The Logical Pathway for Consolidating the Party’s Cultural Leadership in the New Era

Culture concerns the foundation of a nation and its fortunes; it is not only the spiritual lifeline of a country and its people but also a powerful force for uniting hearts and driving development. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, grounded in the Party’s century-long experience of struggle and accurately grasping domestic and international circumstances, has creatively put forward the epochal proposition of “upholding the Party’s cultural leadership.” [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. Under the strong guidance of upholding the Party’s cultural leadership, socialist culture with Chinese characteristics has flourished and developed. On the new journey of the New Era, we must continuously consolidate the Party’s cultural leadership, gather powerful cultural forces to realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and write a new chapter in the flourishing development of culture in the New Era.

文化关乎国本、国运，不仅是一个国家和民族的精神命脉，更是凝聚人心、推动发展的强大力量。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足党的百余年奋斗经验，准确把握国内外形势，创造性地提出“坚持党的文化领导权”这一时代命题。在坚持党的文化领导权的有力引领下，中国特色社会主义文化繁荣发展。新时代新征程，要不断巩固党的文化领导权，为实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦汇聚起强大的文化力量，书写新时代文化繁荣发展新篇章。

First, based on theoretical logic, uphold the guiding position of Marxism. Culture is a reflection of a given society’s relations of production at the level of ideology. Economic and social development drives cultural progress, while culture in turn influences the economy—it can unite popular forces and stimulate creativity, thereby promoting economic and social development. Marx and Engels emphasized the need to spread socialist ideas among the working class to win popular recognition, thereby establishing cultural leadership. [2]2 Marx and Engels: Karl Marx (1818–1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820–1895), the founders of Marxism. Starting from human practice, Marx and Engels explored culture, revealing the general laws of human cultural development. Their theory that practice generates the essence of culture provides an important methodology for thinking about the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics today.

一是立足理论逻辑，坚持马克思主义指导地位。文化是一定社会生产关系在意识形态层面的反映。经济与社会发展推动文化进步，而文化又反过来影响经济——它能凝聚民众力量、激发创造力，从而促进经济与社会发展。马克思恩格斯强调要把社会主义思想传播到工人阶级中以获取民众认同，从而建立文化领导权。马克思恩格斯从人类实践出发对文化进行探索，揭示了人类文化发展的一般规律，他们关于实践生成文化本质的理论，为当今思考中国特色社会主义文化发展提供了重要方法论。

Upholding the Party’s cultural leadership is an important thesis put forward by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on China’s actual conditions and the characteristics of the times, inheriting Marxist cultural theory. It is an innovative development of Marxist cultural theory in contemporary China. On the one hand, in building the Party’s cultural leadership, it is necessary to take Marxism as the guide, run the basic tenets of Marxism through the entire process of building the Party’s cultural leadership, and, in light of China’s national conditions and the characteristics of the times, provide theoretical support for the Party’s cultural leadership. On the other hand, it is necessary to fully recognize that Marxism provides a scientific methodology for people to understand and transform the world. The reason China firmly grasps cultural leadership is precisely that it combines the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture. We insist on taking Marxism and the theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times as our theoretical foundation and ideological cornerstone, fundamentally ensuring the scientific nature and advanced nature of socialist cultural construction, and fundamentally promoting the vigorous development of the Party’s propaganda, ideological, and cultural work.

坚持党的文化领导权是以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足中国实际和时代特征，在继承马克思主义文化理论基础上提出的重要论断，是马克思主义文化理论在当代中国的创新发展。一方面，在党的文化领导权建设中，必须以马克思主义为指导，将马克思主义基本原理贯穿到党的文化领导权建设的全过程，结合我国国情和时代特征，为党的文化领导权提供理论支撑。另一方面，要充分认识到马克思主义为人们认识世界和改造世界提供了科学的方法论。中国牢牢掌握文化领导权，靠的就是把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合。我们坚持将马克思主义及其中国化时代化的理论成果作为理论基础与思想基石，从根本上确保了社会主义文化建设的科学性与先进性，也从根本上推动着党的宣传思想文化工作蓬勃发展。

Second, following historical logic, consolidate the principal position of the people. Over the Party’s century-long course of struggle, the Communist Party of China has accumulated rich experience in cultural leadership. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, our Party put forward concepts such as encouraging intellectuals to engage in cultural work and promoting literature and art serving the masses, expanding the class base and mass base of the Party’s cultural leadership. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, our Party put forward the policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” [3]3 “Letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend” (百花齐放、百家争鸣): a policy for promoting diversity in arts and sciences, first proposed by Mao Zedong in 1956. creating a favorable cultural atmosphere, mobilizing the people’s enthusiasm for participating in cultural construction, and consolidating the principal position of the people in the cultural sphere. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, our Party further emphasized strengthening the Party’s cultural leadership, creating conditions for the flourishing development of the people’s cultural life. Entering the New Era, our Party has taken “upholding Party leadership in all work” as an important principle for governing the country, firmly standing with the people, and continuously consolidating and strengthening the Party’s cultural leadership through the people’s recognition and support.

