The “Ontology,” Analytical Paradigm, and Basic Blueprint of the CPC Party-Building Studies Conceptual System

To construct a disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system that embody Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner, “in the final analysis, it is about constructing an independent Chinese knowledge system.” As a newly added first-level discipline under the category of law, the discipline of CPC history and Party building urgently needs to construct its disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system, and also urgently needs to scientifically construct its conceptual system and knowledge system. Focusing on Party-building research and Party-building studies, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given clear instructions: we must “strengthen research on comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, expand new horizons and make new generalizations in theory, deepen understanding of the laws of Party building in the New Era, continuously improve the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system of Party building, and continue to contribute wisdom and strength to advancing Party building in the New Era.” This important instruction is the basic guideline for strengthening Party-building research and constructing the knowledge system of CPC Party-building studies. Furthermore, constructing the knowledge system of Party-building studies must begin with the conceptual system; and constructing the conceptual system of Party-building studies must take the CPC as its object of study, take the advanced nature of a Marxist political party as its foundation, and extract core concepts and theoretical landmark concepts from Marxist party theory and the sinicized Marxist Party-building theoretical system; at the same time, it is also necessary to establish the basic concepts, basic categories, and basic knowledge framework of Party-building studies within the comparative perspective of global party building and party politics. Only in this way can we uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, scientifically construct the conceptual system and knowledge system of Party-building studies, so that it not only complements the Party’s innovative theories and fully embodies Chinese characteristics, but also integrates theory with practice, “enters the mind and heart” of Party cadres, and promotes exchanges and mutual learning among global political party civilizations, thereby enhancing discursive power.

构建体现中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，“归根结底是建构中国自主的知识体系”。中共党史党建学作为法学门类下新增一级学科，急需建构学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，也急需科学建构概念体系与知识体系。聚焦党建研究与党建学，习近平总书记明确指示：要“加强对全面从严治党的研究，在理论上拓展新视野、作出新概括，加深对新时代党的建设规律的认识，不断完善党的建设学科体系、学术体系、话语体系，继续为推进新时代党的建设贡献智慧和力量”。这一重要指示是加强党建研究、建构中共党建学知识体系的基本遵循。进而言之，建构党建学知识体系，必须从概念体系着手；而建构党建学概念体系，必须以中国共产党为研究对象，以马克思主义政党的先进性为根本，从马克思主义政党理论与中国化马克思主义党建理论体系中提炼核心概念与理论标识性概念；同时，也需要在世界政党建设与政党政治比较视野中确立党建学的基本概念、基本范畴与基本知识框架。唯有如此，才能守正创新、科学建构党建学概念体系与知识体系，使之既与党的创新理论相辅相成、充分体现中国特色，又能理论联系实际、在党员干部中“入脑入心”，还能促进世界政党文明交流互鉴、增强话语权。

I. The “Ontology” and “Principle Theory” of the CPC Party-Building Studies Conceptual System

一、中共党建学概念体系的“本体论”与“原则论”

In a general sense, a concept is both a “generalized summary” of a specific thing or phenomenon and a unit of thought and an element of knowledge; a conceptual system, or conceptual framework, is the systematic integration of a series of related concepts that reflect a complex thing or complex phenomenon, and should be a “tree of concepts” that can outline or reflect the “complete picture” of the thing, with an inherent hierarchical structure. For disciplinary construction, if concepts are the constituent elements of a theoretical system and knowledge system, then the conceptual system is the “basic blueprint” of the theoretical system and knowledge system. The fundamental goal of disciplinary construction is to “form a knowledge totality, that is, a knowledge system.” From the perspective of human social development, conceptual systems and knowledge systems not only help people understand and transform the objective world, but also help transform the subjective world. As one scholar has put it: “The conceptual system as knowledge is the ladder and fulcrum of human cognition; it is the subjective condition for people to grasp, observe, understand, and interpret reality, and also the subjective condition for regulating how people think and act.”

