平均分配，而是体现为社会“生产将以所有人的富裕为目的”，从而实现所有人的全面而自由的发展。共同富裕是全体人民的一项共同事业，是全体人民竞相发挥历史主动精神、携手创造美好生活的进程。中国共产党不断发扬历史主动精神，引领广大人民充分发挥推进共同富裕的主动性和能动性，充分激发全体人民的历史主动精神，在辛勤劳动、拼搏奋斗中继续夯实共同富裕的物质基础，同时推动着共同富裕理论创新。中国共产党发扬历史主动精神，把满足人民美好生活需要作为共同富裕理论创新和治国理政实践的出发点、落脚点，提出了一系列新的论断，进行了一系列实践探索。当前，中国已成为世界第二大经济体，不仅成功解决了人民的温饱问题，而且使人民群众的就业、收入来源日益丰富和多样，居民收入长期稳增长，人民生活实现了从温饱不足到全面小康的历史性跨越。

In the future historical process, theoretically, we must deepen our understanding that common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism and an important feature of Chinese-path modernization; in practice, we must further actively explore how to establish norms for wealth growth, regulate the order of wealth distribution and redistribution, and actively promote the innovative development of tertiary distribution[4]4 Tertiary distribution refers to the voluntary redistribution of wealth through charitable donations and social organizations, complementing primary (market) and secondary (government tax/transfer) distribution. in practice. We must further promote theoretical innovation on common prosperity, continuously respond to the diversified and multi-level needs of the people, and always occupy the commanding heights of theoretical innovation with a strong historical self-awareness. In practice, contemporary China is undergoing the most grand and unique practical innovation in human history. The tasks, challenges, and tests of solidly advancing common prosperity are all unprecedented, raising a large number of theoretical and practical questions that urgently need to be answered. To carry forward the historical initiative spirit and solidly advance common prosperity, we must unremittingly consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation, prevent the return to poverty, and further improve work on employment and income increase, public services, and medical and social security; continuously stabilize and expand employment, promote workers to increase income and become prosperous, and lay a solid foundation and create good conditions for achieving common prosperity; continuously improve the public service system covering both urban and rural areas, sustainable, and equalized, and promote the construction of a new pattern of public services with government leadership and multiple participation; establish a multi-level social security system covering all the people, coordinated between urban and rural areas, with clear rights and responsibilities, appropriate protection, and sustainable development, effectively safeguarding the basic social security rights and interests of the people.

在未来历史进程中，在理论上，我们对共同富裕是社会主义的本质要求、是中国式现代化重要特征的认识要不断深化；在实践中，我们要进一步积极探索如何构建财富增长的规范，调节财富分配与再分配的秩序，积极推动第三次分配在实践中创新发展。进一步推动共同富裕的理论创新，不断回应人民群众多样化、多层次的需求，始终以强烈的历史自觉占据理论创新的制高点。在实践中，当代中国正在经历人类历史上最为宏大而独特的实践创新，扎实推进共同富裕任务之重、挑战之多、考验之大都前所未有，提出了大量亟待回答的理论和实践课题。发扬历史主动精神，扎实推进共同富裕，就要毫不放松巩固拓展脱贫攻坚成果，防止返贫，进一步做好就业增收、公共服务、医疗社会保障等工作；不断稳定和扩大就业，促进劳动者增收致富，为实现共同富裕筑牢坚实基础、创造良好条件；不断健全覆盖城乡、可持续、均等化的公共服务体系，推动构建政府主导、多元参与的公共服务新格局；建成覆盖全民、城乡统筹、权责清晰、保障适度、可持续的多层次社会保障体系，切实保障人民群众社会保障基本权益。

Solidly Advancing Common Prosperity Oriented to the Times

面向时代扎实推进共同富裕

Marx pointed out: “Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past.” Based on the solid foundation of the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, China’s development has stood at a new historical starting point. The principal contradiction in society has transformed into the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life. To closely follow the changes in the principal contradiction in society and answer the epochal question of common prosperity, we must answer, from both theoretical and practical levels, the question of how to promote common prosperity for all the people through Chinese-path modernization on the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.

