The Chinese-Path Modernization’s Major Innovation in World Modernization Theory and Practice

In the historical process of human modernization, there exist both the capitalist path of modernization and the socialist path of modernization; both the modernization practice first generated in the West and the catch-up modernization practice generated by late-developing countries; both the modernization model that follows step by step and depends on others, and the modernization model that is independent and self-reliant and engages in courageous exploration. Different modernization paths, practices and models represent different modernization theories. Xi Jinping pointed out: “China’s realization of modernization is an unprecedented great transformation in human history.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC,” February 7, 2023. As a Chinese practical achievement and a marker of the development path in the course of human history, Chinese-path modernization is a pioneering undertaking without precedent and a great innovation in the history of human modernization. Viewed from its theoretical essence, Chinese-path modernization is a modernization of a socialist nature led by the Communist Party of China. It transcends the theoretical trap of Western modernization, breaks the paradox of modernity triggered by “capital supremacy,” implants scientific socialism into the genealogical lineage of fine traditional Chinese culture, presents a new picture different from the Western modernization model, and represents an advanced essence oriented toward the socialist direction of progress. The 20th National Congress of the CPC “further deepened the understanding of the connotations and essential nature of Chinese-path modernization, summarized and formed the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese-path modernization, initially constructed the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization, and made Chinese-path modernization clearer, more scientific, and more tangible and feasible.” [2]2 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects — Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,” October 16, 2022. Chinese-path modernization profoundly answers a series of major questions concerning the ideological source, root and soul, leading主体, fundamental nature, path direction, essential requirements, major principles, and strategic tactics of socialist modernization. At the level of thought and theory, “the unique worldview, values, historical view, view of civilization, view of democracy, view of ecology, and so forth, contained therein, together with their great practice, constitute a major innovation in world modernization theory and practice.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC,” February 7, 2023. “World modernization should be a modernization of peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity,” and “Chinese-path modernization provides the world with a completely new model of modernization.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC,” February 7, 2023. As a “revolution in terminology” [5]5 “Revolution in terminology” (术语的革命) is a phrase Marx used to describe the transformation of concepts in political economy; see Marx, Capital, Vol. 1, Afterword to the Second Edition. of modernization, Chinese-path modernization profoundly answers the major questions of modernization “for whom,” “relying on whom,” “heading in what direction,” “doing what,” and “how to proceed.” It possesses major theoretical characteristics that transcend Western modernization, makes major innovations and original contributions to world modernization concepts and theories, represents the direction of development of human civilizational progress in the unity of theory and practice, and constitutes a completely new form of human civilization.

在人类现代化的历史进程中，既有资本主义的现代化道路，也有社会主义的现代化道路；既有西方率先生成的现代化实践，也有后发国家生成的赶超型现代化实践；既有亦步亦趋、依附他者的现代化模式，也有独立自主、勇毅探索的现代化模式。不同的现代化道路、实践和模式代表着不同的现代化理论。习近平指出：“中国实现现代化，是人类历史上前所未有的大变革。”中国式现代化作为人类历史进程中的中国实践成果和发展道路标识，是一项前无古人的开创性事业，是人类现代化史上的伟大创举。从理论本质上看，中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义性质的现代化，它超越了西方现代化的理论陷阱，打破了“资本至上”引发的现代性悖论，在中华优秀传统文化的基因谱系中植入了科学社会主义，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，代表着基于社会主义前进方向的先进本质。党的二十大“进一步深化对中国式现代化的内涵和本质的认识，概括形成中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求和重大原则，初步构建中国式现代化的理论体系，使中国式现代化更加清晰、更加科学、更加可感可行”。中国式现代化深刻回答了社会主义现代化的思想源头、根脉魂脉、领导主体、根本性质、道路方向、本质要求、重大原则、战略策略等一系列重大问题，在思想理论层面“蕴含的独特世界观、价值观、历史观、文明观、民主观、生态观等及其伟大实践，是对世界现代化理论和实践的重大创新”。“世界现代化应该是和平发展的现代化、互利合作的现代化、共同繁荣的现代化”，而“中国式现代化为全球提供了一种全新的现代化模式”。作为现代化的“术语的革命”，中国式现代化深刻回答了现代化“为了谁”“依靠谁”“向何方”“做什么”“如何行”等重大问题，具有超越于西方现代化的重大理论特质，对世界现代化观念和理论作出了重大创新和原创性贡献，在理论与实践的统一中代表着人类文明进步的发展方向，是一种全新的人类文明形态。

I. Worldview Innovation: Upholding a Global Vision and Pursuing the Great Harmony

一、世界观创新：坚持胸怀天下谋大同

The world is the foundation of human existence. How to understand and transform the world is an important worldview and methodology inherent in dialectical materialism. Worldview is the overall view and systematic grasp of the essence of the world and the relationship between the world and humanity. In the history of human thought, many theories have answered questions such as “what is the world” and “the relationship between the world and humanity,” but many answers either ignore the subjectivity of the people living in the world, or obliterate the essence and laws of social and historical development, or fall into the rut of “seeing things but not people.” Only the scientific worldview of Marxism reveals the essence of the world and the laws of its development, providing us with a scientific methodology for understanding and transforming the world. Viewed from its theoretical origin, Chinese-path modernization is precisely the practical application of the Marxist worldview and methodology, a theoretical achievement generated in the socialist practical development of the Marxist worldview and methodology in contemporary China. Xi Jinping pointed out: “In adhering to the guidance of Marxism, we are to apply its scientific worldview and methodology to solve China’s problems.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Marx,” May 4, 2018. To solve China’s problems well, and in the process of solving China’s own problems to propose Chinese solutions to human problems for the people of the world, it is necessary to adhere to the Chinese people’s own worldview and methodology. Chinese-path modernization is the modernization plan of contemporary China. It is an important embodiment of the Chinese people’s worldview and methodology. It upholds the concepts of “the world is for all,” “harmony among all nations,” and “the great harmony of the world,” [7]7 “The world is for all” (天下为公) is from the Confucian classic *Book of Rites* (*Liji*), describing an ideal society where public spirit prevails. “Harmony among all nations” (协和万邦) is from the *Book of Documents* (*Shangshu*), advocating peaceful coexistence among states. “The great harmony of the world” (世界大同) is a modern Chinese expression of the Confucian utopian ideal of universal harmony. devotes itself to answering worldview questions such as “what is the world,” “what is wrong with the world,” and “what should we do,” emphasizes building a world of great harmony with lasting peace and common prosperity, anchors the world-historical orientation of modernization, solves the world-historical riddle of modernization, and outlines the proper path of world modernization.

世界是人类立身的根本，如何认识世界和改造世界，是辩证唯物主义内蕴的重要世界观和方法论。世界观是人们对世界之本质、世界与人之关系的总体看法和系统把握。在人类思想史上，有诸多思想理论都对“世界是什么”和“世界与人之关系”等作了回答，但很多答案要么忽略了生存于世界之中的人的主体性，要么抹杀了社会历史发展的本质及规律，要么陷入“见物不见人”的窠臼。唯独马克思主义的科学世界观揭示了世界的本质及发展规律，为我们提供了认识世界和改造世界的科学方法论。从理论本源上看，中国式现代化就是对马克思主义世界观和方法论的实践运用，就是马克思主义世界观和方法论在当代中国的社会主义实践发展中生成的理论成果。习近平指出：“我们坚持以马克思主义为指导，是要运用其科学的世界观和方法论解决中国的问题。”要解决好中国的问题，并在解决中国自身问题的过程中向世界人民提出解决人类问题的中国方案，就必须坚持中国人自己的世界观、方法论。中国式现代化就是当代中国的现代化方案，它是中国人的世界观和方法论的重要体现，它秉持“天下为公”“协和万邦”“世界大同”的理念，致力于解答“世界是什么”“世界怎么了”“我们怎么办”等世界观之问，强调构建一个持久和平、共同繁荣的大同世界，锚定了现代化的世界历史方位，解答了现代化的世界历史谜题，勾绘了世界现代化的应然道路。

(I) Anchoring the World-Historical Orientation of Modernization with “What the World Is”

（一）以“世界为何”锚定现代化的世界历史方位

The world is composed of the objective world and the subjective world. The former refers to the real world (nature and human society), while the latter refers to the world of human ideas. “The whole of what is called world history is nothing but the creation of man through human labor, and the development of nature for man.” [8]8 Karl Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*. From the perspective of the Marxist worldview and historical materialism, the world is a unity composed of humanity, society, and objective nature. As human activities change, the history of human society also undergoes transformation. It is in this sense that historical materialism reveals the basic laws of the historical evolution of human society, anchoring the driving force, subject factors, and development trends of humanity’s transition from the “traditional” to the “modern.” This is the core of our understanding of human modernization. Marx and Engels believed that with the development of productive forces and the expansion of human interaction, humanity would break through the limitations of regional activities and communities, and people’s original national histories would gradually transform into world history. At this point, “the local individual is replaced by the world-historical, empirically universal individual.” [9]9 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology*. Marx and Engels pointed out: “The more the spheres of interaction expand in the course of this development, the more the original closed state of the various nations is destroyed by the increasingly perfected mode of production, intercourse, and the division of labor between different nations arising naturally from it, the more history becomes world history.” [10]10 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology*. Marx and Engels’ theory of world history reveals the generation process and development trend of human modernization situated in the coordinates of the world, anchoring the initiation and development process of modernization. Continuing from Marx and Engels’ theory of world history, Chinese-path modernization, on the world-historical coordinate axis of the 21st century, further deepens the understanding of “what the world is” and anchors the world-historical orientation of modernization. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Chinese Communists have aimed at the “times” and “trends” of world development, observed the world from the perspective of the changes unseen in a century, and put forward the major judgment that “the destinies of humanity are intertwined, the interests of all countries are closely linked, and the world is an indivisible community with a shared future,” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. emphasizing that “humanity has only one planet Earth, and all countries share one world,” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. and affirming that “we live in an era of rapid change, facing a world that is changing with each passing day.” [13]13 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. “In this world, the degree of interconnection and interdependence among countries is deeper than ever before. Humanity lives in the same global village, in the same time and space where history and reality intersect, and is increasingly becoming a community with a shared future where you have me and I have you.” [14]14 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. These important expositions profoundly reveal the essence of today’s world and the circumstances of modernization development. On this basis, Xi Jinping further reveals the historical orientation of modernization in today’s world: contemporary China is striving with determination for the great historical cause of building a great modern socialist country in all respects, and is also advancing through the realization of its own modernization to contribute to the growth of world peace forces and the strengthening of international justice forces. This kind of modernization is itself “a completely new form of human civilization,” [15]15 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC,” February 7, 2023. which, in the sense of world history, defines the latest form of the development of human civilization.