从通则意义上看，概念既是对特定事物或现象的“总体性概括”，又是思维单位与知识要素；概念体系或概念系统，则是反映复杂事物或复杂现象的一系列相关概念的系统集成，应该是能够勾勒或反映事物“全貌”、具有内在层次结构的“概念之树”。对学科建设而言，如果说概念是理论体系与知识体系的构成要素，那么，概念体系就是理论体系与知识体系的“基本图谱”。学科建设的根本努力目标，就是要“形成一个知识总体，即知识系统”。从人类社会发展看，概念体系、知识体系不仅有助于人们认识与改造客观世界，也有助于改造主观世界。正如有学者所言：“作为知识的概念系统是人类认识的阶梯和支撑点，它是人们把握、观察、理解和解释现实的主体条件，也是规范人们如何思想和行为的主体条件。”

So, where do the concepts or conceptual system of CPC Party-building studies come from? This first involves “ontology.” To construct a scientific conceptual system for Party-building studies, we must first clarify and squarely face the object of study, and closely revolve around the object of study to establish concepts and construct the conceptual system. The 2024 *Introduction to Postgraduate Education Disciplines and Their Basic Requirements for Degrees*, compiled by the Discipline Appraisal Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, clearly stipulates that the discipline of CPC history and Party building is “a science that takes the CPC as its object of study, is based on the history and reality of the CPC, and examines and studies the historical process, major achievements, basic experience, and laws of self-building of the CPC over more than a century of struggle.” This stipulation indicates that “the CPC” is the general, holistic object of study for the discipline of CPC history and Party building. The “ontology” directly related to this general object of study includes not only the organizational development and self-building of the CPC, but also the theory and practice of the CPC; it includes not only the historical state of the CPC, but also its current state. Furthermore, the “ontology” of the CPC actually includes many aspects such as the Party’s organizational system, theoretical system, policy system, institutional system, practical system (practical mechanisms, methods, etc.), roster of figures, spiritual lineage, and great achievements. As one of the “two sides of one coin” in the discipline of CPC history and Party building, the object of study of CPC Party-building studies cannot be confined within the traditional “narrow view of Party building,” that is, discussing Party building solely in terms of the Party’s self-building; rather, it should raise its standpoint, broaden its perspective, and examine it from the height of a “broad view of Party building” in which Party leadership, Party building, and the Party’s cause complement each other. From the “broad view of Party building,” the object of study of Party-building studies includes not only Party leadership and Party building, but also the theory and practice of Party affairs work, intra-Party regulations and institutions, as well as CPC history and Party-building theory, the Party’s governance theory, and relevant content within the historical development of the CPC. Specifically, the object of study of Party-building studies includes both the theory and practice, history and reality of Party leadership and Party building and its “subsystems”; it also includes the theory and practice, history and reality of Party affairs management, and the theory and practice, history and reality of intra-Party regulations inseparable from Party leadership and Party building. The theories involved here include not only Marxist party theory and basic principles, the sinicized Marxist Party-building theoretical system, but also Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building and Xi Jinping Thought on the Self-Revolution of the Party.

那么，中共党建学的概念或概念体系从哪里来？这首先涉及“本体论”。要建构科学的党建学概念体系，首先必须明确并正视研究对象，紧紧围绕研究对象来确立概念、建构概念体系。2024年国务院学位委员会学科评议组编修的《研究生教育学科专业简介及其学位基本要求》明确规定，中共党史党建学是“以中国共产党为研究对象，以中国共产党历史与现实为基础，考察和研究中国共产党百余年奋斗的历史进程、重大成就、基本经验和自身建设规律的一门科学”。这一规定说明，“中国共产党”是中共党史党建学总的、整体性的研究对象。与这一总的研究对象直接相关的“本体论”，既包括中国共产党的组织发展与自身建设，也包括中国共产党的理论与实践；既包括中国共产党的历史状态，也包括中国共产党的现实状态。进而言之，中国共产党的“本体论”实际上包括党的组织体系、理论体系、政策体系、制度体系、实践体系（实践机制、方式与方法等）、人物谱系、精神谱系、伟大业绩等诸多方面。作为中共党史党建学“一体两面”之一，中共党建学的研究对象不能局限在传统的“小党建观”之内，即仅仅就党的自身建设论党建；而应提高站位、拓宽视野，从党的领导、党的建设、党的事业相辅相成的“大党建观”高度来审视。从“大党建观”看，党建学的研究对象不仅包括党的领导和党的建设，也包括党务工作理论与实践、党内法规制度，还包括中共党史党建理论、党的执政理论、中国共产党历史发展之中的相关内容。具体而言，党建学的研究对象既包括党的领导的理论与实践、历史与现实，党的建设及其“子系统”的理论与实践、历史与现实；也包括党务管理的理论与实践、历史与现实，与党的领导、党的建设密不可分的党内法规的理论与实践、历史与现实。其中所涉及的理论，既包括马克思主义政党理论与基本原理、中国化马克思主义党建理论体系，也包括习近平总书记关于党的建设的重要思想和习近平总书记关于党的自我革命的重要思想。