马克思指出：“人们自己创造自己的历史，但是他们并不是随心所欲地创造，并不是在他们自己选定的条件下创造，而是在直接碰到的、既定的、从过去承继下来的条件下创造。”以新中国成立以来特别是改革开放以来的中国特色社会主义伟大实践为坚实基础，我国发展站到了新的历史起点上，社会主要矛盾已经转化为人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾。紧扣社会主要矛盾的变化，回答共同富裕时代课题，就要从理论和实践两个层面回答全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程上如何以中国式现代化推进全体人民共同富裕的问题。

Great practice breeds great theory, and great theory guides great practice. Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism. To follow the Chinese-path modernization path of common prosperity for all the people, we need to adhere to the guidance of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. On the new journey, to write a new chapter of theoretical innovation on common prosperity, we must use the “arrow” of Marxism to shoot at the “target” of the common prosperity problem in the New Era of China, so that contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st century Marxism can demonstrate more convincing and stronger truth on the land of the New Era of China. The socialist system with Chinese characteristics effectively guarantees the historical inevitability of achieving common prosperity, but we must exert the historical initiative spirit and pay close attention to various problems on the road to common prosperity with a high degree of historical self-awareness. In practice, we have achieved a comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty, eliminated absolute poverty,[5]5 Absolute poverty refers to a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, and education. China declared the eradication of absolute poverty in 2021. and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. However, we must still focus on better meeting the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, take solidly advancing common prosperity for all the people as the focus of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, scientifically grasp the development trends at home and abroad, and implement the strategic deployment of solidly advancing common prosperity in stages. The times are constantly advancing, and practice is constantly developing. The strategic planning and requirements for solidly advancing common prosperity in the New Era have been clarified. We must, with a high degree of historical self-awareness, timely adjust and choose the path of common prosperity suitable for national and global conditions. This is the fundamental guarantee for maintaining the vitality of theoretical innovation and solidly following the path of common prosperity.

伟大实践孕育伟大理论，伟大理论指导伟大实践。共同富裕是社会主义的本质要求，走好全体人民共同富裕的中国式现代化道路需要坚持以中国化时代化的马克思主义为指导。新征程上，续写共同富裕理论创新的新篇章，要坚持用马克思主义之“矢”去射新时代中国共同富裕问题之“的”，让当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义在新时代中国大地上展现出更有说服力、更强大的真理力量。中国特色社会主义制度切实保障了实现共同富裕的历史必然性，但必须发挥历史主动精神、以高度的历史自觉关注共同富裕道路上的各类问题。在实践上，我们取得了脱贫攻坚的全面胜利，消除了绝对贫困并全面建成小康社会。但是，我们仍然要着眼于更好满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要，把扎实推进全体人民共同富裕作为为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的着力点，科学把握国内国外发展大势，落实分阶段扎实推进共同富裕的战略部署。时代是不断前进的，实践也是不断发展的，新时代扎实推进共同富裕的战略擘画和要求已经明确，我们要以高度的历史自觉，适时调整、选择适合世情、国情的共同富裕道路，这是能永远保持理论创新活力、扎实走好共同富裕道路的根本保证。

For more than one hundred years, the CPC has always grasped the historical initiative, firmly pursued its goals, and resolutely moved forward in the right direction. Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all the people. The Chinese-path modernization path itself contains the important goal of achieving common prosperity. To carry forward the historical initiative spirit and solidly promote common prosperity in the construction of Chinese-path modernization, we must correctly understand the history, reality, and future of common prosperity, understand the objective laws of solidly advancing common prosperity, and then observe and think about the problems arising in the process of common prosperity. Guided by scientific theory, following the historical trajectory of standing up, becoming prosperous, and growing strong,[6]6 "Standing up, becoming prosperous, and growing strong" is a standard Chinese Communist Party narrative summarizing three historical stages: the founding of New China and socialism (standing up), reform and opening up (becoming prosperous), and the New Era under Xi Jinping (growing strong). the Chinese-path modernization path will steadily advance toward the direction of common prosperity for all the people. We must, with a strong historical initiative spirit, demonstrate historical self-awareness, historical confidence, and responsibility, play the wonderful movement of a socialist great power pursuing common prosperity, show the bright prospects of world socialism, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the common cause of peace and development for all mankind.

一百多年来，中国共产党始终把握历史主动、笃定奋斗目标，沿着正确方向坚定前行。中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化，中国式现代化道路本身就包含着实现共同富裕这一重要目标。发扬历史主动精神，在中国式现代化建设中扎实促进共同富裕，要求我们必须正确认识共同富裕的历史、现实和未来，认识扎实推进共同富裕的客观规律，进而对共同富裕进程中出现的问题进行观察和思考。以科学理论为指导，沿着站起来、富起来、强起来的历史轨迹，中国式现代化道路将朝着全体人民共同富裕这一方向稳步前行。我们要以强烈的历史主动精神彰显历史自觉、历史自信和责任担当，奏响社会主义大国追求共同富裕的精彩乐章，展现世界社会主义的光明前景，为全人类共同的和平与发展事业贡献中国智慧和中国方案。

(The author is a researcher at the Nanjing University of Finance and Economics Base of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Research Center)

（作者系江苏省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心南京财经大学基地研究员）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