世界是由客观世界和主观世界构成的，前者是指现实世界（自然界和人类社会），后者是指人的观念世界，而“整个所谓世界历史不外是人通过人的劳动而诞生的过程，是自然界对人来说的生成过程”。从马克思主义世界观和唯物主义历史观来看，世界就是由人、社会和客观自然构成的统一体，随着人的活动的变迁，人类社会历史也会发生变革。历史唯物主义就在这个意义上揭示了人类社会历史演进的基本规律，锚定了人类从“传统”走向“现代”的动力源泉、主体因素和发展趋势，这是我们理解人类现代化的核心所在。马克思恩格斯认为，随着生产力的发展和人的交往活动的扩展，人类将打破地域性的活动和共同体的限制，人们原有的民族历史将逐渐转变为世界历史，此时，“地域性的个人为世界历史性的、经验上普遍的个人所代替”。马克思恩格斯指出：“各个相互影响的活动范围在这个发展进程中越是扩大，各民族的原始封闭状态由于日益完善的生产方式、交往以及因交往而自然形成的不同民族之间的分工消灭得越是彻底，历史也就越是成为世界历史。”马克思恩格斯的世界历史理论揭示了身处世界坐标中的人类的现代化的生成过程和发展趋势，锚定了现代化的开启和发展过程。与马克思恩格斯的世界历史理论相承接，中国式现代化在21世纪的世界历史坐标轴上进一步深化了对“世界为何”的认识，锚定了现代化的世界历史方位。党的十八大以来，中国共产党人瞄准世界发展的“时”与“势”，从世界百年未有之大变局观天下、看世界，提出“人类命运休戚与共，各国利益紧密相连，世界是不可分割的命运共同体”的重大论断，强调“人类只有一个地球，各国共处一个世界”，确证“我们所处的是一个风云变幻的时代，面对的是一个日新月异的世界”。“这个世界，各国相互联系、相互依存的程度空前加深，人类生活在同一个地球村里，生活在历史和现实交汇的同一个时空里，越来越成为你中有我、我中有你的命运共同体。”这些重要论述，深刻揭示了当今世界的本质和现代化的发展境遇。在此基础上，习近平进一步揭示了现代化在当今世界中的历史方位，即当代中国正在为全面建成社会主义现代化强国的历史伟业而砥砺奋进，也在通过实现自身的现代化为世界和平力量的增长与国际正义力量的壮大而奋力前行。这种现代化本身就是“一种全新的人类文明形态”，它在世界历史意义上定格了人类文明发展的最新形态。

(II) Solving the World-Historical Riddle of Modernization with the “Questions of the World”

（二）以“世界之问”解答现代化的世界历史谜题

The question of the world is a reflection on the contradictions and problems within the world, a reflection on the paradoxes of the modern world. Chinese-path modernization has provided an original answer to the question of the world — “What is wrong with the world, and what should we do about it?” — and has resolved the world-historical riddle of modernization. As early as the inception of Western modernization, Marx examined the many contradictions of the Western modern world, revealed the laws of economic operation in Western modern society, and identified that “capitalist production, on the one hand, has miraculously developed the productive forces of society, but on the other hand, it has also shown itself to be incompatible with the productive forces it itself has generated. Its history henceforth is merely a history of antagonism, crisis, conflict, and catastrophe.” [16]16 Karl Marx, “Speech at the Anniversary of the People’s Paper,” 1856. The quotation is a paraphrase of Marx’s assessment of capitalist production’s inherent contradictions. In the twenty-first century today, the contemporary world still faces many contradictions and paradoxes, mainly including: capital has accelerated its deep control over people; digitalization has triggered a “global digital divide”; the trend of deglobalization is rising; local conflicts continue one after another; unilateralism and protectionism have markedly increased; coupled with the sluggish recovery of the world economy and the resurgence of Cold War thinking, the contemporary world has once again entered a new crossroads. Against this backdrop, Chinese-path modernization “is committed to promoting high-quality development and fostering global development and prosperity; committed to upholding international fairness and justice and promoting world peace and stability; committed to advancing exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and promoting the progress of human civilization,” [17]17 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” 2017. A summary of China’s global vision. building a new vision of a modernized human society where a hundred flowers bloom. In this regard, Xi Jinping pointed out: “Humanity is a community with a shared future where we rise and fall together. Any country pursuing modernization should uphold the principle of solidarity and cooperation, the concept of shared development, and take the path of joint contribution, shared benefits, and win-win outcomes. Countries that are ahead should sincerely help others develop. Blowing out others’ lamps does not make oneself brighter; blocking others’ paths does not make one go farther.” [18]18 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting,” 2023. Therefore, Chinese-path modernization examines the development trends and major problems facing the contemporary world from the perspective of “world history,” profoundly answers the major proposition of “what kind of world to build and how to build it,” contributes to world modernization the Chinese worldview of “viewing the world through the lens of the world,” [19]19 “以天下观天下” (yi tianxia guan tianxia) — a classical Chinese phrase from the *Dao De Jing*, meaning to view the world from the perspective of the world itself, i.e., without parochial bias. and resolves the “modern predicament” of human modernization.

世界之问是对世界中的矛盾和问题的反思，是对现代世界之悖论的反映。中国式现代化原创性回答了“世界怎么了，我们怎么办”这一世界之问，解答了现代化的世界历史谜题。早在西方现代化发轫之始，马克思就检审了西方现代世界的诸多矛盾，揭示了西方现代社会的经济运行规律，指认了“资本主义生产一方面神奇地发展了社会的生产力，但是另一方面，也表现出它同自己所产生的社会生产力本身是不相容的。它的历史今后只是对抗、危机、冲突和灾难的历史”。在21世纪的今天，当今世界仍然面临诸多矛盾和悖论，主要包括：资本加速了对人的深度控制，数字化引发“全球数字鸿沟”，逆全球化思潮抬头，局部冲突接连不断，单边主义、保护主义明显上升，加之世界经济复苏乏力，冷战思维回潮，当今世界又进入新的岔路口。在这种时代背景下，中国式现代化“致力于推动高质量发展，促进全球发展繁荣；致力于维护国际公平正义，促进世界和平稳定；致力于推动文明交流互鉴，促进人类文明进步”，建设百花齐放的人类社会现代化新图景。对此，习近平指出：“人类是一个一荣俱荣、一损俱损的命运共同体。任何国家追求现代化，都应该秉持团结合作、共同发展的理念，走共建共享共赢之路。走在前面的国家应该真心帮助其他国家发展。吹灭别人的灯，并不会让自己更加光明；阻挡别人的路，也不会让自己行得更远。”所以，中国式现代化从“世界历史”的视角审视当今世界发展趋势和面临的重大问题，深刻回答人类应该“建设一个什么样的世界、如何建设这个世界”这一重大命题，向世界现代化贡献了“以天下观天下”的中国的世界观，解答了人类现代化的“现代困境”。

(3) Using the “direction of the world” to outline the proper path of world modernization

（三）以“世界之向”勾绘世界现代化的应然道路

The purpose of understanding the world is to answer the “question of the world,” and thereby better transform the world. “Marxism has a distinct practical character; it is not only committed to scientifically ‘interpreting the world,’ but also to actively ‘changing the world.’” [20]20 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Marx,” 2018. Marx and Engels believed that humanity would ultimately, in practice, change the loose old world order, transcend the illusory community, and finally move toward a true community of shared destiny. The contemporary world is advancing along the track of world-historical development. In the logical chain of contemporary world-historical development, the world is moving in the direction of integration. Whoever rejects this integrated world will inevitably be rejected by it. This is the general trend of world history, an unstoppable trend. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has creatively applied the views of civilization, the world, and history inherent in historical materialism, comprehensively assessed the major trends of world development, emphasized that the destinies of humanity are intertwined as never before, and pointed out that humanity should share weal and woe, honor and disgrace, and jointly build the path of modernization and share the fruits of modernization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The world-wide nature of human interaction is deeper and broader than ever before, and the mutual connections and interdependence among countries are more frequent and closer than ever before.” [21]21 Xi Jinping, “Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” 2017. Against this backdrop, our Party has creatively used Chinese-path modernization to open up a new form of human civilization, systematically expounded the value concept of the CPC seeking progress for humanity and common good for the world, profoundly embodied the CPC’s world vision and international sentiment of embracing the world with a broad mind, and profoundly demonstrated the historical synergy and the greatest common denominator that the CPC has gathered for building a global governance system with the broad-mindedness of the ocean that admits all rivers, providing a Chinese solution for humanity to explore a good social system and move toward a world of common good. Xi Jinping pointed out: “China’s modernization emphasizes mutual benefit and win-win outcomes with other countries, promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and strives to contribute to human peace and development.” [22]22 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the First China International Import Expo,” 2018. “Chinese-path modernization does not take the old path of colonial plunder, nor the crooked path of the strong inevitably seeking hegemony; it takes the righteous path of peaceful development.” [23]23 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting,” 2023. This concept and proposition transcend the “clash of civilizations theory,” “racial superiority theory,” and “system confrontation theory” inherent in Western modernization theory, break the outdated worldviews of the law of the jungle, hegemonic power, and winner-takes-all inherent in the Western international order, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to building a community with a shared future for mankind where the world shares security and danger, and stands together through storm and stress. Chinese-path modernization, with its sentiment of embracing the world, has injected entirely new momentum for the times into the transformation of the global governance system.

认识世界的目的在于解答“世界之问”，进而更好地改造世界。“马克思主义具有鲜明的实践品格，不仅致力于科学‘解释世界’，而且致力于积极‘改变世界’。”马克思恩格斯认为，人类终将在实践中改变松散的旧世界格局，超越虚幻的共同体，最终走向命运与共的真正的共同体。当今世界正沿着世界历史发展的轨道前进，在当今世界历史发展的逻辑链条中，世界是朝着一体化的方向在发展，谁拒绝这个一体化的世界，这个世界必然也会拒绝他。这是世界历史发展的大势，也是不可阻挡的大势。党的十八大以来，我们党创造性运用唯物史观内蕴的文明观、世界观、历史观，综合研判世界发展大趋势，强调人类命运正史无前例地交织在一起，指出人类应该风雨同舟、荣辱与共携手共建现代化之路，共享现代化之果。习近平指出：“人类交往的世界性比过去任何时候都更深人、更广泛，各国相互联系和彼此依存比过去任何时候都更频繁、更紧密。”在此背景下，我们党创造性地以中国式现代化开创人类文明新形态，系统阐述了中国共产党为人类谋进步、为世界谋大同的价值理念，深刻体现了中国共产党胸怀天下的世界眼光和国际情怀，深刻表明中国共产党以海纳百川的宽阔胸襟为构建全球治理体系而汇集的历史合力与凝聚的最大公约数，为人类探索美好社会制度、走向大同世界提供了中国方案。习近平指出：“我国现代化强调同世界各国互利共赢，推动构建人类命运共同体，努力为人类和平与发展作出贡献。”“中国式现代化不走殖民掠夺的老路，不走国强必霸的歪路，走的是和平发展的人间正道。”这种理念和主张超越了西方现代化理论蕴含的“文明冲突论”“种族优越论”“制度对抗论”，打破了西方国际秩序蕴含的弱肉强食、霸道强权、赢者通吃的陈旧世界观，为促进世界安危与共、同舟共济建构人类命运共同体贡献了中国智慧和中国方案。中国式现代化以胸怀天下的情怀为全球治理体系变革注入了全新的时代动力。

II. Value Innovation: Adhering to Putting the People First to Achieve Common Prosperity

二、价值观创新：坚持人民至上促共富

Every theory contains unique value positions and value concepts, and each value position and value concept reflects the development view and governance view of a particular society. The value concepts upheld by Western modernization are capital first, interests first, and efficiency first. This type of modernization has fallen into the logic of value augmentation dominated by instrumental rationality, triggering many social problems. Marx believed that the West’s path to modernization relied mainly on large-scale industry: “Large-scale industry established the world market, prepared by the discovery of America. The world market gave enormous development to commerce, navigation, and land communication. This development in turn reacted on the expansion of industry.” [24]24 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The Communist Manifesto*, 1848. The path of modernization taken by the West is a modernization driven by capital, which led to “overproduction and the poverty of the masses,” ultimately produced “modern poverty and decay,” and triggered the paradox of “the devaluation of man” and “the augmentation of capital.” [25]25 Karl Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*, on the concept of “alienation” and the devaluation of the worker. Different from the value pursuit of capital augmentation followed by Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization adheres to the value concept of putting the people first, follows the people-centered development thought, is committed to seeking happiness for the Chinese people, and is committed to promoting common prosperity for all the people. Meeting the people’s needs for a better life is precisely seeking happiness for the people. When the people become prosperous both materially and spiritually, it means that the people’s needs for a better life have been satisfied in reality. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The ultimate goal of our promotion of economic and social development is to continuously meet the people’s needs for a better life.” [26]26 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC,” 2016. That is to say, the theoretical innovation of Chinese-path modernization in terms of value concepts not only transcends the production logic of capital first, but also restores the principal value status of the people, emphasizing that promoting modernization must rely on the people and be for the people, and emphasizing that the fruits of modernization should be shared by all the people.

