The Triple Logic of the Chinese Communist Party’s Self-Revolution

At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically expounded the important thought on the Party’s self-revolution and put forward the “nine actions” [1]1 The “nine actions” (九个以) refer to the nine specific practical requirements for advancing the Party’s self-revolution, as elaborated by Xi Jinping at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in January 2024. practical requirements for advancing the Party’s self-revolution. The courage to engage in self-revolution is the most distinctive character of our Party and also its greatest strength. It is precisely this revolutionary will and spirit of self-revolution that have enabled our Party to turn danger into safety time and again over its more than 100 years of great journey and to achieve remarkable accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. Regarding the inherent basis for the Chinese Communist Party’s unique spirit of self-revolution, we can deeply understand and correctly grasp it from three dimensions—theoretical, historical, and practical—so as to better study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on the Party’s self-revolution.

习近平总书记在二十届中央纪委三次全会上系统阐明了党的自我革命的重要思想，并对如何推进党的自我革命提出了“九个以”的实践要求。勇于自我革命，是我们党最鲜明的品格，也是我们党最大的优势。正是这种革命意志和自我革命精神使我们党在100多年的伟大征程中一次次转危为安，取得了举世瞩目的伟大成就。对中国共产党特有的自我革命精神存在的内在依据，我们可以从理论、历史、实践三个维度进行深入理解和正确把握，以更好地学习贯彻习近平总书记关于党的自我革命的重要思想。

Theoretical Logic: The Founding Doctrine of Marxism Contains the Inherent Gene of Self-Revolution

理论逻辑：马克思主义建党学说中蕴含自我革命的内在基因

Although the classical Marxist writers did not explicitly put forward the concept of “self-revolution,” their theories contain relevant ideological implications and inherent genes.

马克思主义经典作家虽没有明确提出“自我革命”这一概念，但其理论中蕴含着相关思想意涵和内在基因。

First, the Marxist political party is continuously tempered through self-revolution, and its founding doctrine possesses a critical and revolutionary character. This critical and revolutionary spirit is manifested not only in the critique of other erroneous ideas and theories but, more importantly, in the courage to critique the problems existing within itself. Marx pointed out that one must engage in ruthless criticism of everything existing, ruthless in two senses: this criticism is not afraid of its own conclusions and does not shrink back when it comes into conflict with the powers that be. Whether in the process of creating historical materialism or in the generation of the theory of surplus value, Marx and Engels always adhered to a critical spirit. Marxist self-criticism and self-negation contain dialectical negation, daring to face problems directly and correct errors. Based on this critical spirit, our Party has the courage to engage in self-revolution and possesses a very strong capacity for self-repair.

首先，马克思主义政党在自我革命中不断淬炼，建党学说具有批判性和革命性。这种批判精神和革命精神不仅体现在对其他错误思想和理论进行批判，更体现在敢于对自身存在的问题进行批判。马克思指出，要对现存的一切进行无情的批判，所谓无情，意义有二，即这种批判不怕自己所作的结论，临到触犯当权者时也不退缩。无论是在唯物史观的创立过程中还是在剩余价值理论的生成过程中，马克思恩格斯都始终秉持着批判的精神。马克思主义的自我批判和自我否定内含辩证的否定，敢于直面问题，修正错误。基于这种批判精神，我们党勇于自我革命，具有极强的自我修复能力。

Second, the advanced nature and mission of the Marxist political party determine that it must be revolutionary and critical. From the very beginning, the Marxist political party distinguished itself from all other old-class parties; its advanced nature and mission endow it with an innate quality and responsibility for self-revolution. In the *Communist Manifesto*, the program drafted by Marx and Engels for the Communist League, which was reorganized from the League of the Just, the historical mission of the Communists is clearly stipulated. In the view of Marx and Engels, the proletarian party has no special interests of its own. All the movements they carry out are aimed at destroying capitalist private property and saving the broad masses of the oppressed people. The second chapter of the *Communist Manifesto* begins by clarifying the relationship between the Communists and the entire proletariat: “They have no interests separate and apart from those of the proletariat as a whole... The Communists always represent the interests of the movement as a whole.” Precisely because the proletarian party represents the interests and aspirations of the entire proletariat and is a conscious, truly revolutionary party, it has the responsibility to unite the broad masses of the people, continuously strengthen itself as a powerful political force, and, through self-criticism and self-revolution, always stand at the forefront of the proletarian movement, representing the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people.