二是遵循历史逻辑，巩固人民主体性。在党的百余年奋斗历程中，中国共产党积累了丰富的文化领导经验。新民主主义革命时期，我们党提出鼓励知识分子投身文化工作、推动文艺为大众服务等理念，扩大了党的文化领导权的阶级基础与群众基础。社会主义革命和建设时期，我们党提出“百花齐放、百家争鸣”的方针，营造良好文化氛围，调动人民参与文化建设的积极性，巩固了文化领域的人民主体地位。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，我们党进一步强调加强党的文化领导权，为人民文化生活繁荣发展创造条件。进入新时代，我们党将“坚持党对一切工作的领导”作为治国理政的重要遵循，站稳人民立场，在人民的认可与支持中不断巩固和加强党的文化领导权。

The people’s standpoint is the fundamental standpoint for upholding the Party’s cultural leadership, and the unity of Party spirit and people’s character is the basic principle for upholding the Party’s cultural leadership. First, the masses of the people are both the creators of advanced culture and the beneficiaries of the fruits of advanced culture. Upholding the Party’s cultural leadership must unswervingly stand firm on the people’s standpoint, highly unifying responsibility to the Party with responsibility to the people. Second, we should continuously enhance the people’s spiritual strength, delve deeply into the people’s life practices, excavate authentic materials, and create excellent literary and artistic works that reflect the people’s voices, achieve spiritual nourishment, and transmit values. Finally, the ruling party’s governance level and effectiveness need to be judged and tested by the people. Our Party can proactively go deep among the masses, extensively draw on wisdom and experience, and take the people’s opinions and suggestions as an important basis for improving work, ensuring that the Party’s cause advances steadily and far. By continuously enhancing the Party’s capacity for self-renovation, the Party’s cultural leadership is continuously consolidated and strengthened, ensuring that the Party always firmly grasps the dominant power over cultural development and guides cultural construction to develop in a direction that conforms to the people’s interests and the requirements of the times.

人民立场是坚持党的文化领导权的根本立场，党性和人民性相统一是坚持党的文化领导权的基本遵循。首先，人民群众既是先进文化的创造者，也是先进文化成果的享有者。坚持党的文化领导权，必须毫不动摇地站稳人民立场，将对党负责与对人民负责高度统一起来。其次，应不断增强人民精神力量，深入人民群众生活实践，挖掘真实素材，创作出反映人民心声、实现精神滋养与价值传递的优秀文艺作品。最后，执政党执政水平与成效需要人民评判和检验。我们党能够主动深入人民群众，广泛汲取智慧与经验，将人民的意见和建议作为改进工作的重要依据，确保党的事业行稳致远。通过持续增强党的自我革新能力，党的文化领导权得以不断巩固和加强，确保党始终牢牢把握文化发展的主导权，引领文化建设朝着符合人民利益与时代要求的方向发展。

Third, discerning practical logic, enhance international discourse power. In today’s world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating, and national cultural soft power has become a key factor in competition over comprehensive national strength. Western countries, relying on their first-mover advantages in the economy, cultural industries, science and technology, and other fields, vainly attempt to infiltrate hegemonic and power politics concepts into the cultural sphere, vainly attempt to weaken the CPC’s ruling foundation, and thereby dissolve national cohesion. To win the initiative and promote cultural prosperity and flourishing, we must uphold the Party’s cultural leadership and consolidate the strong position of Marxism.

三是洞察现实逻辑，增强国际话语权。当今世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，国家文化软实力已成为综合国力竞争的关键因素。西方国家凭借在经济、文化产业、科学技术等领域的先发优势，妄图将霸权主义、强权政治理念渗透至文化领域，妄图削弱中国共产党的执政根基，进而消解国家凝聚力。要想赢得主动权，推动文化繁荣兴盛，必须坚持党的文化领导权，筑牢马克思主义的坚强阵地。

Facing the complex and volatile international situation and the mutual contention of various social trends of thought, the Communist Party of China must consolidate its ideological foundation and focus on strengthening its capacity for ideological guidance. To enhance cultural confidence in the New Era, it is necessary to strengthen the Party’s political responsibility, fully tap into unique cultural resource advantages, boldly innovate cultural content and forms, and courageously and actively respond to external challenges. “Telling China’s stories well” is the foundation for enhancing international discourse power. We must focus on strengthening the construction of international communication capacity, carry out precise promotion through world-class new mainstream media and social media, and increase the coverage and influence of China’s stories. At the same time, introduce preferential policies to support the creation and export of cultural products with Chinese cultural elements, such as films, animations, and games, promote the fine traditional Chinese culture to go global, spread contemporary Chinese values worldwide, contribute more wisdom to the development of human civilization with Chinese stories, and at the same time add Chinese color to the flourishing development of global culture.