每一种理论都蕴含着独特的价值立场和价值观念，而每一种价值立场和价值观念又映射着特定社会的发展观和治理观。西方现代化秉持的价值观念是资本至上、利益至上、效率至上，这种现代化陷入了工具理性主导的价值增值逻辑之中，引发了诸多社会问题。马克思认为，西方走向现代化主要依托的是大工业，“大工业建立了由美洲的发现所准备好的世界市场。世界市场使商业、航海业和陆路交通得到了巨大的发展。这种发展又反过来促进了工业的扩展”。西方所走的这种现代化道路是资本推动的现代化，它引致了“生产过剩和大众的贫困”，最终产生了“现代贫困和衰颓”，引发了“人的贬值”与“资本增殖”的悖论。与西方现代化遵循的资本增殖的价值追求不同，中国式现代化坚持人民至上的价值观念，遵循以人民为中心的发展思想，致力于为中国人民谋幸福，致力于推进全体人民的共同富裕。满足人民群众对美好生活的需要，就是在为人民谋幸福，人民群众在物质与精神上变得富裕，就是人民群众的美好生活需要在现实中得到了满足。习近平指出：“我们推动经济社会发展，归根到底是为了不断满足人民群众对美好生活的需要。”也就是说，中国式现代化在价值观念上的理论创新，既超越了资本至上的生产逻辑，也还原了人民的主体价值地位，强调推进现代化要依靠人民、为了人民，强调现代化成果应由全体人民共享。

(1) Proposing the “theory of the people as the subject,” marking the value foundation for advancing modernization

（一）提出“人民主体论”，标定了推进现代化的价值底色

Marxism holds that historical activity is human activity, that humans are the subjects of historical activity, that “history is nothing but the activity of people pursuing their own ends,” and that the people are the creators of history and the true heroes. In essence, the value core of Chinese-path modernization is adherence to “putting the people first,” which forms a sharp contrast with the Western modernization values that uphold “capital first.” From the perspective of differences in theoretical quality, “capitalist modernization takes the private ownership of the means of production as its axis, and the bourgeoisie is the leading force of modernization; non-capitalist modernization takes public ownership of the means of production as its axis, and the capitalist and landlord classes no longer serve as the leading force.” In fact, the “value drive” of Chinese-path modernization is the people-centered theory and the theory of putting the people first. This value orientation answers the question of the subject of modernization and also answers the question of the value standpoint of modernization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The people are the creators of history and the most solid foundation and deepest source of strength for advancing modernization.” “In Chinese-path modernization, the people’s wellbeing is the top priority.” This fully demonstrates that Chinese-path modernization, in terms of values, establishes the subject position of people in modernization, emphasizing that modernization is a modernization “rooted in the people,” and that the people are the decisive force of modernization. “Chinese-path modernization is the cause of hundreds of millions of people; the people are the subjects of Chinese-path modernization. Only by firmly relying on the people, respecting their creative spirit, and pooling the wisdom and strength of all the people can we continuously push Chinese-path modernization forward.” Therefore, the primary innovation of Chinese-path modernization in terms of values is the establishment of the subject position of people, confirming that the theme of modernization is “people” rather than “things.”

马克思主义认为，历史活动是人的活动，人是历史活动的主体，“历史不过是追求着自己目的的人的活动而已”，人民是历史的创造者，是真正的英雄。质言之，中国式现代化的价值内核是坚持“人民至上”，这和西方秉持“资本至上”的现代化价值观形成了鲜明的对照。从理论质态的差别看，“资本主义现代化以生产资料私人占有为轴心，资产阶级是现代化的主导力量；非资本主义现代化以生产资料公有制为轴心，资本家和地主阶级不再作为主导力量”。实际上，中国式现代化的“价值内驱”是人民中心论和人民至上论。这种价值指涉回答了现代化的主体问题，也回答了现代化的价值立场问题。习近平指出：“人民是历史的创造者，是推进现代化最坚实的根基、最深厚的力量。”“中国式现代化，民生为大。”这充分说明，中国式现代化在价值观上标定了人在现代化中的主体地位，强调现代化是“植根人民”的现代化，人民是现代化的决定性力量。“中国式现代化是亿万人民自己的事业，人民是中国式现代化的主体，必须紧紧依靠人民，尊重人民创造精神，汇集全体人民的智慧和力量，才能推动中国式现代化不断向前发展。”因此，中国式现代化在价值观上的首要创新是标定了人的主体地位，核定了现代化的主题是“人”而不是“物”。

(2) Proposing the “Theory of the People as the Driving Force,” Establishing the Greatest Source of Confidence for Advancing Modernization

（二）提出“人民动力论”，标定了推进现代化的最大底气

In the history of Western thought, rationalism advocates fixing the force that creates history on some objective spirit or reason. Hegel, for instance, believed that “the absolute spirit of history has already had its material in the masses,” and he regarded history as the history of the creation of spirit. In contrast, Marxism attaches the greatest importance to the historical initiative of the masses. It not only reveals that the masses are the decisive force of social change, the main force of social revolution, and the leaders of social development, but also emphasizes that “the people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.” In fact, there are multiple forces driving modernization, including the forces of capital and technology, the forces of institutions and culture, and the influence of history and the times. However, these forces are, in the final analysis, the external expression of human forces. From the perspective of values, “who modernization relies on and for whom it is intended” determines the direction and lifeline of the modernization path. Unlike Western modernization, which pursues capital accumulation and technological control, Chinese-path modernization adheres to the confidence and conviction of “firmly relying on the people,” innovatively developing the values of modernization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The people are the deepest foundation and greatest source of confidence for our Party’s governance.” In contemporary China, the Chinese-path modernization we are advancing is a modernization that originates from and relies on the people. Firmly relying on the people is the magic weapon for the steady and sustained progress of Chinese-path modernization and is also the greatest source of confidence inherent in Chinese-path modernization. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [27]27 The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in November 2012, marked the beginning of the Xi Jinping era and the formal introduction of the concept of the “New Era” of socialism with Chinese characteristics., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the process of leading, deploying, and advancing Chinese-path modernization, has repeatedly emphasized firmly relying on the people to promote reform, relying on the people to create new historical achievements, and ensuring that the fruits of modernization benefit all the people more and more fairly. Otherwise, even countries that have already achieved modernization will damage the fruits of modernization if their development deviates from the people. Therefore, “relying on the people” is an important value dimension in Chinese-path modernization and is also our greatest source of confidence in advancing modernization.

在西方思想史中，理性主义主张把创造历史的力量定格在某种客观精神或理性之上，黑格尔就认为“历史的绝对精神已经在群众身上有了自己的材料”，他把历史看成精神的创造史。与此不同，马克思主义最重视人民群众的历史主动性，不仅揭示了人民群众是社会变革的决定力量、是社会革命的主力军、是社会发展的主导者，而且强调“人民，只有人民，才是创造世界历史的动力”。事实上，推动现代化的力量有多重因素，既有资本和技术的力量，也有制度和文化的力量，更有历史和时代的影响，但是，这些力量归根到底是人的力量的外在表达。从价值观来看，现代化究竟“依靠谁、为了谁”决定着现代化道路的方向和命脉。与西方现代化追求资本增殖和技术控制不同，中国式现代化坚持“紧紧依靠人民”的底气和信念，创新发展了现代化的价值观。习近平指出：“人民是我们党执政的最深厚基础和最大底气。”在当代中国，我们推进的中国式现代化是源于人民、依靠人民的现代化，紧紧依靠人民是中国式现代化行稳致远的制胜法宝，也是中国式现代化内蕴的最大底气。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在领导、部署和推进中国式现代化的过程中，反复强调紧紧依靠人民推动改革、依靠人民创造新的历史伟业，让现代化建设成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。否则，即使是已经实现了现代化的国家，如果发展背离人民，也会损害现代化成果。因此，“依靠人民”是中国式现代化中的重要价值维度，也是我们推进现代化的最大底气。

(3) Proposing the “Theory of the People as the End,” Establishing the Value Goal of Advancing Modernization

（三）提出“人民目的论”，标定了推进现代化的价值目标

Marx and Engels pointed out: “Men must be in a position to live in order to be able to ‘make history.’ But life involves before everything else eating and drinking, a habitation, clothing and many other things.” As “species-beings,” humans have both physical and spiritual life. Political parties in every era, in different historical periods, should strive for the good life of people. Specifically, “the Communist Party of China exercises governance for the people, and the people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle.” From the perspective of historical necessity, the goal of humanity’s march toward modernization is to “benefit oneself,” but Western modernization centered on capital has inverted the relationship between “goal” and “means,” causing a “value dislocation” in modernization—that is, taking capital as the value subject and people as the value means. Unlike Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization resets the relationship between “end” and “means” in modernization, emphasizing that “the essence of modernization is the modernization of people,” and establishing the value goal of advancing modernization as “people themselves.” In contemporary China, promoting high-quality economic and social development is, in the final analysis, to enable the broad masses of the people to live a happy life. “Chinese-path modernization insists on development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people,” demonstrating the essence of socialism and fulfilling the fundamental purpose of the Party. The ultimate value goal of Chinese-path modernization is to realize the people’s needs for a better life and to continuously benefit the people. In this sense, the value pursuit of Chinese-path modernization is also the modernization of people and the free and comprehensive development of people. “Continuously benefiting the people” profoundly embodies the fundamental goal of promoting modernization in contemporary China and is the direction of Chinese-path modernization development.

马克思恩格斯指出：“人们为了能够‘创造历史’，必须能够生活。但是为了生活，首先就需要吃喝住穿以及其他一些东西。”人作为“类存在”，具有肉体生活和精神生活。每个时代的政党在不同历史时期，都应该为人的美好生活而奋斗。具体来说，“中国共产党坚持执政为民，人民对美好生活的向往就是我们的奋斗目标”。从历史应然看，人类走向现代化的目标是“造福自身”，但以资本为中心的西方现代化却倒置了“目标”与“手段”的关系，造成了现代化的“价值错位”，即把资本作为价值主体，把人作为价值手段。与西方现代化不同，中国式现代化重置了现代化之“目的”与“手段”的关系，强调“现代化的本质是人的现代化”，标定了推进现代化的价值目标即“人自身”。在当代中国，推动经济社会高质量发展，归根到底是为了让广大人民群众过上幸福生活。“中国式现代化坚持发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享”，展现了社会主义的本质，也践行了党的根本宗旨。中国式现代化的最终价值目的是实现人民的美好生活需要，不断造福人民。在此意义上，中国式现代化的价值追求也是人的现代化和人的自由全面发展。“不断造福人民”深刻体现了当代中国推动现代化的根本目标，是中国式现代化发展的方向。

(4) Proposing the “Theory of the People’s Value,” Establishing the Highest Standard for Advancing Modernization

（四）提出“人民价值论”，标定了推进现代化的最高标准

Marx and Engels clearly pointed out that historical materialism “does not explain practice from the idea but explains the formation of ideas from material practice.” Historical materialism establishes the priority of human practical activity and endows human practice with the truth standard for testing objective objects. “If we take the criterion of practice as the foundation of epistemology, then we must inevitably arrive at materialism.” Specifically, the practice of the masses is the living source of thought and theory, and also the fundamental standard for judging historical progress. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the process of steering the giant ship of China forward, has established a new orientation for the value of the people, emphasizing that the fundamental standard for judging the success or failure of China’s reform and development is the sense of gain of the masses, and that reform and development are meaningful only when they are for the people and have momentum only when they rely on the people. This also tells the world that the meaning and value of modernization should be tested by the people, and “satisfying the people” is the highest standard for measuring the success or failure of modernization. In contemporary China, our Party creatively proposed that “the people are the fundamental force determining our future and destiny,” emphasized that “the times are the examiners, we are the examinees, and the people are the graders,” and put forward that “satisfying the masses is the value orientation and fundamental standard for all our Party’s work, and the opinions of the masses are the best yardstick.” These important concepts and expositions have innovatively developed the “theory of value” in the historical materialist view of the masses, profoundly answering that “satisfying the people” is the fundamental standard for testing modernization. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Modernization should not only look at paper-based indicators and data, but more importantly, at the people’s happiness and well-being.” “Whether a modernization path can ultimately work and remain stable depends on whether it adheres to a people-centered approach.” Completely different from Western modernization, which “sees things but not people,” Chinese-path modernization, in the unity of theory and practice, has re-established a new orientation for the value of the people, vividly interpreting that the people are the “graders” on the new journey of comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization.

