The Philosophical Implications of the Party’s Self-Revolution in the New Era

The Chinese Communist Party’s self-revolution possesses profound philosophical implications. The philosophical basis of the Party’s self-revolution is the Marxist worldview and methodology, namely the fundamental viewpoints of historical materialism and dialectical materialism.

中国共产党进行自我革命具有深刻的哲学意蕴。党的自我革命的哲学依据是马克思主义世界观和方法论，即历史唯物主义和辩证唯物主义的基本观点。

I. Establishing a Holistic View and a View of Tortuous Development, Regarding the Party’s Self-Revolution as a Continuously Developing Historical Process and Conducting Holistic Research

一、树立整体观和曲折发展观，把党的自我革命看成一个连续发展的历史过程并进行整体性研究

A holistic concept must be established, regarding the process of the Party’s self-revolution as a continuously developing whole. In the process of self-revolution, the fundamental principle of holism must be adhered to, a sense of the big picture must be fostered, and self-revolution must be situated within the historical process of world socialist revolution and the more than one hundred years of history of the Chinese Communist Party. Advancing the Party’s self-revolution will inevitably face difficulties and obstacles; the path to realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is tortuous, and the historical mission shouldered by the Chinese Communist Party is arduous. This places higher demands on the Chinese Communist Party’s governing capacity.

必须树立整体观念，把党的自我革命过程看成一个连续发展的整体。在自我革命的过程中，必须坚持整体性的基本原则，树立大局意识，把自我革命置身于世界社会主义革命和中国共产党一百多年的历史进程中。推进党的自我革命，必然面临艰难险阻，实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的道路是曲折的，中国共产党肩负的历史使命艰巨，这就对中国共产党的执政能力提出了更高的要求。

Party history must be viewed from a holistic perspective. Surveying modern and contemporary Chinese history and the history of the international communist movement, the Chinese Communist Party ascended the historical stage in response to the demands of the era. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, it shouldered the dual revolutionary tasks of national independence and people’s liberation. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, it shouldered the dual mission of socialist revolution and socialist construction. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, it continuously liberated and developed the social productive forces. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, it continues to advance toward the grand goal of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

必须以整体观看待党的历史，纵观中国近现代史和国际共产主义运动史，中国共产党应时代要求登上历史舞台，在新民主主义革命时期担负民族独立和人民解放的双重革命任务，在社会主义革命和建设时期担负着社会主义革命和社会主义建设的双重使命，在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期不断解放和发展社会生产力，在中国特色社会主义新时代朝着实现中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟目标继续前进。

The Party’s self-revolution in the New Era must be closely integrated with social practice. Our Party faces more contradictions and difficulties in the New Era; the resistance encountered in reform is greater, and the risks and challenges faced are more severe. For the Chinese Communist Party to “make the hammer itself hard,”[1]1 A Chinese idiom meaning that one must be strong and capable oneself in order to accomplish difficult tasks, often used in the context of Party building. it must continuously carry out self-revolution, use self-revolution to lead social revolution, enhance the people’s well-being, and continuously improve the Party’s long-term governing capacity.

新时代党的自我革命必须与社会实践密切结合。我们党在新时代面临着更多的矛盾难题，改革遇到的阻力更大，面临的风险挑战更加严峻。中国共产党要做到“打铁自身硬”，就要不断进行自我革命，以自我革命引领社会革命，增进人民福祉，不断提升党的长期执政能力。

The difficulties and obstacles on the Chinese Communist Party’s path forward fully demonstrate that the path of development for new things is tortuous, and the direction of development is spiraling upward. It is necessary to scientifically grasp the direction of the spiraling upward of self-revolution, overcome difficulties, and dissolve the major risks and challenges encountered in the advance within the crucible of self-revolution. Therefore, a holistic view and a view of tortuous development must be established, contradictions and problems encountered in the advance must be viewed actively, proactively, and optimistically, and they must be scientifically resolved with the Party’s own wisdom.