Further, the main concepts of the entire discipline of CPC history and Party building should all come from an objective and rational understanding of the CPC, derived from scientific cognition and “mental imaging” of the Party’s organizational system, theoretical system, policy system, institutional system, practical system, roster of figures, spiritual lineage, and great achievements. Among these, the main concepts of Party-building studies should logically come from scientific cognition of the theory and practice, history and reality of Party leadership, the Party’s self-building, intra-Party regulations and institutions, and Party affairs management, and should seek answers from Marxist party theory and the sinicized Marxist Party-building theoretical system. Of course, not all “Party-building terms” or “Party-building vocabulary” can be called Party-building studies concepts; only those concise words or phrases that have “clear object boundaries, reflect essential attributes, have appropriate lexical choices, and have clear predicative relationships” can be called Party-building studies concepts. The conceptual system of CPC Party-building studies should be a systematic integration of related concepts formed on the basis of a comprehensive understanding of the object of study, and should be able to “outline” or reflect the overall picture, content structure, and inherent hierarchy of the object of study. It is in this sense that “concepts are theories about ontology: concepts are theories about the basic constituent elements of a certain phenomenon.”

进一步而言，整个中共党史党建学的主要概念，都应该来自对中国共产党的客观而理性的认知，源于对中国共产党的组织体系、理论体系、政策体系、制度体系、实践体系、人物谱系、精神谱系、伟大业绩等的科学认知与“头脑成像”。其中，党建学的主要概念，理应来自对党的领导、党的自身建设、党内法规制度、党务管理等理论与实践、历史与现实的科学认知，理应从马克思主义政党理论与中国化马克思主义党建理论体系之中寻找答案。当然，并非所有的“党建用语”或“党建词汇”都可被称为党建学概念；只有那些“对象边界清晰、反映本质属性、词汇选择恰当和谓述关系明确”的凝练词汇或短语，才能被称为党建学概念。而中共党建学的概念体系，应该是根据对研究对象的全面认知而形成的相关概念的系统集成，应该能够“勾勒”或反映出研究对象的轮廓全貌、内容结构与内在层次。正是在此意义上，“概念是关于本体论的理论：概念就是关于某一现象之基本构成要素的理论”。

However, observing the same thing from different standpoints and perspectives will yield different impressions and conclusions. This basic common sense indicates that constructing the concepts and conceptual system of Party-building studies is first and foremost an issue of “ontology”; to reveal the “essence” and “true features” of the object of study inevitably involves “epistemology,” “methodology,” and “axiology.” Fundamentally, the discipline of CPC history and Party building “arises from the Party and thrives because of the Party”; integrating theory with practice is a prominent feature of Party-building studies, and applying knowledge to practical use, serving governance and educating people, is the historical mission of the entire discipline of CPC history and Party building. Therefore, the value purpose of constructing the conceptual system of Party-building studies includes at least two aspects: First, to correctly understand the theory, institutions, and practice of the CPC, deepen understanding of the laws of Party leadership, governance, and building, continuously promote theoretical, institutional, and practical innovation in Party building, and continuously improve the Party’s leadership capacity and long-term governance level. Second, to thoroughly explain the reasoning, academic principles, and philosophical principles behind the CPC’s continuous growth and creation of great achievements over more than a century, and to answer the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times.