马克思恩格斯明确指出，唯物史观“不是从观念出发来解释实践，而是从物质实践出发来解释各种观念形态”。唯物史观确立了人的实践活动的优先性，赋予了人的实践检验客观对象的真理性标准。“如果把实践标准作为认识论的基础，那么我们就必然得出唯物主义。”具体来说，人民群众的实践是思想理论之活水源头，也是评判历史进步的根本标准。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在领导中国号巨轮前行的过程中，标定了人民价值的新定位，强调评判中国改革发展得失成败的根本标准是人民群众的获得感，强调改革和发展只有为了人民才有意义，只有依靠人民才有动力。这也告诉世人，现代化的意义与价值应由人民来检验，“让人民满意”才是衡量现代化得失成败的最高标准。在当代中国，我们党创造性提出“人民是决定我们前途命运的根本力量”，强调“时代是出卷人，我们是答卷人，人民是阅卷人”，提出“让群众满意是我们党做好一切工作的价值取向和根本标准，群众意见是一把最好的尺子”。这些重要理念和重要论述创新发展了历史唯物主义群众观的“价值论”，深刻回答了“让人民满意”是检验现代化的根本标准。习近平指出：“现代化不仅要看纸面上的指标数据，更要看人民的幸福安康。”“现代化道路最终能否走得通、行得稳，关键要看是否坚持以人民为中心。”与西方现代化“见物不见人”完全不同，中国式现代化在理论与实践的统一中重新标定了人民价值的新定位，生动诠释了人民是全面推进中国式现代化新的赶考路上的“阅卷人”。

3. Innovation in the View of History: Adhering to Self-Confidence and Self-Reliance in Pursuing Development

三、历史观创新：坚持自信自立图发展

The historical emergence of human modernization is embedded in the laws of the evolution of human society. Xi Jinping pointed out: “There is no fixed model for the path of modernization; what suits one’s own conditions is the best, and one should not cut the feet to fit the shoes.” [28]28 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting,” March 15, 2023. The history of Western modernization is a history of sequential development of industrialization, democratization, rule of law, and urbanization, a history centered on capital as the core goal and characterized by continuous external aggression and colonial expansion, ultimately leading to social polarization and the expansion of materialism. “From the beginning of industrial civilization to the present, only a little over three hundred years, the immense productive forces of human society have created the Western-style modernization of a few developed countries, but this has already threatened human survival and the continuation of life on Earth.” [29]29 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the General Debate of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly,” September 28, 2015. From a historical perspective, Western modernization has fallen into the rut of historical determinism and the end of history, whereas Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that “modernization equals Westernization,” transcended the expansionist and predatory nature of Western modernization, and, with the historical initiative spirit of independence, self-confidence, and self-reliance, opened a new path for late-developing countries to achieve modernization, innovatively developing the materialist conception of history.

人类现代化的历史生成于人类社会演进的规律之中。习近平指出：“现代化道路并没有固定模式，适合自己的才是最好的，不能削足适履。”西方现代化的历史是工业化、民主化、法治化、城市化等串联式发展的历史，是以资本为核心目标、不断向外侵略和殖民扩张的历史，最终造成了社会的两极分化和物欲主义膨胀。“从工业文明开始到现在仅三百多年，人类社会巨大的生产力创造了少数发达国家的西方式现代化，但已威胁到人类的生存和地球生物的延续。”从历史维度看，西方现代化陷入了历史决定论、历史终结论的窠臼，而中国式现代化则打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思，超越了西方现代化的扩张性、掠夺性，以独立自主、自信自立的历史主动精神开创了后发国家走向现代化的新道路，创新发展了唯物主义历史观。

(I) Applying “Historical Laws” to Clarify the Historical Premise of Advancing Modernization

（一）运用“历史规律”，明确了推进现代化的历史前提

Human historical activity is the manifestation of human activity itself; historical activity is, in the final analysis, human activity (especially human material production activity), and humans are the premise of historical activity. Engels pointed out: “The decisive factor in history is, in the last resort, the production and reproduction of immediate life.” [30]30 Friedrich Engels, “Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State,” in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 26, p. 28. Historical materialism examines the process and laws of historical evolution from the perspective of the production activities of real individuals, ultimately revealing the driving forces, processes, and outcomes of the transition of human history from tradition to modernity. Western scholars, adhering to an idealist conception of history, tout the “classic model” based on Western modernization as the ultimate version of modernization, advocating the end of history and emphasizing that “the end of history is a theory of modernization, concerned with the question of where the process of modernization will ultimately lead.” [31]31 Francis Fukuyama, *The End of History and the Last Man* (New York: Free Press, 1992), p. xii. The “end of history” thesis essentially propagates a linear view of modernization history, using the ideal of liberal democracy as its value foundation, and falls into the mire of nihilistic idealism in both theory and practice. In complete consistency with the historical laws inherent in historical materialism, Chinese-path modernization inherits and develops the spirit of modernity of historical materialism, always adhering to “standing on the basis of real history, not explaining practice from concepts, but explaining various conceptual forms from material practice.” [32]32 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology*, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 5, p. 36. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, upholding the theoretical essence and basic spirit of historical materialism, has creatively applied the three laws of the unity of opposites, the transformation of quantity into quality, and the negation of the negation, further revealing the genesis, development, and future history of modernization, proposing to “explore the laws of Chinese-path modernization construction,” [33]33 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Economic Work,” December 15, 2021. and clarifying the historical premise for advancing modernization in contemporary China. First, starting from “historical laws,” it objectively assesses the “historical orientation,” makes a new summary of the principal contradiction in Chinese society, clarifies the greatest objective reality in contemporary China, and puts forward the major judgment that “socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era,” [34]34 Xi Jinping, “Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 18, 2017. thereby establishing the objective baseline for advancing our modernization. Second, starting from the theory of world history and the laws of development, it objectively assesses the “world situation,” originally puts forward the important thesis of the “two overall situations,” [35]35 The “two overall situations” refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century. and clarifies the “world historical coordinates” for advancing Chinese-path modernization in contemporary China. Third, starting from the laws and trends of socialist development, it analyzes China’s historical orientation and stage-specific characteristics, bases itself on the new stage of development, puts forward the new development philosophy, constructs a new pattern of development, and clarifies the objective economic realities and development requirements facing the advancement of Chinese-path modernization.

人类历史活动是人的自身活动的彰显，历史活动归根到底是人的活动（特别是人的物质生产活动），人是历史活动的前提。恩格斯指出：“历史中的决定性因素，归根结底是直接生活的生产和再生产。”唯物史观着眼于现实的个人的生产活动考察历史演变的过程和规律，最终揭示了人类历史从传统走向现代的动因、过程和结果。西方学者秉持唯心史观，把以西方现代化为标准的“经典方案”鼓吹为现代化的终极版本，鼓吹历史终结论，强调“历史的终结是一种现代化理论，它关注的问题是现代化过程最终将通向何处”。“历史终结论”在本质上渲染线性现代化的历史观，把自由民主的理想作为价值底色，在理论与实践上陷入了虚无主义理想主义的泥淖。与唯物史观蕴含的历史规律完全一致，中国式现代化继承发展了唯物史观的现代性精神，始终坚持“站在现实历史的基础上，不是从观念出发来解释实践，而是从物质实践出发来解释各种观念形态”。特别是党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央秉承唯物史观的理论要旨和基本精神，创造性运用对立统一规律、量变质变规律、否定之否定这三大规律，进一步揭示了现代化的发生史、发展史和将来史，提出“探索中国式现代化建设规律”，明确了当代中国推进现代化的历史前提。一是从“历史规律”出发客观研判“历史方位”，对我国社会主要矛盾作出新的概括，明确了当代中国最大的客观实际，提出“中国特色社会主义进入了新时代”这个重大判断，标定了我们推进现代化的客观基点。二是从世界历史理论和发展规律出发客观研判“世界大局”，原创性提出“两个大局”重要论断，明确了当代中国推进现代化的“世界历史坐标”。三是从社会主义发展的规律和趋势出发分析我国的历史方位和阶段性特质，立足新发展阶段，提出新发展理念，构建新发展格局，明确了推进中国式现代化面临的客观经济实际和发展要求。

(II) Answering the “Question of History” to Clarify the Central Task of Advancing Modernization

（二）回答“历史之问”，明确了推进现代化的中心任务

The development of social history is the unity of “conformity to laws” and “conformity to purposes,” and the path of human modernization should also be the unity of “conformity to laws” and “conformity to purposes.” However, from its inception, Western modernization, while causing the impoverishment of the majority, has also periodically created crises of overproduction and their new forms in the present. This kind of modernization follows the concepts of polarization rather than common prosperity, “draining the pond to catch the fish” rather than harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, zero-sum game rather than win-win cooperation, and dependence on others rather than independence and self-reliance, leading to a rupture between “regularity” and “purposiveness” and causing the “inversion of ends and means” in modern society. Historical materialism holds that modernization dominated by capital will ultimately lead to the paradox of modernity, thereby causing “the destruction of the whole of modern society,” [36]36 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party*, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 6, p. 496. which is the inevitable logic of historical development. In the historical logic revealed by historical materialism, only by “not passing through the Caudine Forks of the capitalist system” [37]37 Karl Marx, “Letter to Vera Zasulich,” March 8, 1881, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 46, p. 71. The “Caudine Forks” metaphor refers to avoiding the capitalist stage of development. and choosing “another path,” that is, the socialist path, can the paradoxical nature of Western modernization be avoided. If historical materialism, from the grand logic of human society, answers the grand historical question of “where is human society heading,” then Chinese-path modernization answers the “question of the development path” of where humanity should go in the 21st century. From a historical perspective, Chinese-path modernization, guided by historical materialism as its theoretical foundation, has pioneered a path of socialist modernization in countries that are relatively backward economically and culturally, expanded the avenues for developing countries to achieve modernization, conforms to the historical laws revealed by historical materialism, and represents the direction of human historical progress. Especially on the new journey of the New Era, Chinese-path modernization has established a series of issues such as the mission, strategic priorities, and essential requirements for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, thereby establishing a “demonstration blueprint for modernization” for how humanity can create a better future in the 21st century. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out: “From now on, the central task of the CPC is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country, achieve the second centenary goal, and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.” [38]38 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022. This central task established by Chinese-path modernization will ultimately continuously “promote the material abundance and all-round development of the individual,” [39]39 Ibid. profoundly embodying the “future trend” and “beautiful vision” of modernization, and reflecting the unity of process and goal, truth and value.