中国共产党前进道路的艰难险阻，充分说明了新事物的发展道路是曲折的，发展的方向是螺旋式上升，必须科学把握自我革命螺旋式上升的方向，攻坚克难，把前进中的重大风险挑战化解在自我革命的大熔炉中。因此，要树立整体观和曲折发展观，积极、主动、乐观地看待前进中遇到的矛盾问题，以自身的智慧科学化解。

II. Establishing a View of Connection and a View of Practice, Linking the Party’s Self-Revolution with Social Practices Such as Social Revolution, the Realization of the Chinese Dream of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation, the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, and the Political Construction of World Political Parties

二、树立联系观和实践观，把党的自我革命与社会革命、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦、构建人类命运共同体、世界政党政治建设等社会实践联系起来

Social revolution and self-revolution constitute a dialectically unified, indivisible whole. “Social revolution and self-revolution are two crucial variables in the development of our Party and state. Coordinately advancing the ‘two great revolutions’ is, in essence, about how to correctly handle the dialectical relationship between them. It centrally embodies the Chinese Communist Party’s accurate understanding and profound grasp of the basic requirements of dialectical materialism.”[2]2 This is a quotation from a Chinese scholarly work on the relationship between the two revolutions. Carrying out self-revolution is a practical requirement for solving the real problems existing within the Party; carrying out social revolution is the necessary path for resolving the principal contradiction of society at a given historical stage. Coordinately advancing self-revolution and social revolution is the practical basis for advancing Chinese-path modernization and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The great achievements of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era are precisely the result of coordinately advancing self-revolution and social revolution. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Adhering to using the great self-revolution to lead the great social revolution is both an objective requirement for our Party to lead the people in the great social revolution and an inherent need for our Party’s construction and development as a Marxist political party.”[3]3 A quotation from Xi Jinping, emphasizing the leading role of self-revolution.

社会革命和自我革命构成辩证统一、不可分割的整体。“社会革命和自我革命是我们党和国家事业发展中至关重要的两大变量，协同推进‘两个伟大革命’从本质上来说就是如何正确处理好两者之间的辩证关系，它集中体现了中国共产党对辩证唯物主义基本要求的准确理解和深刻把握。”进行自我革命是解决党内存在的现实问题的实践要求；进行社会革命是解决某个历史阶段社会主要矛盾的必由之路。协同推进自我革命和社会革命是推进中国式现代化、实现中华民族伟大复兴的实践基础。新时代中国特色社会主义事业取得的伟大成就正是协同推进自我革命和社会革命的结果。习近平总书记强调：“坚持以伟大自我革命引领伟大社会革命，这既是我们党领导人民进行伟大社会革命的客观要求，也是我们党作为马克思主义政党建设和发展的内在需要。”

Social revolution is the practical basis for the existence of self-revolution and can guide the practical direction of self-revolution; self-revolution is the realistic driving force of social revolution, and self-revolution takes leading social revolution as its fundamental purpose. “Ontologically, social revolution is the basis and foundation for the existence of self-revolution. Without the impetus of social revolution, self-revolution would become ‘water without a source, a tree without roots’; the nature of social revolution determines the nature of the Party’s self-revolution, the difficulty of social revolution determines the significance of the Party’s self-revolution, and the content of self-revolution is often based on the content of social revolution.”[4]4 A quotation from a Chinese scholarly work elaborating on the ontological relationship between social revolution and self-revolution.

社会革命是自我革命存在的实践基础，能够指引自我革命的实践方向；自我革命是社会革命的现实动力，自我革命以引领社会革命为根本目的。“在本体论上，社会革命是自我革命存在的基础和根据，没有社会革命的带动，自我革命就会成为‘无源之水、无本之木’；社会革命的性质决定党的自我革命的性质，社会革命的难度决定党的自我革命的意义，自我革命的内容往往基于社会革命的内容。”