然而，从不同立场、不同视角观察同一事物，也会得出不同印象与结论。这一基本常识说明，建构党建学的概念与概念体系，首先就是“本体论”问题；要揭示研究对象的“本质”与“本来面目”，必然关涉“认识论”“方法论”与“价值论”。从根本上看，中共党史党建学“因党而生、因党而兴”，理论联系实际是党建学的显著特点，经世致用、资政育人是整个中共党史党建学的历史使命。因此，建构党建学概念体系的价值目的至少包括两个方面：一是正确认识中国共产党的理论、制度与实践，深化对党的领导规律、执政规律、建设规律的认识，不断推进党的建设理论创新、制度创新、实践创新，不断提高党的领导能力与长期执政水平。二是讲透中国共产党百余年来不断发展壮大、不断创造伟业的道理、学理与哲理，回答好中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问。

Therefore, constructing the conceptual system of CPC Party building studies must adhere to the intrinsic unity of ontology, epistemology, methodology, and axiology; it must follow certain basic principles and overcome intellectual limitations and ideological tendencies such as subjective conjecture, one-sided generalization, and the one-sided pursuit of “novelty.” On the whole, constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics must proceed according to the general line of “rooted in China, drawing on foreign experience, excavating history, grasping the present, caring for humanity, and facing the future”; it must “uphold emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, keeping pace with the times, and being practical and realistic; uphold dialectical materialism and historical materialism; closely integrate the new conditions of the era and the requirements of practice; and deepen the understanding of the laws governing the Communist Party’s governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society from a new perspective.” [1]1 This passage is adapted from the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC (2017), which established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Specifically applied to constructing the conceptual system of Party building studies, it is necessary to adhere to both a problem orientation and a goal orientation, enhance theoretical self-consciousness, methodological scientificity, mutual learning among civilizations, and global exchange, and effectively elevate Party building knowledge from being policy-oriented, practice-oriented, and experience-based to being specialized, standardized, typified, and systematized. To achieve this basic goal, the following basic principles should be followed: First, reveal the essence and full picture of things in accordance with seeking truth from facts. As is well known, concepts usually use concise words or phrases to reveal the essential attributes or basic characteristics of things; this can only be achieved by seeking truth from facts and overcoming subjective conjecture. Fundamentally, seeking truth from facts is the fundamental viewpoint of Marxism and also the Party’s basic leadership method, thinking method, and working method; its basic requirement is to reveal the essence and laws of development of things according to their true nature. Only by basing oneself on the essential attributes of a Marxist political party and comprehensively considering the intrinsic unity of the Party’s theory, system, practice, and values can one “strictly explain things according to their true nature” and scientifically construct the conceptual system of Party building studies. Therefore, revealing the essence and full picture of things in accordance with seeking truth from facts should become the primary principle for constructing the entire conceptual system of CPC Party building studies. Second, adhere to the integration of policy nature and academic nature. Fundamentally, class nature and political nature are inherent attributes of political parties; taking a clear political stand is a fundamental requirement for Marxist political parties. For Party building, its political nature is mainly embodied through the Party’s program, line, principles, and policies; policy language plays a “dominant” role in the theory and practice of Party building. The conceptual system of CPC Party building studies, as an organic unity and true “portrayal” of the Party’s theory, system, practice, and values, and as a knowledge carrier for people to understand the CPC’s theory and practice of governing the Party and running the state, can only achieve the functions of practical application and mutual learning among political party civilizations by breaking down the barriers between “policy language” and “academic language” and achieving their integration at the level of basic content. Third, it should have hierarchy and systematization. The conceptual system of Party building studies should be consistent with the holistic, systematic, and structural nature of Party building; it should be able to display the theme, main line, content structure, and basic requirements of Party building, and should not fail to distinguish between primary and secondary content levels, nor should it be chaotic or blindly pile up concepts. Fourth, it should have stability and openness, or inheritance and development. Because Party building is historical, inheritable, and developmental, and keeping pace with the times is the theoretical character of Marxism, the conceptual system of Party building studies should both fully reflect the historical experience of Party building and incorporate new ideas, new strategies, new judgments, and new requirements of Party building in a timely manner, fully demonstrating the new achievements of theoretical innovation, institutional innovation, and practical innovation in Party building.