社会历史发展是“合规律性”和“合目的性”的统一，人类的现代化道路也应该是“合规律性”和“合目的性”的统一。但是，西方现代化从肇始以来在导致大多数人贫穷的同时，还周期性制造了生产过剩的危机以及这种危机在当下的新形式。这种现代化遵循两极分化而非共同富裕、“竭泽而渔”而非人与自然和谐共生、零和博弈而非合作共赢、依附他者而非独立自主的观念，引发了“规律性”和“目的性”的撕裂，造成了现代社会的“本末倒置”。唯物史观认为，资本主导的现代化最终会引致现代性的悖论，从而会使“整个现代社会毁灭”，这是历史发展的必然逻辑。在唯物史观所揭示的历史逻辑中，只有“不通过资本主义制度的卡夫丁峡谷”而选择“另一条道路”即社会主义道路，才能避免西方现代化的悖论性。如果说，唯物史观从人类社会的宏大逻辑回答了“人类社会向何处”的大历史观论题，那么，中国式现代化则回答了21世纪人类该何去何从这一“发展道路之问”。从历史观来看，中国式现代化以唯物史观为理论指导，在经济文化相对落后的国家开创了社会主义现代化道路，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径，符合唯物史观所揭示的历史规律，代表人类历史前进的方向。特别是在新时代新征程上，中国式现代化确立了以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的使命任务、战略重点、本质要求等一系列问题，为21世纪人类如何开创更好的未来确立了“现代化的示范图景”。党的二十大报告指出：“从现在起，中国共产党的中心任务就是团结带领全国各族人民全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。”中国式现代化确立的这一中心任务最终将不断“促进物的全面丰富和人的全面发展”，它深刻体现了现代化的“未来趋势”和“美好图景”，体现了过程性与目标性、真理性与价值性的合一。

(III) Carrying Forward the “Historical Initiative Spirit” to Clarify the Strategic Policies for Advancing Modernization

（三）弘扬“历史主动精神”，明确了推进现代化的战略策略

Western modernization takes the concept of “universal history” as the presupposition for the emergence of modernization, but this historical view of modernization is idealist, because it highlights the power of “absolute spirit” or pure reason, negates people’s historical initiative, holds that the course of history can ultimately only be derived from spiritual concepts, and emphasizes that the path of modernization opened up by the transformation of history into world history is “a purely abstract action of ‘self-consciousness,’ the world spirit, or some metaphysical specter,” rather than the “completely material, empirically provable action” confirmed by historical materialism. [40]40 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 293. From the perspective of world history, modernization has never been the result of the action of absolute spirit, but rather a path of development opened up by people’s historical initiative. Xi Jinping points out: “Modernization will not fall from the sky; it must be achieved by carrying forward historical initiative through hard work.” [41]41 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 296. In human history, there are enormous differences in the paths and strategies for realizing modernization. Western modernization is in essence an invasion-expansion type of modernization; it relies on invasion-conquest-control-penetration and other methods to complete its “transformation and upgrading.” Chinese-path modernization is not a dependent or convergent path of modernization that relies on or imitates others; rather, it is the result of independent, unyielding, and painstaking exploration under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Xi Jinping points out: “In the long-term practice of leading revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has always insisted on independently and self-reliantly opening up the path forward. This spirit of independent exploration and practice, this firm confidence and determination to stick to our own path, is the foothold of all our Party’s theory and practice, and also the fundamental guarantee for the continuous victory of the Party’s and the people’s cause.” [42]42 Xi Jinping, " Chinese-path modernization contains a profound historical initiative, mainly embodied in our Party’s firm belief and conviction, its grasp of historical initiative, its adherence to a path of self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence, its creation of a Chinese version of the modernization path within the logic of human historical development, and its finding of the fundamental path for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping points out: “Sticking to our own path is the foothold of all the Party’s theory and practice, and it is also the historical conclusion drawn from the Party’s century-long struggle.” [43]43 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 313. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's description of capital's tendency in the *Grundrisse*; the exact wording may vary by edition.] The unique historical view contained in Chinese-path modernization is mainly embodied in enhancing historical initiative, respecting the people’s pioneering spirit, and strengthening historical confidence. In other words, it means adhering to one’s own path of modernization, neither “blowing out others’ lamps” nor “blocking others’ paths,” but rather proceeding from China’s basic national conditions, upholding the principle of independence, insisting that the Chinese people themselves answer the “question of modernization,” neither marking the boat to find a lost sword [44]44 Karl Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 276. nor closing up and becoming rigid, neither seeking once-and-for-all solutions nor copying and imitating, neither converging and becoming dependent nor swallowing foreign things raw without digesting them. Instead, on the basis of adhering to self-confidence and self-reliance, it firmly grasps the future and destiny of China’s modernization in its own hands.

西方现代化以“普遍历史”观念为现代化的出场预设，但这种现代化的历史观是唯心主义的，因为它突出了“绝对精神”或纯理性的力量，否定了人的历史主动精神，认为历史的进程归根到底只能从精神概念中获得，强调历史向世界历史转变所开辟的现代化道路是“‘自我意识’、世界精神或者某个形而上学幽灵的某种纯粹的抽象行动”，而不是唯物史观所确证的“完全物质的、可以通过经验证明的行动”。在世界历史视域中，现代化从来不是绝对精神力量作用的结果，而是人的历史主动精神开辟的发展道路。习近平指出：“现代化不会从天上掉下来，而是要通过发扬历史主动精神干出来。”在人类历史上，现代化实现的路径策略存在着巨大差异。西方现代化在本质上是侵略—扩张型的现代化，它依靠侵略—征服—控制—渗透等方式完成了“转型升级”。中国式现代化并不是依靠、模仿他者的依附式、趋同式现代化道路，而是在中国共产党领导下进行独立自主、不屈不挠、苦苦探索的结果。习近平指出：“我们党在领导革命、建设、改革长期实践中，历来坚持独立自主开拓前进道路，这种独立自主的探索和实践精神、这种坚持走自己的路的坚定信心和决心，是我们党全部理论和实践的立足点，也是党和人民事业不断从胜利走向胜利的根本保证。”中国式现代化中蕴含着深刻的历史主动精神，主要体现为我们党坚定信仰信念，把握历史主动，坚持自信自立、独立自主的发展道路，在人类历史发展的逻辑中创造了现代化道路的中国版本，为实现中华民族伟大复兴找到了根本道路。习近平指出：“走自己的路，是党的全部理论和实践立足点，更是党百年奋斗得出的历史结论。”中国式现代化中蕴含的独特历史观主要体现为增强历史主动、尊重人民首创精神与坚定历史自信，换言之，就是坚持走自己的现代化道路，既不“吹灭别人的灯”，也不“阻挡别人的路”，而是坚持从中国基本国情出发，秉持独立自主原则，坚持由中国人自己来解答“现代化之问”，既不能刻舟求剑、封闭僵化、一劳永逸，也不能照抄照搬、趋同依附、食洋不化，而是在坚持自信自立的基础上把中国现代化的前途命运牢牢掌握在自己手中。

IV. Innovation in the View of Civilization: Adhering to Integrity and Innovation to Revitalize Culture

四、文明观创新：坚持守正创新兴文化

Civilization is the cultural expression and collective memory of human activities, and the concentrated display of human material and spiritual life. The diversity of the vast world largely stems from the diversity of civilizations. Civilizations become colorful through exchange and rich through mutual learning. Xi Jinping emphasizes: “We sincerely call on all countries to promote the common values of all mankind—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—to promote mutual understanding and affinity among peoples of all countries, to respect the diversity of world civilizations, to transcend civilizational estrangement through civilizational exchange, to transcend civilizational conflict through civilizational mutual learning, and to transcend civilizational superiority through civilizational coexistence, and to jointly address various global challenges.” [45]45 Friedrich Engels, *The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 25 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 461. Different from the view of civilization inherent in Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization upholds the concepts of peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation, creatively proposes concepts such as “respecting the diversity of world civilizations,” “promoting the common values of all mankind,” and “valuing civilizational inheritance and innovation,” advocates promoting human civilizational progress and world peace and development through civilizational exchange and mutual learning, and innovatively develops the historical materialist view of civilization.

文明是对人类活动的文化表达和集体记忆，是对人类物质生活和精神生活的集中展示。大千世界的多样性很大程度上源于文明的多样性。文明因交流而多彩、因互鉴而丰富。习近平强调：“我们真诚呼吁，世界各国弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，促进各国人民相知相亲，尊重世界文明多样性，以文明交流超越文明隔阂、文明互鉴超越文明冲突、文明共存超越文明优越，共同应对各种全球性挑战。”与西方现代化所内蕴的文明观不同，中国式现代化秉持和平发展、互利共赢的理念，创造性提出“尊重世界文明多样性”“弘扬全人类共同价值”“重视文明传承和创新”等理念，主张以文明交流互鉴推动人类文明进步与世界和平发展，创新发展了唯物史观的文明观。

(1) Proposing “Respecting the Diversity of World Civilizations” to Consolidate the Civilizational Foundation for Advancing Modernization

（一）提出“尊重世界文明多样性”，筑牢了推进现代化的文明根基

The history of human society, due to the diversity of practice, has created the diversity of civilizations; the diversity of civilizations is an important characteristic of human society. Dialectical materialism holds that everything is a dialectical unity of identity and difference; difference is the representation of the diversity of things. Engels points out: “Real, concrete identity contains difference and change within itself.” [46]46 Xi Jinping, *On the Construction of Socialist Ecological Civilization* (Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2017), p. 131. [Translator's note: This is a reconstructed citation from the authors' reference; the original source is likely Xi's speech on ecological civilization.] Difference confirms identity and is expressed through identity. In the development of social history, world civilizations profoundly embody the unity of identity and difference. As an important component of contemporary Chinese thought and theory, Chinese-path modernization elucidates the practical characteristics and diversity of “world civilization” within the domain of historical materialism, creatively proposes “respecting the diversity of world civilizations,” emphasizes the differences and diversity of human modernization paths, and thereby consolidates the civilizational foundation for advancing modernization. Xi Jinping points out: “Different histories and national conditions, different ethnic groups and customs, have nurtured different civilizations, making the world more colorful.” [47]47 Karl Marx, *Capital*, vol. 1, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 35 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1996), p. 183. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's argument on the subordination of nature to capital; the exact wording may vary.] “The various civilizations created by human society all shine with brilliant light, have accumulated profound heritage and endowed distinctive characteristics for the modernization of various countries, and have transcended time and space and national borders, jointly making important contributions to the process of human social modernization.” [48]48 Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China* (July 1, 2021). This profoundly demonstrates that different civilizations have differences and diversity; it is precisely the differences of civilizations that constitute the colorful garden of world civilizations, and it is precisely the diversity of human civilizations that creates the diversity of human modernization paths. Xi Jinping points out: “The diversity of human civilizations is a basic feature of the world and also a source of human progress.” [49]49 “Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs” (杀鸡取卵) and “draining the pond to catch all the fish” (竭泽而渔) are Chinese idioms describing short-sighted, destructive practices that sacrifice long-term sustainability for immediate gain. In the map of human civilizational diversity, the modernization paths chosen by humanity always have differences and cannot be uniform. Chinese-path modernization upholds the concept of the diversity of human civilizations, insists on the diversity of modernization paths, emphasizes the “mutual benefit” of modernization and the “inclusiveness” of the fruits of modernization, enhances the background color of human civilization, and deepens the civilizational foundation of human modernization.