Self-revolution is a vivid embodiment of social revolution. During the period of reform and opening up, the Party focused on advancing the reform of the socialist market economy system, laying a certain material foundation for achieving common prosperity. The Party adhered to emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, building and perfecting the socialist market economy system, thereby creating a favorable institutional environment for achieving common prosperity. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, the task of the great social revolution is to continuously advance Chinese-path modernization and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Targeting the “four forms of decadence”[5]5 A specific term used in the CPC’s campaign against undesirable work styles, targeting formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance.—formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance—the Chinese Communist Party takes comprehensive and strict governance of the Party as its fundamental starting point, puts forward new requirements for Party members and leading cadres, and demands a comprehensive improvement in their political comprehension, political discernment, and political execution. Coordinately advancing the “two revolutions” is an important guarantee for the continuous brilliant achievements of the four historical stages of China’s revolution, construction, reform, and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. “Profoundly grasping the dialectical unity between the Party’s self-revolution and social revolution is the premise and foundation for coordinately advancing the ‘two revolutions.’”[6]6 A quotation from a Chinese scholarly work on the dialectical relationship between the two revolutions. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the world situation, national conditions, and Party conditions have all undergone profound changes. Coordinately advancing the “two revolutions” is a profound understanding and accurate grasp of the laws governing the Communist Party’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of human social development.

自我革命是社会革命的生动体现。改革开放时期，党着力推进社会主义市场经济体制改革，为实现共同富裕奠定了一定的物质基础。党坚持解放思想和实事求是，建设和完善社会主义市场经济体制，为实现共同富裕创造了良好的制度环境。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，伟大社会革命的任务是持续推进中国式现代化、实现中华民族伟大复兴。中国共产党针对形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风“四风”问题，以全面从严治党作为根本抓手，对党员领导干部提出了新要求，要求全面提高党员领导干部的政治领悟力、政治判断力和政治执行力。协同推进“两个革命”是中国革命、建设、改革和实现中华民族伟大复兴四个历史阶段不断取得辉煌成就的重要保障，“深刻把握党的自我革命与社会革命之间的辩证统一关系，是协同推进‘两个革命’的前提与基础”。中国特色社会主义新时代，世情、国情和党情都发生了深刻变化，协同推进“两个革命”是对共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律和人类社会发展规律的深刻认识和准确把握。

Self-revolution must take social revolution as its basis and premise; self-revolution must unfold around the goals of social revolution. Social revolution is the guide for self-revolution; social revolution must be used to lead self-revolution to develop in the correct direction. At the same time, the Party’s self-revolution and social revolution must also be regarded as an indivisible whole. The two develop dynamically and must be advanced coordinately and grasped holistically; neither can be neglected.

自我革命必须以社会革命为基础和前提，自我革命要围绕社会革命的目标展开。社会革命是自我革命的引路人，必须用社会革命引领自我革命朝着正确的方向发展。同时，还必须把党的自我革命和社会革命看成一个不可分割的整体，二者在动态中发展，必须协同推进，从整体上进行把握，不可偏废。

The Party’s self-revolution is closely linked to the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and is the driving force and source for realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The practice of the Party’s self-revolution is a long-term development process, running through the entire process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. In different historical stages, the Party’s self-revolution has different content. The Party’s self-revolution in the New Era is closely linked to the historical mission and goals of struggle in the New Era. The historical mission of the Party in the New Era is to continue advancing the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In the New Era, the Party has put forward the “two centenary goals.”[7]7 The two centenary goals are: (1) building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC in 2021; (2) building a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049. The “two centenary goals,” together with the Chinese Dream, constitute the clarion call of the era guiding China’s development. Realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the social development goal of the Party’s self-revolution.