面对错综复杂的国际形势与各种社会思潮相互激荡的局面，中国共产党必须夯实思想基础，着重加强党的思想引领力建设。新时代增强文化自信，需强化党的政治担当，充分挖掘独特文化资源优势，勇于创新文化内容与形式，敢于积极应对外部挑战。“讲好中国故事”是增强国际话语权的基础。我们要着力加强国际传播能力建设，通过国际一流新型主流媒体和社交媒体进行精准推送，提高中国故事的覆盖面和影响力。同时，出台优惠政策扶持具有中国文化元素的影视、动漫、游戏等文化产品的创作与出口，推动中华优秀传统文化走向世界，在全球范围内传播当代中国价值观念，用中国故事为人类文明发展贡献更多智慧，同时为全球文化繁荣发展增添中国色彩。

Fourth, practicing practical logic, promote the flourishing development of socialist culture. The Party’s cultural leadership is the key to ensuring that cultural construction advances steadily in the correct direction. The Two Integrations provide a key focal point and practical foundation for consolidating the Party’s cultural leadership, enabling the Party’s cultural leadership to take deep root in the soil of reality. The Two Integrations form a powerful synergy in the construction of Chinese-path modernization, jointly promoting the flourishing development of socialist culture and helping socialist cultural construction reach new heights.

四是践行实践逻辑，推动社会主义文化繁荣发展。党的文化领导权是确保文化建设沿着正确方向稳健前行的关键所在，“两个结合”为筑牢党的文化领导权提供了关键着力点与实践根基，促使党的文化领导权深深扎根于现实土壤。“两个结合”在中国式现代化建设中形成强大合力，共同推动社会主义文化繁荣发展，助力社会主义文化建设迈向新高度。

Focusing on combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, grasping cultural construction requires in-depth investigation of the current national conditions and the people’s cultural needs, accurately grasping the differences in urban and rural cultural development and the cultural preferences of different groups, and formulating cultural development strategies that conform to reality. In rural areas, tap into local folk cultural resources, create distinctive rural cultural brands, and drive economic development with cultural industries; in cities, based on community characteristics and resident composition, build diversified cultural venues and activity centers, provide rich cultural services, enhance the effectiveness of cultural construction, and enable the Party’s cultural leadership to be manifested in the people’s daily lives. Focusing on combining the basic tenets of Marxism with the fine traditional Chinese culture, grasping cultural construction requires deeply refining and displaying the essence of Chinese culture. In the field of education, Chinese cultural classics should be incorporated into textbooks and curriculum systems, nourish students’ minds with fine traditional Chinese culture, and cultivate cultural inheritors and innovators for the New Era. In literary and artistic creation, draw on traditional art forms and aesthetic styles, combine them with contemporary issues, create works that possess both Chinese cultural heritage and the spirit of the times, enhance cultural confidence with the unique charm of Chinese culture, and consolidate the foundation of the Party’s cultural leadership in cultural inheritance and innovation. In addition, use modern technology to build new platforms for cultural dissemination, expand the audience and influence of culture, continuously strengthen the Party’s cultural leadership in the flourishing development of culture, and lead the construction of a socialist cultural power to stride forward in the direction of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

着眼于马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，抓好文化建设要深入调研当下国情与民众文化需求，精准把握城乡文化发展差异、不同群体的文化喜好，制定符合实际的文化发展策略。在乡村，挖掘本土民俗文化资源，打造特色乡村文化品牌，以文化产业带动经济发展；在城市，依据社区特点与居民构成，建设多样化的文化场馆与活动中心，提供丰富文化服务，增强文化建设的实效性，使党的文化领导权在百姓生活中得到彰显。着眼于马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，抓好文化建设要深度提炼和展示中华文化精髓。在教育领域，应将中国文化经典纳入教材与课程体系，以中华优秀传统文化滋养学生心灵，培养新时代文化传承者与创新者。在文艺创作上，借鉴传统艺术形式与美学风格，结合时代议题，创作出兼具中华文化底蕴与时代精神特性的作品，以中华文化独特魅力增强文化自信，在文化传承创新中筑牢党的文化领导权根基。此外，利用现代科技搭建文化传播新平台，拓展文化受众面与影响力，在文化繁荣发展中不断强化党的文化领导权，引领社会主义文化强国建设朝着中华民族伟大复兴的方向大步迈进。

(The authors are professors at the School of Marxism, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology; researchers at the Shaanxi University Online Ideological and Political Work Research Center.)

（作者系陕西科技大学马克思主义学院教授；陕西高校网络思想政治工作研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心