The Core of Conduct in Office Is the Relationship Between the Party and the Masses

The Party’s conduct in office bears on the Party’s image, bears on popular support, and bears on the Party’s survival or extinction

党的作风关系党的形象，关系人心向背，关系党的生死存亡。习近平总书记强调：“加强和改进党的作风建设，核心问题是保持党同人民群众的血肉联系。”中国共产党的最大政治优势是密切联系群众，党执政后的最大危险是脱离群众。在改革开放和发展社会主义市场经济的条件下，我们党脱离群众的危险比过去大大增加，这就是党的十八大强调全党要经受住“四大考验”、防止“四种危险”的目的所在。新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央决定雷厉风行抓作风建设，出发点和落脚点就在这里。新征程上，持续推进党的作风建设，必须牢牢抓住党群关系这个核心，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供坚强作风保证。

The masses are the Party’s source of strength and the foundation of its victory.

人民群众是党的力量源泉和胜利之本

The masses are the Party’s foundation for governance, its source of strength, and the foundation of its victory. The Marxist historical materialist view holds that the masses are the subject of history, the creators of society’s material and spiritual wealth, and the decisive force in social change. Without the masses, no historical scroll can be unfurled; the masses are both the “actors in the drama” of historical evolution and the “playwrights” of the historical process. Our Party, which began as a political party with only a little over fifty members, has developed into the world’s largest Marxist ruling party today, and the construction of the Party’s work style has played a crucial role in this. It is precisely because our Party has always adhered to its original aspiration and founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, has always maintained its flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, and has continuously drawn wisdom and strength from the masses, that it has been able to defeat all enemies at home and abroad, overcome all kinds of difficulties and obstacles on the path forward, and continuously win one great victory after another.

人民群众是党的执政之基、力量之源、胜利之本。马克思主义唯物史观认为，人民群众是历史的主体，是社会物质财富和精神财富的创造者，是社会变革的决定力量。没有人民群众，任何历史的画卷都不能展开，人民群众是历史演进的“剧中人”，又是历史过程的“剧作者”。我们党从一个只有50多人的政党，发展成为今天世界上最大的马克思主义执政党，党的作风建设起到了至关重要的作用。正是因为我们党始终坚守为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的初心使命，始终保持同人民群众的血肉联系，不断从群众中汲取智慧和力量，才能战胜国内外一切敌人，克服前进道路上的各种艰难险阻，不断赢得一个又一个伟大胜利。

During the era of revolutionary war, our Party already formed the fine work style of maintaining close ties with the masses. “Half a quilt,” [1]1 “Half a quilt” refers to a story from the Long March era in which three female Red Army soldiers, before leaving a village, cut their only quilt in half and gave one half to a poor elderly woman, symbolizing the Party’s deep bond with the people. a token of mutual care and connection, symbolizes the inseparable, fish-and-water deep affection between our Party and the masses. From the fine work style of the Communists, the masses came to understand the Party’s purpose, giving rise to countless moving stories such as “the last bowl of rice is sent to make military provisions, the last foot of cloth is sent to make military uniforms, the last old cotton-padded jacket is spread over the stretcher, and the last beloved child is sent to the battlefield.” [2]2 This is a folk saying from the revolutionary period, illustrating the people’s total material and personal sacrifice in support of the Communist-led war effort. On the eve of the victory of the War of Liberation, when the Party Central Committee left Xibaipo [3]3 Xibaipo was the village in Hebei Province that served as the CPC’s last rural headquarters before entering Beijing in 1949. for Beiping, Mao Zedong meaningfully called this journey “going to the capital to take the examination,” [4]4 “Going to the capital to take the examination” is Mao Zedong’s famous metaphor for the Party’s transition from rural revolutionary base to national ruling power, framing it as a test of the Party’s ability to avoid corruption and maintain its revolutionary character. and confidently said: “We will never be Li Zicheng, [5]5 Li Zicheng was a peasant rebel leader who overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644 but whose regime quickly collapsed due to corruption and internal strife, a cautionary historical example for the CPC. and we all hope to get a good result on the examination.” What Mao Zedong called “taking the examination” was an examination of the relationship between the Party and the masses, an examination of whether the Party could consistently uphold building the Party for the public and exercising power for the people.