党的自我革命与中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦紧密相连，是实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的动力和源泉。党的自我革命实践是一个长期的发展过程，贯穿于中国特色社会主义建设的全过程。不同的历史阶段，党的自我革命有不同的内容。新时代党的自我革命与新时代的历史使命和奋斗目标紧密相连。新时代党的历史使命是继续推进实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦。新时代党提出“两个一百年”的奋斗目标，“两个一百年”奋斗目标与中国梦共同构成引领中国发展的时代号角。实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦是党的自我革命的社会发展目标。

The Party’s self-revolution is closely linked to building a community with a shared future for mankind. On the new journey of the New Era, the Communist Party of China adheres to a global vision and makes unremitting efforts to realize the common interests of all humanity. “The CPC initiated the concept of ‘a community with a shared future for mankind’ and set about advancing its construction. This is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in the New Era, against the backdrop of the great trends of human development, the major changes in the world landscape, and the long history of China’s development, a decision that conforms to the laws of human social development and is the future of the people of all countries.” [8]8 This is a quotation from a Chinese source, likely a scholarly article or official document, emphasizing the CPC’s initiative in proposing the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the epochal task of carrying out the great social revolution in the New Era and an important vehicle for the great self-revolution in the New Era. On the new journey of the New Era, the important task of the CPC’s great social revolution is to safeguard world peace and development and build a community with a shared future for mankind. “On the basis of careful observation and scientific judgment of the international situation, safeguarding world peace and promoting common development and prosperity are the international responsibilities that China, as a ‘responsible major country,’ should assume, and are the national mission that China must strive to fulfill as it ‘increasingly approaches the center of the world stage.’” [9]9 This is a quotation from a Chinese source, likely a scholarly article or official document, discussing China’s international responsibilities as it approaches the center of the world stage. Since reform and opening up, China’s ties with other countries have grown ever closer. Especially since China joined the World Trade Organization, China’s economic development has been closely linked to world economic development. With the continuous advancement of economic globalization, the trend toward world economic integration has become increasingly evident. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is precisely put forward on the basis of the common interests of all humanity. The social practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind is the world development goal of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era, embodying the world responsibility of the CPC in leading the Chinese people in carrying out great social practice.

党的自我革命与构建人类命运共同体息息相关。新时代新征程，中国共产党坚持胸怀天下，为实现全人类共同利益而不懈努力。“中国共产党首倡‘人类命运共同体’理念，并着手推进‘人类命运共同体’构建，这是新时代以习近平同志为核心的党中央在人类发展大潮流、世界变化大格局、中国发展大历史背景下，作出的符合人类社会发展规律的重大决定，是世界各国人民前途所在。”构建人类命运共同体是新时代进行伟大社会革命的时代重任，是新时代进行伟大自我革命的重要载体。新时代新征程，中国共产党进行伟大社会革命的重要任务就是维护世界和平与发展，构建人类命运共同体，“在认真观察和科学判断国际形势的基础上，维护世界和平、促进共同发展和繁荣是中国作为‘负责任的大国’应当承担的国际责任，是中国‘日益走近世界舞台中央’必须努力完成好的国家使命。”改革开放以来，中国与其他国家的联系越来越紧密，特别是中国加入世界贸易组织以来，中国的经济发展与世界经济的发展密切相关。随着经济全球化的不断推进，世界经济一体化趋势越来越明显，构建人类命运共同体的理念正是基于全人类共同利益提出来的。构建人类命运共同体的社会实践是新时代党的自我革命的世界发展目标，体现了中国共产党领导中国人民进行伟大社会实践的世界担当。

Cultivate a sense of vigilance and link the Party’s self-revolution with the construction of world party politics. The construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era cannot be separated from the macro environment of world economic and political development. The process of the Party’s self-revolution is closely related to the development process of party politics worldwide. Self-revolution is a positive response to the crises of political parties in other countries and a vivid manifestation of the CPC’s sense of vigilance. “To understand the ‘self-revolution’ that took place at the 19th National Congress of the CPC, one must understand the crisis of political power, especially the crisis of political parties, facing the world today. Without understanding the world power crisis, it is difficult to understand the ‘self-revolution’ carried out by the CPC.” [10]10 This is a quotation from a Chinese source, likely a scholarly article or official document, referencing the 19th National Congress of the CPC and the concept of self-revolution in the context of global political party crises. The CPC has always had a strong sense of crisis. Through self-revolution, it resolves the current dangers of mental slackness, insufficient capability, detachment from the masses, and passive corruption, thereby enhancing the Party’s long-term governance capacity. This world significance fully demonstrates the responsibility and commitment of the world’s largest Marxist ruling party.