人类社会历史因实践的多样性造就了文明的多样性，文明的多样性是人类社会的重要特质。辩证唯物主义认为，任何事物都是同一性和差异性的辩证统一，差异性是事物多样性的表征。恩格斯指出：“真实的具体的同一性自身包含着差异、变化。”差异性确证了同一性并通过同一性表现出来，在社会历史发展中，世界文明深刻体现了同一性和差异性的统一。作为当代中国思想理论的重要组成部分，中国式现代化在唯物史观界域中阐明了“世界文明”的实践特质和多样性特征，创造性提出“尊重世界文明多样性”，强调人类现代化道路的差异性和多样性，从而筑牢了推进现代化的文明根基。习近平指出：“不同历史和国情，不同民族和习俗，孕育了不同文明，使世界更加丰富多彩。”“人类社会创造的各种文明，都闪烁着璀璨光芒，为各国现代化积蓄了厚重底蕴、赋予了鲜明特质，并跨越时空、超越国界，共同为人类社会现代化进程作出了重要贡献。”这深刻说明，不同文明具有差异性和多样性，正是文明的差异性构成了世界文明百花园的五彩斑斓，也正是人类文明的多样性造就了人类现代化道路的多样性。习近平指出：“人类文明多样性是世界的基本特征，也是人类进步的源泉。”在人类文明多样性图谱中，人类所选择的现代化道路总是存在差异性，不可能是千篇一律的。中国式现代化秉持人类文明的多样性理念，坚持现代化道路的多样性，强调现代化的“共赢性”和现代化成果的“普惠性”，增强了人类文明的底色，加深了人类现代化的文明底蕴。

(2) Proposing “Promoting the Common Values of All Mankind” to Consolidate the Value Consensus for Advancing Modernization

（二）提出“弘扬全人类共同价值”，凝聚了推进现代化的价值共识

Every modernization model embedded in the development of social history reflects different value pursuits; the values contained in the modernization path directly determine the goal toward which modernization develops. Looking at past Western modernization practices, the value pursuits they contain have tendencies toward “singularization,” “unification,” “supremacy,” and “patenting.” Guided by such value pursuits, their modernization paths often moved toward an either-or “single-choice” model, ultimately forming a “Western-only” uniform modernization model. In fact, human modernization paths cannot be “copied and pasted,” and the values they contain cannot be “singularized” or “universalized.” On the contrary, the diversity of human civilizations means the diversity of modernization paths and value pursuits. From the perspective of the evolution of world civilizations, Chinese-path modernization transcends the “ills of modernity” triggered by industrial civilization, emphasizes that civilizations have no hierarchy of high or low, superior or inferior, advocates promoting the coexistence of interests, the sharing of rights, and the sharing of responsibilities with an attitude of upholding integrity and innovation and seeking harmony without uniformity, and consolidates the greatest common divisor of values of world civilizations. Xi Jinping points

内嵌在社会历史发展中的每一种现代化模式都反映着不同的价值追求，现代化道路蕴含的价值观直接决定着现代化朝着什么样的目标发展。纵观西方以往的现代化实践，其蕴含的价值追求存在着“单一化”“唯一化”“至上化”和“专利品化”的倾向，在此价值追求的引导下，其现代化道路往往走向了非此即彼的“单选”模式，最终形成了“唯西方化”的千篇一律的现代化模式。事实上，人类的现代化道路不仅不可以“复制粘贴”，其内蕴的价值观亦不可以“单一化”和“普适化”。相反，人类文明的多样性意味着现代化道路和价值追求的多样性。从世界文明演进的进程看，中国式现代化超越了工业文明引发的“现代性之殇”，强调文明没有高低、优劣之分，主张以守正创新、和而不同的态度促进利益共生、权利共享、责任共担，凝聚起了世界文明的最大价值公约数。习近平指出：“各国历史、文化、制度、发展水平不尽相同，但各国人民都追求和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值。”与资本主义“按照自己的面貌为自己创造出一个世界”不同，中国式现代化强调和弘扬全人类共同价值，在现代化道路上提出了“包容”“多元”和“多选”的方案，主张凝聚世界现代化的最大公约数。习近平指出：“世界上没有放之四海而皆准的发展模式，各方应该尊重世界文明多样性和发展模式多样化。”在世界历史界域中，中国式现代化杜绝“只此一家，别无分店”的论调，摒弃“唯我独尊”错误价值观，打破了西方“普世价值”一统天下的局面，为人类提供了一条和平发展、互利共赢的现代化之路。

(3) Putting forward “valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations” to build the spiritual force for advancing modernization

（三）提出“重视文明传承和创新”，构筑了推进现代化的精神力量

Valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations is a key move for consolidating the civilizational foundation of modernization. Xi Jinping points out: “The distinctive modernization paths of different countries and regions in today’s world are rooted in their rich, diverse, and time-honored civilizational heritage.” [40]40 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 293. Especially against the backdrop of the accelerated evolution of the changes unseen in a century, the various civilizations created by human society in different periods are all crystallizations of human practical activity, all shining with the brilliant light of civilization. In the process of world modernization, the diversity of world civilizations can accumulate a thick civilizational foundation for the modernization of countries around the world and, in the course of development, manifest a spiritual force that transcends time and space and goes beyond national borders. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Communist Party of China has been committed to promoting mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other global civilizations, making positive contributions to the progress of human civilization. Xi Jinping points out: “Today, when the future and destiny of all countries are closely connected, the inclusive coexistence, exchange, and mutual learning of different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing the modernization process of human society and enriching the garden of world civilizations.” [41]41 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 296. Chinese-path modernization is deeply rooted in the “soul vein” of Marxism and the “root vein” of fine traditional Chinese culture. Through the Two Integrations, it has endowed the Chinese path with a profound “cultural foundation.” “The Second Integration makes Marxism Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture modern, and makes the new culture formed through ‘integration’ the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.” [42]42 Xi Jinping, " Through the Two Integrations, we have built the spiritual force for advancing Chinese-path modernization. Furthermore, contemporary China promotes exchange, mutual learning, and common development among different civilizations through the Global Civilization Initiative, injecting Chinese wisdom into the advancement of world modernization and social progress. Xi Jinping points out: “We are willing to work with the international community to create a new situation of people-to-people and cultural exchanges, cultural integration, and mutual understanding among the people of all countries, so that the garden of world civilizations will be colorful and vibrant.” [43]43 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 313. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's description of capital's tendency in the *Grundrisse*; the exact wording may vary by edition.] Facts show that Chinese-path modernization adheres to the path of peaceful development, fully excavates the spiritual characteristics of fine traditional Chinese culture—benevolence, people-orientation, integrity, justice, harmony, and the pursuit of common good—advocates exchange and mutual learning among civilizations, and provides strong spiritual support for the practice of human modernization.

重视文明传承和创新是筑牢现代化的文明底蕴的关键一招。习近平指出：“当今世界不同国家、不同地区各具特色的现代化道路，植根于丰富多样、源远流长的文明传承。”特别是在世界百年未有之大变局加速演进的背景下，人类社会在不同时期所创造的各种文明，都是人类实践活动的结晶，都闪烁着辉煌璀璨的文明之光。在世界现代化进程中，世界文明的多样性能够为世界各国的现代化积蓄厚重的文明底蕴，并在发展中展现出跨越时空、超越国界的精神力量。党的十八大以来，中国共产党致力于推动中华文明与全球其他文明相互借鉴，为促进人类文明进步作出了积极贡献。习近平指出：“在各国前途命运紧密相连的今天，不同文明包容共存、交流互鉴，在推动人类社会现代化进程、繁荣世界文明百花园中具有不可替代的作用。”中国式现代化深深根植于马克思主义“魂脉”和中华优秀传统文化“根脉”，通过“两个结合”赋予了中国道路深厚的“文化底蕴”，“‘第二个结合’让马克思主义成为中国的，中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，让经由‘结合’而形成的新文化成为中国式现代化的文化形态”。通过“两个结合”，我们构筑了推进中国式现代化的精神力量。此外，当代中国以全球文明倡议推动不同文明交流互鉴、共同发展，为推动世界现代化和社会进步注入中国智慧。习近平指出：“我们愿同国际社会一道，努力开创世界各国人文交流、文化交融、民心相通新局面，让世界文明百花园姹紫嫣红、生机盎然。”事实表明，中国式现代化坚持走和平发展的现代化道路，充分挖掘中华文明中讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同的精神特质，主张文明交流互鉴，为人类现代化的实践提供了有力的精神支撑。

V. Innovation in the View of Democracy: Adhering to People’s Democracy to Pool Strength

五、民主观创新：坚持人民民主聚合力

Democracy is a common value of all humanity and also a right of the people of all countries. In different countries, democracy takes different practical forms. If the view of democracy inherent in Western modernization is a money-based democracy dominated by capitalists, then the unique view of democracy inherent in Chinese-path modernization is profoundly embodied in the fact that China is a socialist country under the people’s democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants, with all power of the state belonging to the people. In other words, “people’s democracy is the lifeblood of socialism; without democracy, there is no socialism, no socialist modernization, and no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” [44]44 Karl Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 276. As Xi Jinping states: “We must be clear that the people’s democracy in our country is fundamentally different from the so-called ‘constitutionalism’ of the West.” [45]45 Friedrich Engels, *The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 25 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 461. That is to say, Chinese-path modernization transcends the pitfalls of Western democracy in terms of democratic concepts and forms, draws on the beneficial achievements of human political civilization, and creates a completely new form of socialist democracy.

民主是全人类的共同价值，也是各国人民的权利。在不同的国家民主具有不同的实践形式。如果说西方现代化所蕴含的民主观是资本家主导的金钱民主观，那么中国式现代化所蕴含的独特民主观则深刻体现为我国是工人阶级领导的、以工农联盟为基础的人民民主专政的社会主义国家，国家一切权力属于人民。换言之，“人民民主是社会主义的生命，没有民主就没有社会主义，就没有社会主义现代化，就没有中华民族伟大复兴”。正如习近平所言：“我们必须搞清楚，我国人民民主与西方所谓的‘宪政’本质上是不同的。”这就是说，中国式现代化在民主观念和民主形式上超越了西方民主的陷阱，借鉴了人类政治文明的有益成果，开创了社会主义民主的全新形态。

(1) Putting forward “whole-process people’s democracy,” broadening the political development path of Chinese-path modernization

（一）提出“全过程人民民主”，拓宽了中国式现代化的政治发展道路

From the essence of democracy, the democracy inherent in Western modernization is “election-priced democracy,” “political donation democracy,” “political lobbying democracy,” and “formalistic democracy.” This democracy is, in essence, democracy dominated by capital, an extension and manifestation of the power of capital in the political sphere. The reason for this is that “capital is the all-dominating economic power of bourgeois society.” [46]46 Xi Jinping, *On the Construction of Socialist Ecological Civilization* (Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2017), p. 131. [Translator's note: This is a reconstructed citation from the authors' reference; the original source is likely Xi's speech on ecological civilization.] Xi Jinping points out: “If the people only have the right to vote but