在革命战争年代，我们党就形成了密切联系群众的优良作风。半条被子，守望相连，象征着我们党和人民群众须臾不可分离的鱼水深情。人民群众从共产党人的优良作风中，感悟到党的宗旨，涌现出无数“最后一碗米送去做军粮，最后一尺布送去做军装，最后一件老棉袄盖在担架上，最后一个亲骨肉送去上战场”的感人事迹。解放战争胜利前夕，党中央离开西柏坡前往北平，毛泽东意味深长地将此行称为“进京赶考”，并且自信地说：“我们决不当李自成，我们都希望考个好成绩。”毛泽东所说的“赶考”，就是考党与人民群众的关系，考党能否始终坚持立党为公、执政为民。

History has repeatedly proven that when the Party’s work style is good and its ties with the masses are close, the Party’s cause can develop smoothly; when the Party’s work style is not good enough and its ties with the masses are not close enough, the Party’s cause will suffer setbacks. Today, our Party has successfully traversed a glorious course of more than one hundred years. The more we advance reform and opening up, the more we develop the socialist market economy, and the longer we remain in power, the more prominent various work style issues within the Party become, and the more we must strengthen work style education and work style construction. We must always remember that the Party’s fine work style cannot change, and the fish-and-water deep affection between the Party and the masses cannot change.

历史反复证明，党的作风好，联系群众紧密，党的事业就能发展顺利；党的作风不够好，联系群众不够紧密，党的事业就会遭受挫折。如今，我们党已成功走过了百余年的光辉历程。越是改革开放，越是发展社会主义市场经济，越是长期执政，党内形形色色的作风问题越是突出，我们越是要加强作风教育和作风建设。要时刻牢记党的优良作风不能变，党和人民群众的鱼水情深不能变。

Cultivating a deep sense of public servanthood and forever preserving the true character of a public servant is the glorious tradition of Chinese Communists.

厚植公仆情怀，永葆公仆本色，是中国共产党人的光荣传统

The Party Constitution clearly stipulates: “Party cadres are the backbone of the Party’s cause and the public servants of the people.” Being a good public servant of the people is our Party’s consistent proposition and basic requirement. During the Yan’an period, [6]6 The Yan’an period (1935–1948) refers to the CPC’s base area in Shaanxi, where many of its foundational political and ideological traditions were developed. the Party proposed the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and wrote it into the Party Constitution, emphasizing that this contingent “is entirely for the liberation of the people and works completely in the interests of the people,” [7]7 This is a quotation from Mao Zedong’s 1944 essay “Serve the People.” requiring Party cadres to “firmly sit on the side of the common people,” [8]8 This is a quotation attributed to Mao Zedong, emphasizing the need for cadres to align themselves with the common people’s interests. creating a vivid situation of “seeing only public servants, not officials.” [9]9 This phrase describes the ideal of a revolutionary society where officials are indistinguishable from ordinary people in their conduct and service. In various historical periods of socialist construction, reform, and opening up, batches upon batches of outstanding public servants of the people have emerged, such as Jiao Yulu, [10]10 Jiao Yulu (1922–1964) was a county Party secretary in Lankao, Henan, celebrated as a model cadre for his selfless work fighting natural disasters despite terminal illness. the “good cadre of the Party” who led the people of Lankao in controlling wind and sand and continued working despite serious illness; Kong Fansen, [11]11 Kong Fansen (1944–1994) was a senior cadre sent to work in Tibet, posthumously honored as a national role model for his dedication and sacrifice. a model for leading cadres who dedicated his fiery heart to the snowy plateau; Zheng Peimin, [12]12 Zheng Peimin (1943–2002) was a provincial-level Party official in Hunan, known for his integrity and service to the people. who adhered to the principle that “the highest realm of being an official is to do practical things for the people, not to enjoy comfort and leisure”; and Niu Yuru, [13]13 Niu Yuru (1952–2004) was a Party secretary in Inner Mongolia, praised for his incorruptibility and commitment to the people’s welfare. who sought no personal gain from his official position and devoted himself solely to the people. With their entire lives, they practiced the solemn oath of Communist Party members to serve the people and displayed the political character of public servants of the people. These heroic images and deeds stand like monuments on the high ground of the Party’s work style construction; they are like rulers measuring the work style of those who come after; they are like mirrors reflecting the “dust” on the work style of Party cadres and officials. Practice has proven that whether one remembers the purpose, acts impartially for the people, cares for the masses, and solves their difficulties has always been an important part of the Party’s strengthening of work style construction and a touchstone for measuring the cultivation of Party cadres and officials.