其次，马克思主义政党的先进性和使命决定其必须是革命的、批判的。马克思主义政党从一开始就区别于其他一切旧阶级政党，它的先进性和使命使其与生俱来就具有自我革命的特质和担当。在马克思恩格斯为由正义者同盟改组而成的共产主义者同盟起草的纲领《共产党宣言》中，就明确规定了共产党人的历史使命。在马克思恩格斯看来，无产阶级政党没有自己特殊的利益。他们所开展的一切运动也均是为了摧毁资本主义私有制，拯救受压迫的广大人民群众。《共产党宣言》第二章开篇就明确了共产党人同全体无产者的关系：“他们没有任何同整个无产阶级的利益不同的利益……共产党人始终代表整个运动的利益”。正因为无产阶级政党代表整个无产阶级的利益和愿望，是有觉悟、真正革命的政党，所以，无产阶级政党有责任将广大人民群众团结在一起，使自己不断成为强大的政治力量，在自我批判、自我革命中始终站在无产阶级运动的前列，代表最广大人民群众的根本利益。

Finally, self-revolution is endogenous to the lofty ideal of communism. Communism is not only an ideal state of future society but also a real revolutionary movement. In all previous struggles, one exploiting class replaced another, gained a ruling position, and appropriated all means of production and subsistence. To realize the great social ideal, the proletarian party must carry out both a proletarian revolution and a self-revolution. Moreover, the realization of communism requires the continuous and unremitting struggle of generation after generation of Communists. Only by adhering to self-revolution, tempering its character, and possessing firm revolutionary will and revolutionary faith can the proletarian party avoid losing its conviction, revolutionary fighting spirit, and revolutionary spirit on the long road to achieving this goal; only by adhering to self-revolution can it continuously and unremittingly strive toward this goal.

最后，自我革命内生于共产主义的远大理想中。共产主义不仅是未来社会的理想状态，更是一场现实的革命运动。在以往的一切斗争中，都是一个剥削阶级消灭另一个剥削阶级，获得统治地位，占有一切生产资料和生活资料。要实现伟大的社会理想，无产阶级政党需要进行无产阶级革命和自我革命。此外，共产主义的实现需要一代又一代共产党人持续不断地接续奋斗。无产阶级政党只有坚持自我革命，砥砺品格，具备坚定的革命意志和革命信仰，才不会在实现这一目标的漫长道路中迷失信念，丧失革命斗志和革命精神；只有坚持自我革命，才能始终持续不断地朝着这一目标奋斗。

Historical Logic: The Chinese Communist Party Has Cultivated a Fine Tradition of Self-Revolution

历史逻辑：中国共产党孕育了自我革命的优良传统

The *First Program of the Chinese Communist Party*, adopted at the Party’s First National Congress, clearly stated that the role of “supervision” should be exercised in the Party’s organizational life. From 1921 to the present, the development process of the Chinese Communist Party shows that the Party has always dared to engage in self-criticism and public correction of errors, forming a fine tradition of courageous self-revolution.

党的一大通过的《中国共产党第一个纲领》中明确指出，在党的组织生活中要发挥“监督”的作用。1921年至今，中国共产党的发展历程表明，党始终敢于自我批评和公开纠错，并形成勇于自我革命的优良传统。

On August 7, 1927, the August 7th Conference was held in Hankou. The conference fiercely criticized Chen Duxiu’s right opportunism. The *Letter to All Party Members from the Central Executive Committee of the Chinese Communist Party* analyzed the situation from seven aspects: the National Revolution and class struggle, the Chinese Communist Party and the labor movement, the Chinese Communist Party and the agrarian revolution, the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang, Communist participation in the National Government, the issue of armed forces and their relationship with the army, and internal Party issues and relations with the Comintern. At a critical juncture in the Chinese revolution, the Party resolutely corrected and ended Chen Duxiu’s right opportunist errors and determined the policy of carrying out the agrarian revolution and armed uprising.