从民主的本质看，西方现代化蕴含的民主是“竞选标价民主”“政治献金民主”“政治游说民主”和“形式主义民主”，这种民主在实质上是资本主导的民主，是资本权力在政治领域中的延伸与体现。之所以如此，究其原因是因为“资本是资产阶级社会的支配一切的经济权力”。习近平指出：“人民只有投票的权利而没有广泛参与的权利，人民只有在投票时被唤醒、投票后就进入休眠期，这样的民主是形式主义的。”与西方现代化的形式主义民主观不同，中国式现代化打破了西方民主观的“话语垄断”和“唯一性假设”，创造性提出了全过程人民民主这一人类民主发展的新形态，拓宽了人类现代化道路的民主政治意蕴。“全过程人民民主是社会主义民主政治的本质属性，是最广泛、最真实、最管用的民主。”概言之，全过程人民民主不仅有完整的制度程序，而且有完整的参与实践。习近平指出：“我国全过程人民民主实现了过程民主和成果民主、程序民主和实质民主、直接民主和间接民主、人民民主和国家意志相统一，是全链条、全方位、全覆盖的民主，是最广泛、最真实、最管用的社会主义民主。”这深刻表明，全过程人民民主超越了西方“资本逻辑”主导的抽象民主观，是中国式现代化对世界现代化理论和实践的重大政治贡献，彰显了社会主义民主的人民性特质，丰富了人类民主政治的形式。换言之，“世界上没有完全相同的政治制度模式，政治制度不能脱离特定社会政治条件和历史文化传统来抽象评判，不能定于一尊，不能生搬硬套外国政治制度模式”。总之，发展全过程人民民主就是中国式现代化对人类政治文明发展的新贡献。

(2) Comprehensively developing "consultative democracy" enriches the forms of realization of socialist democracy

（二）全面发展“协商民主”，丰富了社会主义民主的实现形式

Looking at the history of the development of democratic politics, because of differences in cultural traditions, political systems and development practices, the forms of realization of democracy under different systems are also not the same. However, in the process of advancing Western modernization, its view of democracy is always premised on the assumption of "uniqueness" and the appearance of "money supremacy," and in practice it is peddled under the false and beautiful names of "electoral democracy," "democratic peace," "democratic prosperity and strength," and so on, ultimately turning democracy into a false slogan. Different from the view of democracy inherent in Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization emphasizes the diversity of the content of democracy and the multidimensionality of its forms of realization. The view of democracy and the forms of practice created by Chinese-path modernization include not only the system of people's congresses but also consultative democracy. "Consultative democracy is an important form of practicing whole-process people's democracy" and "is an important way of realizing the Party's leadership, and is a distinctive form and unique advantage of our country's socialist democratic politics." [40]40 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 293. Chinese-path modernization has created the multidimensionality and multiple channels for the realization of democracy, emphasizing that different countries should choose the form of democracy suitable for themselves according to their own national conditions and historical traditions. Xi Jinping emphasizes: "Democracy is not an ornament, not for display, but for solving the problems that the people need to solve." [41]41 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Central Conference on Work Concerning the CPPCC and Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" (September 21, 2014), in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Vol. 2, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 296. This fully shows that democracy is not a slogan, but must be combined with the practical problems in the process of modernization, and must be embedded in the entire process of democratic political construction. From a practical perspective, the channels and means for realizing democracy in contemporary China are diverse, among which, "when things arise, it is good to discuss them; the affairs of the many are discussed by the many — this is the true essence of people's democracy." [42]42 Xi Jinping, " The original contribution of Chinese-path modernization to the view of democracy is profoundly embodied in consultative democracy, which is a "unique, exclusive, and distinctive form of democracy" in the political construction of Chinese-path modernization, and "is deeply embedded in the entire process of China's socialist democratic politics." [43]43 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 313. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's description of capital's tendency in the *Grundrisse*; the exact wording may vary by edition.]

纵观民主政治的发展历史，由于文化传统、政治体制和发展实践的不同，不同制度下的民主的实现形式也不尽相同。但是，在西方现代化推进的过程中，总是将其民主观在前提上设置“唯一性”假设和“金钱至上”的外观，并在实践中冠以“选举民主”“民主和平”“民主富强”等虚妄的美名加以兜售，最终将民主变成虚假的口号。与西方现代化内蕴的民主观不同，中国式现代化强调民主内涵的多样性及实现方式的多维性。中国式现代化开创的民主观与实践形式不仅包括人民代表大会制度，还包括协商民主。“协商民主是实践全过程人民民主的重要形式”，“是实现党的领导的重要方式，是我国社会主义民主政治的特有形式和独特优势”。中国式现代化开创了民主实现的多维性和多渠道，强调不同国家应根据自身的国情与历史传统来选择适合自身的民主形式。习近平强调：“民主不是装饰品，不是用来做摆设的，而是要用来解决人民需要解决的问题的。”这充分说明，民主不是口号，而是必须要和现代化进程中的实际问题结合在一起，要将之嵌入到民主政治建设的全过程。从实践来看，当代中国实现民主的渠道和途径是多样的，其中，“有事好商量，众人的事情由众人商量，是人民民主的真谛”。中国式现代化对于民主观的原创性贡献深刻体现为协商民主，这是中国式现代化政治建设中“独特的、独有的、独到的民主形式”，“深深嵌入了中国社会主义民主政治全过程”。

(3) Using the institutional system to ensure that the people are the masters of the country greatly enhances the effectiveness of national governance

（三）用制度体系保证人民当家作主，极大提升了国家治理效能

The innovation of Chinese-path modernization in the view of democracy is also reflected in its insistence on promoting innovation in democratic politics through institutional innovation, persistently using the institutional system to ensure that the people are the masters of the country, and constantly exploring new political systems to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. Xi Jinping points out: “China’s socialist democracy is the most extensive, most genuine, and most effective democracy that safeguards the fundamental interests of the people. To develop socialist democratic politics is to embody the will of the people, protect their rights and interests, spark their creativity, and use the institutional system to ensure that the people are the masters of the country.” In other words, “To govern a country and to propel a country toward modernization, the Western institutional model is not the only path; every country can find its own way. It can be said that we have declared with facts the bankruptcy of the ‘end of history’ thesis, and the bankruptcy of the unilinear view of history that all countries must ultimately take the Western institutional model as their destination.” [43]43 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 313. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's description of capital's tendency in the *Grundrisse*; the exact wording may vary by edition.] Chinese-path modernization upholds and gives play to the fundamental political system role of the people’s congress system, and through the coordinated cooperation of “fundamental systems,” “basic systems,” “important systems,” and other “specific systems,” it firmly holds the future and destiny of the country and the nation in the hands of the people, transforming institutional advantages into governance effectiveness. Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Bl

中国式现代化在民主观上的创新还体现为坚持以制度创新推动民主政治的创新，持之以恒用制度体系保证人民当家作主，不断探索全新的政治制度助推国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。习近平指出：“我国社会主义民主是维护人民根本利益的最广泛、最真实、最管用的民主。发展社会主义民主政治就是要体现人民意志、保障人民权益、激发人民创造活力，用制度体系保证人民当家作主。”换言之，“治理一个国家，推动一个国家实现现代化，并不只有西方制度模式这一条道，各国完全可以走出自己的道路来。可以说，我们用事实宣告了‘历史终结论’的破产，宣告了各国最终都要以西方制度模式为归宿的单线式历史观的破产”。中国式现代化坚持并发挥人民代表大会制度的根本政治制度作用，通过“根本制度”“基本制度”“重要制度”和其他“具体制度”协同配合，牢牢把国家和民族前途命运掌握在人民手中，使制度优势转化为治理效能。习近平强调：“照抄照搬他国的政治制度行不通，会水土不服，会画虎不成反类犬，甚至会把国家前途命运葬送掉。只有扎根本国土壤、汲取充沛养分的制度，才最可靠、也最管用。”中国式现代化的民主观创新还体现在政治制度创新上，正是因为我们形成了社会主义民主政治制度体系，才使得当代中国能够有效保证人民享有更广泛、更充实的权利和自由，才使得社会主义民主政治有了更有力的制度保障。

VI. Innovation in Ecological Outlook: Adhering to Green Development to Resolve Crises

六、生态观创新：坚持绿色发展化危机

Nature is the basic condition for human survival and also an important foundation for human sustainable development. Xi Jinping points out: "Nature is the mother of life, and humans and nature form a community of life. Humanity must revere, respect, adapt to, and protect nature." In the process of Western modernization, accompanied by the application of machine-based large-scale industry, capital frantically plundered and enclosed natural resources. Western capitalist countries achieved modernization through the overexploitation of natural resources, adopting an extractive development model. It can be said that the ecological concept upheld by Western modernization is "to explore all of nature in order to discover new useful properties of things; to universally exchange products from different climatic conditions and different countries; to adopt new (artificial) ways of processing natural objects in order to endow them with new use values." [43]43 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 313. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's description of capital's tendency in the *Grundrisse*; the exact wording may vary by edition.] Unlike the mechanical, unitary, and predatory development outlook upheld by Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization creatively proposes the concept of green development, emphasizing that protecting nature means protecting humanity, thereby achieving a revolutionary shift in the development outlook. Xi Jinping points out: "Green development is the distinctive background of Chinese-path modernization." "Promoting the formation of green development modes and lifestyles is a profound revolution in the development outlook." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, continuously deepened the reform of the ecological civilization system, committed to building a modernization in which humans and nature coexist harmoniously, jointly sought the path of global ecological civilization construction, and contributed Chinese wisdom to building a community of life on Earth.

自然是人类赖以生存的基本条件，也是人类持续发展的重要基础。习近平指出：“自然是生命之母，人与自然是生命共同体，人类必须敬畏自然、尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然。”在西方现代化进程中，伴随着机器大工业的应用，资本对自然资源进行了疯狂掠夺和圈占，西方资本主义国家通过对自然资源的过度开采实现了现代化，选择了索取型的发展模式。可以说，西方现代化秉持的生态理念是“探索整个自然界，以便发现物的新的有用属性；普遍地交换各种不同气候条件下的产品和各种不同国家的产品；采用新的方式（人工的）加工自然物，以便赋予它们以新的使用价值”。与西方现代化秉持的机械性、单一性、掠夺性发展观不同，中国式现代化创造性提出了绿色发展理念，强调保护自然就是保护人类，从而实现了发展观的革命性转向。习近平指出：“绿色发展是中国式现代化的鲜明底色。”“推动形成绿色发展方式和生活方式，是发展观的一场深刻革命。”党的十八大以来，我们坚持以习近平生态文明思想为指引，不断深化生态文明体制改革，致力于建设人与自然和谐共生的现代化，共谋全球生态文明建设之路，为共建地球生命共同体贡献了中国智慧。

(1) Proposing the Concept of a "Community of Life," Opening a New Realm in the Relationship between Humans and Nature

（一）提出“生命共同体”理念，开创了人与自然关系的新境界

Humans are born from nature, and humans and nature are a symbiotic relationship. "Only by following the laws of nature can humanity effectively avoid detours in exploiting and utilizing nature. Harm done to nature by humans will ultimately harm humans themselves—this is an irresistible law." Dialectical materialism holds that nature is the matrix of human existence; without nature there would be no humans. Humans are products of nature and rely on nature for life. From the perspective of historical materialism, humans cannot live apart from nature: "Nature is man's inorganic body—that is to say, nature insofar as it is not the human body." [44]44 Karl Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 276. But "if man, by dint of science and inventive genius, has subdued the forces of nature, they avenge themselves upon him." [45]45 Friedrich Engels, *The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man*, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 25 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 461. Therefore, achieving the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature is an important mission of human modernization. Sadly, in the process of development, Western modernization has ignored the "inorganic body" function of nature, wantonly enclosing, exploiting, and plundering nature, creating one ecological disaster after another, and bringing biochemical crises to human sustainable development. In particular, "in modern times, the modernization of most Western countries has gone through a stage of wanton plunder of natural resources and vicious destruction of the ecological environment. While creating enormous material wealth, it has often caused serious problems such as environmental pollution and resource depletion." [46]46 Xi Jinping, *On the Construction of Socialist Ecological Civilization* (Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2017), p. 131. [Translator's note: This is a reconstructed citation from the authors' reference; the original source is likely Xi's speech on ecological civilization.] Completely different from this, Chinese-path modernization originally proposes the new thesis and new concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, emphasizing that "humans and nature are a community of life" and that "mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands are a community of life." It calls on people all over the world to jointly build a community of life on Earth and a clean and beautiful home planet, elevating the equal status of "nature" relative to "humanity," and opening a new realm of Chinese-path modernization as a modernization in which humans and nature coexist harmoniously.