党章明确规定：“党的干部是党的事业的骨干，是人民的公仆。”当好人民公仆是我们党的一贯主张和基本要求。延安时期，党提出全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨并写入党章，强调共产党“这个队伍完全是为着解放人民的，是彻底地为人民的利益工作的”，要求党的干部“把屁股端端地坐在老百姓的这一面”，形成了“只见公仆不见官”的生动局面。在社会主义建设和改革开放的各个历史时期，涌现出一批又一批优秀的人民公仆，比如带领兰考人民治理风沙、身患重病仍坚持工作的“党的好干部”焦裕禄，把自己一颗火热的心献给了雪域高原、领导干部的楷模孔繁森，恪守“当官的最高境界就是为老百姓办实事，而不是享清福”的郑培民，做官不谋私利、一心只为百姓的牛玉儒等。他们用自己的一生，实践着共产党员为人民服务的庄严誓言，展现着人民公仆的政治本色。这些英雄形象和事迹就像一座座丰碑，树立在党的作风建设的高地上；像是一把把尺子，丈量着后来人的作风；像是一面面镜子，照出党员干部作风上的“灰尘”。实践证明，是否牢记宗旨秉公为民，是否心系群众排忧解难，始终是党加强作风建设的重要内容，是衡量党员干部修养的试金石。

Possessing the people’s support and endorsement is our Party’s powerful political advantage. The vast majority of Party cadres and officials have charged forward and selflessly dedicated themselves in various tasks of reform, development, and maintaining stability, playing a vanguard and exemplary role, and winning the affirmation and support of the broad masses of the people. At the same time, it must also be noted that some Party cadres and officials still have some problems in their work style, concentratedly manifested in the “four forms of decadence” [14]14 “Four forms of decadence” (四风) is a standard Party term for formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance, which have been the targets of a major anti-corruption and work-style rectification campaign since 2013. of formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance. If allowed to develop, these will be like an invisible wall separating our Party from the masses, and our Party will lose its foundation, its lifeblood, and its strength. Therefore, strengthening work style construction and solving the problem of the relationship between the Party and the masses requires that the vast majority of Party cadres and officials must always take the people’s standpoint as the fundamental standpoint, take seeking happiness for the people as the fundamental mission, adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, implement the mass line, respect the people’s principal position and pioneering spirit, always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, gather the mighty force of unity, and unite and lead the people to jointly create historical great achievements.

拥有人民的拥护和支持是我们党的强大政治优势，广大党员干部在改革发展稳定各项工作中冲锋陷阵、忘我奉献，发挥了先锋模范作用，赢得了广大人民群众肯定和拥护。同时，还要看到，部分党员干部在作风上还存在一些问题，集中表现在形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风这“四风”上，如果任其发展下去，就会像一座无形的墙把我们党和人民群众隔开，我们党就会失去根基、失去血脉、失去力量。因此，加强作风建设，解决好党同人民群众的关系问题，要求广大党员干部必须始终把人民立场作为根本立场，把为人民谋幸福作为根本使命，坚持全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨，贯彻群众路线，尊重人民主体地位和首创精神，始终保持同人民群众的血肉联系，凝聚起众志成城的磅礴力量，团结带领人民共同创造历史伟业。

Improve the long-term mechanism for maintaining contact with and serving the masses, and continuously deepen the construction of the work style.

健全联系服务群众长效机制，不断将作风建设引向深入

Once the Eight-Point Regulations [15]15 The Eight-Point Regulations are a set of rules on austerity and anti-corruption issued by the Party Central Committee in 2012, which have been a key were implemented on the ground, the entire work style construction came alive; the Party’s and government’s conduct took on a completely new look, social customs and public sentiment continuously improved, and the Party’s image in the hearts of the people was reshaped. At the same time, maintaining the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses is an eternal task. Work style issues have a repetitive and stubborn nature; they cannot be solved overnight or accomplished in one fell swoop, nor can they be treated as a passing fad that stops after a brief effort. They must be addressed regularly and persistently. We must both focus on the present, effectively solving the prominent issues strongly reflected by the masses, and look to the long term, establishing and perfecting a long-term mechanism to promote Party cadres and officials to be pragmatic and clean for the people.