因此，建构中共党建学的概念体系，必须坚持本体论、认识论、方法论、价值论的内在统一，必须遵循一定的基本原则，克服主观臆断、以偏概全、片面追求“标新立异”等思维局限与思想倾向。从整体上看，构建中国特色哲学社会科学必须按照立足中国、借鉴国外，挖掘历史、把握当代，关怀人类、面向未来的总体思路来进行，必须“坚持解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实，坚持辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，紧密结合新的时代条件和实践要求，以全新的视野深化对共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律的认识”。具体到建构党建学概念体系，则需要坚持问题导向与目标导向，增强理论自觉性、方法科学性、文明互鉴性与世界交流性，有效实现党建知识从政策化、实务化、经验化向专业化、规范化、类型化、系统化的提升。要实现这一基本目标，应遵循以下基本原则：一是实事求是地揭示事物的本质与全貌。众所周知，概念通常是用凝练的词汇或短语来揭示事物的本质属性或基本特征，只有实事求是、克服主观臆断才能做到这一点。从根本上看，实事求是乃马克思主义的根本观点，也是党的基本领导方法、思想方法、工作方法、；其基本要求，就是要根据事物的本来面目揭示事物的本质与发展规律。只有立足于马克思主义政党的本质属性，统筹考量党的理论、制度、实践、价值的内在统一，才能“严格地按照事物的本来面目来说明事物”，也才能科学建构党建学的概念体系。因此，实事求是地揭示事物本质与全貌，这应该成为建构整个中共党建学概念体系的首要原则。二是坚持政策性与学术性相融通。 从根本上看，阶级性、政治性是政党的固有属性，旗帜鲜明讲政治是马克思主义政党的根本要求。对党的建设而言，其政治性主要是通过党的纲领、路线方针政策来体现，政策性语言在党的建设理论与实践中具有“主导性”。中共党建学的概念体系作为党的建设理论、制度、实践、价值的有机统一与真实“写照”，作为人们认知中国共产党管党治党理论与实践的知识载体，只有打破“政策性语言”与“学术性语言”之间的壁垒、在基本内容层面实现二者融通，才能实现经世致用、政党文明互鉴之功用。三是应具有层次性与体系化。党建学的概念体系理应与党的建设的整体性、系统性、结构性相一致，理应能够展现党的建设主题、主线、内容结构与基本要求，不能不分主次与内容层次，更不能杂乱无章、盲目堆砌概念。四是应具有稳定性与开放性，或曰继承性与发展性。因为党的建设具有历史性、继承性与发展性，与时俱进是马克思主义的理论品格，党建学概念体系理应既充分体现党的建设的历史经验，又能与时俱进地把党的建设的新理念、新方略、新判断、新要求等纳入其中，充分彰显党的建设理论创新、制度创新、实践创新的新成果。

II. The Essential Attributes, Theoretical Markers, and Analytical Paradigm of a Marxist Political Party

二、马克思主义政党的本质属性、理论标识与分析范式

For a concept to reveal the essential attributes or basic characteristics of a thing, it must first clarify and confront the essential attributes of the thing. As an advanced political party guided by Marxism and organized according to the principle of democratic centralism, what are the essential attributes of the Communist Party of China? Judging from leaders’ speeches and authoritative central expressions, Hu Jintao clearly pointed out in his speech at the meeting celebrating the 85th anniversary of the founding of the CPC: “Advanced nature is the essential attribute of a Marxist political party and the lifeblood and source of strength of a Marxist political party. The advanced nature of the Party is historical and concrete; it is both consistent and keeps pace with the times. This determines that maintaining and developing the Party’s advanced nature is the fundamental task and eternal subject of a Marxist political party’s self-building.” [2]2 Hu Jintao was General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee from 2002 to 2012. The speech cited was delivered on 30 June 2006. General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out in his speech at the meeting celebrating the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC: “Advanced nature and purity are the essential attributes of a Marxist political party. When we strengthen Party building, we are to struggle against all problems that weaken advanced nature and impair purity, to cure diseases and heal wounds, and to drive out evil and usher in good.” [3]3 Xi Jinping’s speech was delivered on 1 July 2016. To deeply understand the essential attributes of a Marxist political party and the CPC, it is necessary both to deepen understanding through a comparative classification of world political parties, because “thinking about the essence of things is a kind of typological thinking,” and to correctly understand the relationship among the class nature, political nature, advanced nature, and purity of a Marxist political party.