人因自然而生，人与自然是一种共生关系，“人类只有遵循自然规律才能有效防止在开发利用自然上走弯路，人类对大自然的伤害最终会伤及人类自身，这是无法抗拒的规律”。辩证唯物主义认为，自然是人生存的母体，没有自然就没有人类，人是自然的产物，人依靠自然生活。在唯物主义历史观看来，人是不能离开自然界生活的，“自然界，就它自身不是人的身体而言，是人的无机的身体”。但“如果说人靠科学和创造性天才征服了自然力，那么自然力也对人进行报复”。因此，实现人与自然和谐共生，是人类现代化的重要使命。可悲的是，西方现代化在发展的过程中无视自然的“无机身体”功能，肆意圈占、开采和掠夺自然，制造了一起又一起的生态灾难事件，给人类的可持续发展带来了生化危机。特别是“近代以来，西方国家的现代化大都经历了对自然资源肆意掠夺和生态环境恶性破坏的阶段，在创造巨大物质财富的同时，往往造成环境污染、资源枯竭等严重问题”。与此完全不同，中国式现代化原创性提出人与自然和谐共生的新论题和新理念，强调“人与自然是生命共同体”，“山水林田湖草是生命共同体”，呼吁全世界人民一同构建地球生命共同体与建设一个清洁美丽的地球美好家园，提升了“自然”对“人”的同等位格，开辟了中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化的新境界。

(2) Proposing the Concept that "Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets," Opening a New Path for Promoting a Profound Revolution in the Development Outlook

（二）提出“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念，开创了推动发展观深刻革命的新思路

The process of human modernization profoundly contains changes in the development outlook, and different modernization paths embody different development concepts. Overall, Western modernization adheres to a kind of "reified" mechanical development outlook. That is, in the process of development, it ignores the systematicity of nature, upholds "the multiplication of things" and "the abundance of things," thereby excessively relying on "things" and overexploiting "things," ultimately leading to dependence on, plunder of, and destruction of nature and things. Although Marx, in his critique of the capitalist mode of production, believed that past societies, compared with capitalist society, had not truly turned nature into an object of human practice and a truly useful thing, this does not negate that capitalist society is no longer a society of "dependence on things." For capitalist society, the purpose of its development is precisely to "subject nature (whether as a consumer good or as a means of production) to human needs." [47]47 Karl Marx, *Capital*, vol. 1, in *Marx Engels Collected Works*, vol. 35 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1996), p. 183. [Translator's note: This is a paraphrase of Marx's argument on the subordination of nature to capital; the exact wording may vary.] Unlike Western modernization, "Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which humans and nature coexist harmoniously." This modernization treats nature as the matrix of human survival and development, emphasizes that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," points out that "a good ecological environment is the most inclusive public good for people's wellbeing," and in practice "protects the ecological environment with the strictest systems and the most rigorous rule of law." It unswervingly advances the path of ecological priority and green development, strengthens ecological and environmental protection with unprecedented resolve and intensity, and opens a new chapter in the construction of socialist ecological civilization. In contemporary China, we adhere to the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," take green, circular, and low-carbon development as the core values of the development outlook, regard ecological environment restoration and improvement as a long-term strategy, and closely combine pollution and carbon reduction with the green transformation of economic development, bringing about historic, transformative, and holistic changes in ecological civilization construction. The unique innovation in ecological outlook contained in Chinese-path modernization is mainly reflected in the transformation of the development concept: "Chinese-path modernization adheres to sustainable development, upholds the principle of prioritizing conservation, protection, and natural restoration, and unswervingly follows a civilized development path of production development, affluent living, and sound ecology, opening broad prospects for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation." [48]48 Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China* (July 1, 2021).

人类现代化的过程深刻蕴含着发展观的变革，不同的现代化道路蕴含着不同的发展观念。总体来看，西方现代化坚持的是一种“物化”的机械发展观，即在发展的过程中忽视自然的系统性，秉持“物的增殖”和“物的丰富”，从而过度依赖于“物”，过度开发“物”，最终导致了对自然和物的依赖、攫取和破坏。马克思虽然在批判资本主义生产方式时，认为过去的社会与资本主义社会相比，没有把自然界真正变成人的实践对象与真正的有用物，但这并不能否定资本主义社会不再是一个“物的依赖性”社会。对于资本主义社会而言，其发展的目的就是要“使自然界（不管是作为消费品，还是作为生产资料）服从于人的需要”。与西方现代化不同，“中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化”。这种现代化把自然作为人类生存发展的母体，强调“绿水青山就是金山银山”，指出“良好生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉”，并在实践中“用最严格制度最严密的法治保护生态环境”，坚定不移推进生态优先、绿色发展的道路，以前所未有的决心和力度加强生态环境保护，开创了社会主义生态文明建设的崭新局面。在当代中国，我们坚持“绿水青山就是金山银山”的理念，把绿色、循环、低碳发展作为发展观的核心价值，把生态环境修复和改善作为长远大计，把减污降碳与经济发展的绿色转型紧密结合，使生态文明建设发生了历史性、转折性、全局性变化。中国式现代化蕴含的独特生态观创新，主要体现在发展观念的变革上，“中国式现代化坚持可持续发展，坚持节约优先、保护优先、自然恢复为主的方针，坚定不移走生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路，为实现中华民族永续发展开辟了广阔前景”。

(3) Proposing the Concept of "Global Ecological Civilization," Outlining a Beautiful Blueprint for the Earth Home

（三）提出“全球生态文明”理念，擘画了地球家园的美好蓝图

The Earth is the homeland on which humanity depends for survival; protecting the Earth means protecting ourselves, and building the Earth’s homeland means building our own beautiful homeland. Engels once pointed out: “Nature exists independently of any philosophy; it is the foundation on which we humans (ourselves products of nature) grow.” Looking back at modern history, since humanity entered industrial civilization, the combination of capital and technology, while driving the rapid development of social productive forces, has also accelerated the plundering of nature and the Earth, to some extent destroying the Earth’s ecosystem and its inherent harmonious relations. In particular, the development methods of “killing the goose that lays the golden eggs” and “draining the pond to catch all the fish” [49]49 “Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs” (杀鸡取卵) and “draining the pond to catch all the fish” (竭泽而渔) are Chinese idioms describing short-sighted, destructive practices that sacrifice long-term sustainability for immediate gain. carried by Western industrial civilization have triggered deep-seated contradictions between humanity and nature; even today, humanity still suffers from the negative effects of industrial civilization. From the perspective of intellectual history, Chinese-path modernization, standing at the strategic height of world development and the future destiny of humanity, creatively proposes that “ecological civilization is the historical trend of human civilization development,” emphasizes that cherishing and caring for the Earth is humanity’s only choice, and is committed to actively building an Earth homeland for the common development of all countries. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Humanity has only one Earth; protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development is the common responsibility of all countries.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [50]50 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era and the formal introduction of the concept of “ecological civilization” as a key component of national development strategy., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has planned development from the height of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, pointing out that promoting harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization, advocating the construction of an Earth homeland of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and emphasizing that “respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature, and promoting harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, are the distinctive features of Chinese-path modernization.” Practice has proven that China has become an important participant, contributor, and leader in global ecological civilization construction.

地球是人类赖以生存的家园，保护地球就是保护我们人类自己，建设地球家园，就是建设我们自己的美丽家园。恩格斯曾指出：“自然界是不依赖任何哲学而存在的；它是我们人类（本身就是自然界的产物）赖以生长的基础。”回顾近代历史，人类自进入工业文明以来，资本与技术的结合在推动社会生产力迅猛发展的同时，也加速了对自然和地球的攫取，在某种程度上破坏了地球生态系统及其固有的和谐关系。特别是西方工业文明裹挟的“杀鸡取卵”“竭泽而渔”的发展方式引发了人与自然深层次的矛盾，当今人类仍然深受工业文明负面效应的影响。从思想史看，中国式现代化站在世界发展和人类前途命运的战略高度，创造性提出“生态文明是人类文明发展的历史趋势”，强调珍爱和呵护地球是人类的唯一选择，致力于积极构建世界各国共同发展的地球家园。习近平指出：“人类只有一个地球，保护生态环境、推动可持续发展是各国的共同责任。”党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央站在人与自然和谐共生的高度谋划发展，指出促进人与自然和谐共生是中国式现代化的本质要求，主张构建人与自然和谐共生地球家园，强调“尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，促进人与自然和谐共生，是中国式现代化的鲜明特点”。实践证明，中国已成为全球生态文明建设的重要参与者、贡献者、引领者。

In summary, Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that “modernization equals Westernization,” presented another picture within the macroscopic schema of world modernization, expanded the path choices for developing countries to achieve modernization, and created a new form of human civilization. In particular, the unique worldview, values, view of history, view of civilization, view of democracy, and view of ecology contained in Chinese-path modernization represent major innovations in the dialectical materialist and historical materialist worldview of matter, the view of the people as the subject, the view of social progress, the view of civilizational development, the view of democratic politics, and the view of ecological civilization, enriching and developing Marxist modernization theory. Chinese-path modernization, focusing on the “directional” question of where the modern world is headed, the “subjectivity” question of whom the fruits of modernization serve, the “initiative” question of how to advance modernization, the “soft power” question of how modern civilization upholds fundamental principles and breaks new ground, the “strategic” question of how to construct democratic politics, and the “long-term” question of where the Earth’s ecological homeland is headed, offers Chinese solutions in the three-dimensional unity of world history, China’s circumstances, and a future vision: upholding a global vision to pursue common good, upholding the people as the supreme to promote common prosperity, upholding self-confidence and self-reliance to seek development, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground to revitalize culture, upholding people’s democracy to pool collective strength, and upholding green development to resolve crises. It has achieved innovations in worldview, values, view of history, view of civilization, view of democracy, and view of ecology in modernization theory and practice, made major innovative contributions to world modernization theory and practice, and provided Chinese solutions and contributed Chinese wisdom for humanity’s exploration of a better social system.

总之，中国式现代化打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思，展现了世界现代化宏观图式中的另一幅图景，拓展了广大发展中国家走向现代化的路径选择，开创了人类文明新形态。特别是中国式现代化蕴含的独特世界观、价值观、历史观、文明观、民主观、生态观，是对辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义物质世界观、人民主体观、社会进步观、文明发展观、民主政治观、生态文明观的重大创新，丰富和发展了马克思主义现代化理论。中国式现代化着眼于现代世界向何处去的“方向性”问题、现代化成果为了谁的“主体性”问题、如何推进现代化的“主动性”问题、现代文明如何守正创新的“软实力”问题、民主政治如何建构的“战略性”问题，以及地球生态家园何去何从的“长远性”问题等，在世界历史、中国境遇、未来视野的三维统一中给出了坚持胸怀天下谋大同、坚持人民至上促共富、坚持自信自立图发展、坚持守正创新兴文化、坚持人民民主聚合力、坚持绿色发展化危机的中国方案，实现了现代化理论与实践的世界观创新、价值观创新、历史观创新、文明观创新、民主观创新、生态观创新，对世界现代化理论和实践作出了重大创新性贡献，为人类探索更好社会制度提供了中国方案、贡献了中国智慧。