八项规定一子落地，作风建设满盘皆活，党风政风焕然一新，社风民风持续向好，党在人民心中的形象实现重塑。同时，保持党同人民群众的血肉联系是一个永恒课题，作风问题具有反复性和顽固性，不可能一蹴而就、毕其功于一役，更不能一阵风、刮一下就停，必须经常抓、长期抓。我们既要立足当前、切实解决群众反映强烈的突出问题，又要着眼长远、建立健全促进党员干部坚持为民务实清廉的长效机制。

It is necessary to strengthen theoretical education and consolidate ideological consensus. We must deeply study, carefully comprehend, and thoroughly integrate General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on strengthening the Party’s work style construction and the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations. Using various forms such as theoretical study center group learning, heart-to-heart talks, warning education, and special guidance, we must continuously promote the normalization and institutionalization of theoretical study, arm the mind with the Party’s innovative theory, firmly establish the awareness of purpose, build a solid foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of the spirit, [16]16 “Fish-and-water relationship” (鱼水情) is a standard metaphor in CPC discourse for the close, interdependent bond between the Party and the masses, originating from Mao Zedong’s wartime analogy that the Party is like a fish and the people are like the water it swims in. steady the helm of thought, firmly establish communist ideals and beliefs from the depths of thought, consciously improve the work style, and better maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses.

要加强理论教育，凝聚思想共识。要深学细悟、融会贯通，准确把握习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设重要论述和中央八项规定精神，以理论学习中心组学习、谈心谈话、警示教育、专题辅导等多种形式不断推进理论学习常态化、制度化，以党的创新理论武装头脑，树牢宗旨意识，筑牢信仰之基，补足精神之钙，把稳思想之舵，从思想深处坚定共产主义理想信念，自觉改进作风，更好地保持党同人民群众的血肉联系。

It is necessary to uphold and promote the spirit of hard struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “In grasping the improvement of the work style, all tasks are important, but the most fundamental is to uphold and promote the spirit of hard struggle.” Hard struggle, as our Party’s fine tradition and work style, is an important magic weapon for our Party to maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses. Party cadres and officials must establish correct values, maintain a frugal lifestyle, guard against gradual erosion, overcome decadent ideas of pursuing pleasure, be diligent and thrifty, work earnestly and practically, and be honest and upright. Only in this way can we win the people’s hearts and consolidate the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses.

要坚持和发扬艰苦奋斗精神。习近平总书记强调：“抓改进工作作风，各项工作都很重要，但最根本的是要坚持和发扬艰苦奋斗精神。”艰苦奋斗作为我们党的优良传统和作风，是我们党保持同人民群众血肉联系的一个重要法宝。党员干部要树立正确的价值观，保持俭朴的生活作风，防微杜渐，克服追求享乐的腐朽思想，克勤克俭，真抓实干，清正廉洁。唯有如此，才能赢得民心，巩固党同人民群众的血肉联系。

We must improve the long-term mechanism for maintaining contact with and serving the masses. Institutions are an important guarantee for work style building. To strengthen work style building and always maintain the Party’s flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, we must focus on institutional constraints. Improve the long-term mechanism for doing practical things for the masses, organically combining serving the people with enhancing the efficiency of Party and government organs, and doing more practical things that benefit people’s livelihoods, warm people’s hearts, and conform to people’s wishes, so as to strengthen ties with the masses; improve the long-term mechanism for investigation and research, going deep among the masses to listen to their voices and observe their opinions, and enhancing the “fish-and-water relationship”[16]16 “Fish-and-water relationship” (鱼水情) is a standard metaphor in CPC discourse for the close, interdependent bond between the Party and the masses, originating from Mao Zedong’s wartime analogy that the Party is like a fish and the people are like the water it swims in. with a people-centered sentiment; improve the long-term mechanism for strengthening work style building, persistently grasping work style building, achieving not a single moment of relaxation and not a single pause, and using a fine work style to closely unite the broad masses around the Party.

要健全联系服务群众长效机制。制度是作风建设的重要保障。加强作风建设，始终保持党同人民群众的血肉联系，必须着眼于制度约束。完善为群众办实事的长效机制，把为民办事与提升机关效能有机结合起来，多办一些惠民生、暖民心、顺民意的实事，密切与人民群众的联系；完善调查研究的长效机制，深入群众听民声、察民意，以为民情怀增进“鱼水情”；完善加强作风建设的长效机制，持之以恒抓作风建设，做到一丝都不放松、一刻都不停顿，以优良作风把广大人民群众紧紧团结在党的周围。

(Authors: Hong Xianghua, Deputy Director and Professor of the Scientific Research Department of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance); Yang Jiahui, PhD candidate of the Party Building Department of the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance))

（作者：洪向华，中央党校（国家行政学院）科研部副主任、教授；杨佳惠，中央党校（国家行政学院）党建部博士）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心