1927年8月7日在汉口召开了八七会议。会议对陈独秀的右倾机会主义进行了激烈批判。《中国共产党中央执行委员会告全党党员书》从国民革命与阶级斗争、中国共产党与工人运动、中国共产党与土地革命、中国共产党与国民党、共产党员之参加国民政府、武装问题与对于军队之关系、党内问题与对国际的关系七个方面进行了分析。党在中国革命的紧要关头坚决纠正和结束了陈独秀的右倾机会主义错误，确定实行土地革命和武装起义的方针。

In January 1935, at a critical moment of survival for the Party and the Red Army, the Chinese Communist Party convened the Zunyi Conference. The conference focused on summing up the lessons from the failure of the Fifth Counter-Encirclement Campaign, resolved the most urgent military and organizational issues at the time, and ended Wang Ming’s “left” adventurist line’s dominant position in the CPC Central Committee. The Zunyi Conference brought new hope and vitality to the Party and the Red Army, demonstrating the vigorous strength after self-correction.

1935年1月，在党和红军生死存亡的严峻考验之际，中国共产党召开遵义会议。会议着重总结了第五次反“围剿”失败的经验教训，解决了当时最迫切的军事和组织问题，结束了王明“左”倾冒险主义在中共中央的统治地位。遵义会议给党、给红军带来了新的希望和气象，展现了自我纠错后的蓬勃力量。

During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Chinese Communist Party launched the “Rectification Movement.” [2]2 The Rectification Movement (整风运动) was a Party-wide campaign launched by the CPC in Yan’an from 1942 to 1945 to correct subjectivist, sectarian, and stereotypical writing styles and to unify ideological understanding around Mao Zedong Thought. Adhering to the basic policy of “learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the disease to save the patient,” this movement not only effectively educated the vast number of Party cadres and rectified their ideological understanding but also rectified the subjectivist style of study, the sectarian style of Party leadership, and the stereotyped Party writing style (Party eight-legged essay), responding to the real problems existing within the Party and greatly promoting the transformation of the Party’s work style. On the eve of the founding of New China, Mao Zedong put forward the “Two Musts,” [3]3 The “Two Musts” (两个务必) were put forward by Mao Zedong at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee in March 1949: “The comrades must be taught to remain modest, prudent, and free from arrogance and rashness, and the comrades must be taught to preserve the style of plain living and hard struggle.” emphasizing that Party cadres must maintain a fine work style. The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee resolutely ended the slogan “take class struggle as the key link” and achieved a strategic shift in the focus of the Party’s and the state’s work. Subsequently, a great discussion on “practice is the sole criterion for testing truth” was launched, effectively transforming the ideological understanding of Party cadres. However, with the deepening of reform and opening up, rapid economic and social development, and the gradual diversification of social thought, how to solve problems within the Party such as impurity in ideology, politics, organization, and work style became the main task of promoting Party building. The Party has continuously carried out a series of centralized Party education activities, deepening the effectiveness of self-revolution.

抗日战争时期，中国共产党开展“整风运动”，这场运动秉持“惩前毖后、治病救人”的基本方针，不仅有效地教育了广大的党员干部，端正了思想认知，而且还整顿了主观主义的学风、宗派主义的党风以及党八股的文风，回应了党内存在的现实问题，极大地推动了党的作风的转变。新中国成立前夕，毛泽东提出了“两个务必”，强调党员干部要保持优良的作风。党的十一届三中全会果断结束“以阶级斗争为纲”，实现党和国家工作重心战略转移。随后又掀起了“实践是检验真理的唯一标准”大讨论，有效地转变了党员干部的思想认知。然而，伴随改革开放的深入推进，经济社会快速发展，社会思潮也逐渐多样化。如何解决党内思想不纯、政治不纯、组织不纯、作风不纯等问题成为推动党的建设的主要任务。党持续开展了一系列党内集中教育活动，深化了自我革命的成效。

Practical Logic: A Conscious Choice to Meet the Many Challenges of the New Era

实践逻辑：应对新时代诸多挑战的自觉选择

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era. Each era has different missions and challenges to be met, and each era’s people have their own tasks of “taking the examination.” [4]4 “Taking the examination” (赶考) is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong in 1949, comparing the CPC’s assumption of national power to an imperial examination, implying that the Party must constantly face and pass the tests of governance. In the New Era, our country is at a critical period for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. From the perspective of the people, the current unbalanced and inadequate development is the key factor constraining the realization of the people’s美好生活 (better life). From the national perspective, there are still many aspects of the national governance system and governance capacity that need to be improved and perfected. From the Party’s own perspective, problems such as impurity in ideology, politics, organization, and work style still exist within the Party. Faced with these problems, Chinese Communists respond to the “examination” challenges with the Party’s self-revolution, proposing to improve the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, solve the unique problems of a large party, and lead the great social revolution with self-revolution.