树立忧患意识，把党的自我革命同世界政党政治建设联系起来。新时代中国特色社会主义建设不能脱离世界经济和政治发展的宏观大环境，党的自我革命进程与世界范围内的政党政治发展进程密切相关。自我革命是对其他国家政党危机的积极回应，是中国共产党忧患意识的生动体现，“要认识中共十九大所发生的‘自我革命’，就必须理解当今世界所面临的政治权力危机，尤其是政党危机。不理解世界性的权力危机就很难理解中国共产党所进行的‘自我革命’的世界意义”[7]。中国共产党一直有强烈的危机意识，通过自我革命化解当前面临的精神懈怠危险、能力不足危险、脱离群众危险、消极腐败危险，从而提升党的长期执政能力。这一世界意义充分彰显了世界上最大的马克思主义执政党的责任与担当。

III. Establish a Contradiction View and a Development View, Correctly Grasp the “Two-Point Theory” and the “Key-Point Theory” in the Party’s Self-Revolution

三、树立矛盾观和发展观，正确把握党的自我革命中的“两点论”和“重点论”

Contradiction is the driving force behind the development of things. The Party’s self-revolution originates precisely from the social existence of contradictions. “If one believes that there are no contradictions or very few contradictions within the Party or in society, one will inevitably lose the necessity and impetus for continuously and vigorously carrying out self-revolution.” [11]11 This is a quotation from a Chinese source, likely a scholarly article or official document, arguing that the absence of perceived contradictions would eliminate the need for self-revolution. The two-point theory and the key-point theory are basic methods of contradiction analysis, running through the entire process of contradiction analysis. The method of contradiction analysis is also an important component of dialectical materialism. In the Party’s self-revolution, it is necessary to proceed from the unity of the “two-point theory” and the “key-point theory,” grasping the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction in Party building and socialist construction in the New Era.

矛盾是事物发展的动力源泉。党的自我革命正是源于矛盾的社会存在，“如果认为党内和社会不存在矛盾或者极少存在矛盾，就必然会失去持续、大力开展自我革命的必要和动力”。两点论和重点论是矛盾分析的基本方法，贯穿于矛盾分析的全过程。矛盾分析法也是唯物辩证法的重要内容。在党的自我革命中，必须从“两点论”和“重点论”统一的高度出发，抓住新时代党的建设和社会主义建设过程中的主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面。

The Party’s self-revolution runs through the entire process of socialist construction with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. The ultimate goal of self-revolution is to resolve current social contradictions. Contradiction is the driving force behind the development of all things. The report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC pointed out, “With decades of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era. This is a new historical juncture in China’s development.” “The principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” [12]12 This is a direct quotation from the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, held in October 2017, which formally declared the New Era and redefined the principal contradiction. This new judgment on the principal contradiction indicates that the development stage of the New Era has undergone substantive changes, and the Party’s self-revolution has gained a direction and goal in the specific context of real contradictions and problems. Therefore, in the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era, it is necessary to adhere to the “two-point theory” and the “key-point theory,” grasp the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction, adhere to seeking truth from facts, do a good job of investigation and research, and effectively master the scientific methods for resolving contradictions.

党的自我革命贯穿于新时代中国特色社会主义建设的全过程，自我革命的最终目的是解决当下的社会矛盾。矛盾是一切事物发展的动力。党的十九大报告指出，“经过长期努力，中国特色社会主义进入了新时代，这是我国发展新的历史方位。”“我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾。”对社会主要矛盾作出的新判断表明新时代发展阶段发生了实质性变化，党的自我革命在现实矛盾问题的具体语境下有了革命的方向和目标。因此，要在新时代党的自我革命中坚持“两点论”和“重点论”，抓住主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，坚持实事求是，做好调查研究，切实掌握解决矛盾的科学方法。

Source: China Theory Network, February 27, 2025

文章来源：《中国理论网》2025年2月27日

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