党的十八大以来，中国特色社会主义进入新时代。每个时代都有不同的使命担当和需要应对的困难挑战，每个时代的人都有自己的“赶考”任务。新时代，我国正处于实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键时期。从人民的层面来看，当前面临的不平衡不充分的发展是制约人民美好生活实现的关键因素。从国家层面来看，当前在国家治理体系和治理能力方面还有诸多需要完善改进的地方。从党自身的层面来看，党内仍存在思想不纯、政治不纯、组织不纯、作风不纯等问题。面对这些问题，中国共产党人以党的自我革命应对“赶考”难题，提出健全全面从严治党体系，解决大党独有难题，以自我革命引领伟大社会革命。

In December 2012, the Party Central Committee issued the Eight-Point Regulations, rectifying work style with the force of “leaving a mark on the stone and a grip on the iron.” On May 5, 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping first proposed “self-revolution.” Subsequently, the connotation and specific requirements of self-revolution were elaborated in detail. The Party’s self-revolution in the New Era takes political construction as its guide, enhancing the political function of Party organizations by rigorously regulating intra-Party political life. The Party’s self-revolution in the New Era is based on ideological construction; only theoretical clarity can ensure political firmness, and ideals and convictions are the “calcium” in the spirit of Communists.

2012年12月，党中央出台中央八项规定，以“踏石留印、抓铁有痕”的力度整饬作风。2015年5月5日，习近平总书记首次提出“自我革命”。之后，对自我革命的内涵、具体要求作了详细阐述。新时代党的自我革命以政治建设为统领，通过严肃党内政治生活，增强党组织政治功能。新时代党的自我革命以思想建设为基础，只有理论上的清醒才能保证政治上的坚定，理想信念是共产党人精神上的“钙”。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the achievements of the Party’s self-revolution have been mainly reflected in the following aspects. First, a series of intra-Party education campaigns have been successively carried out, innovating the forms of centralized intra-Party education, strengthening the sense of mission of Party cadres and members, enhancing their political judgment, political comprehension and political execution, replenishing the “calcium” [5]5 A metaphor for ideological conviction and moral backbone, often used in Party discourse to describe what sustains a cadre’s political integrity. that was lacking in the cultivation of Party spirit among Party cadres and members, and consolidating the Party’s foundation. Second, a series of intra-Party regulations have been improved and perfected, confining power to the cage of institutional rules, and providing institutional guarantees for the in-depth advancement of the Party’s self-revolution. The revision of a series of intra-Party regulations has not only provided important support for the Party’s self-revolution, but has also strengthened the management and education of Party cadres and members, enabling them to actively examine themselves against the rules and regulations, conduct self-reflection, and enhance their awareness of self-discipline.

党的十八大以来，党的自我革命的成就主要体现在以下方面。首先，相继开展了一系列党内教育活动，创新党内集中教育的形式，强化了党员干部的使命意识，提高了党员干部的政治判断力、政治领悟力和政治执行力，补强了党员干部党性修养中所欠缺的“钙”，夯实了党的根基。其次，完善和健全了一系列党内法规，把权力关进制度的笼子里，为党的自我革命的深入推进提供了制度保障。一系列党内法规的修订，不仅为党的自我革命提供了重要支撑，而且还加强了对党员干部的管理与教育，使党员干部能够对照规章制度积极审视，进行自我反省，提高自我约束意识。

In the New Era, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party has combated corruption and punished evil with thunderous force, rectified conduct and enforced discipline, advanced the “three non-corruptions” [6]6 The “three non-corruptions” (三不腐) refer to the mechanisms ensuring that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to engage in corruption. in an integrated manner, achieved both symptom and root-cause treatment, and further realized the Party’s self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation and self-enhancement. On the new journey of the New Era, advancing the building of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the nation places unprecedented new challenges and new demands on our Party; it must carry out self-revolution in the spirit of serving the people.

新时代全面从严治党以雷霆之势反腐惩恶，正风肃纪，一体推进“三不腐”，实现了标本兼治，进一步实现了党的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高。新时代新征程上，推进强国建设、民族复兴，对我们党提出了前所未有的新挑战新要求，必须本着为人民服务的宗旨进行自我革命。

Source: *Chinese Scholarly Circle*, December 4, 2024

文章来源：《中国学派》2024年12月4日

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