一个概念要揭示事物的本质属性或基本特征，首先必须明确与正视事物的本质属性。中国共产党作为以马克思主义为指导、按照民主集中制原则组织起来的先进政党，其本质属性是什么？从领导人讲话与中央权威表述看，胡锦涛在庆祝中国共产党成立85周年大会上的讲话中明确指出：“先进性是马克思主义政党的本质属性，是马克思主义政党的生命所系、力量所在。党的先进性是历史的具体的，既是一以贯之的，又是与时俱进的。这就决定了保持和发展党的先进性是马克思主义政党自身建设的根本任务和永恒课题。”习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立95周年大会上的讲话中进一步指出：“先进性和纯洁性是马克思主义政党的本质属性，我们加强党的建设，就是要同一切弱化先进性、损害纯洁性的问题作斗争，祛病疗伤，激浊扬清。”要深刻认识马克思主义政党、中国共产党的本质属性，既需要从世界政党分类比较中来深化认识，因为对“事物的本质的思考是一种类型学的思考”，也需要正确认识马克思主义政党的阶级性、政治性、先进性、纯洁性之间的关系。

From the perspective of party typology, according to different classification standards, world political parties can be divided into different types. For example, based on class foundation and class attributes, modern political parties can be distinguished between bourgeois political parties and proletarian political parties. According to guiding ideology or party ideology, modern political parties can be distinguished between conservative parties and liberal parties, as well as between socialist parties and communist parties. According to the relationship between party origin and the political system, modern political parties can be distinguished between “parties within the system” and “parties outside the system,” as well as between “endogenous parties” and “exogenous parties,” and between “cadre parties” and “mass parties.” According to organizational principles, modern political parties can be distinguished between parties that take democracy as their organizational principle and parties that take democratic centralism as their organizational principle; between parties that practice centralism and parties that practice decentralization between the center and localities. Undoubtedly, the above classifications of party types all have some validity and explanatory power. However, using these classification standards to analyze the CPC can reveal the nature and characteristics of the CPC from a certain level, but they are still insufficient to reveal the essential attributes and essential characteristics of the CPC.

从政党类型学看，按照不同分类标准，世界政党可以划分为不同类型。例如，依据阶级基础与阶级属性，现代政党有资产阶级政党与无产阶级政党之别。根据指导思想或政党意识形态，现代政党既有保守主义政党与自由主义政党之别，也有社会主义政党与共产主义政党之分。根据政党起源与体制关系，现代政党既有“体制内政党”与“体制外政党”之分，也有“内生型政党”与“外生型政党”“干部型政党”与“群众型政党”之别。根据组织原则，现代政党既有以民主为组织原则的政党，也有以民主集中制为组织原则的政党；既有奉行中央集权的政党，也有奉行中央与地方分权的政党。毋庸置疑，上述政党类型划分，都具有一定的道理，也都具有一定的解释力。然而，用上述分类标准来分析中国共产党，可从某一层面揭示中国共产党的性质与特点，但都还不足以揭示中国共产党的本质属性与本质特征。

What are the essential attributes and essential characteristics of a Marxist political party? Marx and Engels not only clearly pointed out in the *Communist Manifesto* that “the Communists do not form a separate party opposed to the other working-class parties. They have no interests separate and apart from those of the proletariat as a whole,” but also emphasized that the Communists differ from other proletarian parties only in two respects: “on the one hand, in the different national struggles of the proletarians, the Communists emphasize and uphold the common interests of the entire proletariat, independent of nationality; on the other hand, in the various stages of development through which the struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie passes, the Communists always represent the interests of the entire movement.” According to the above logic, the *Communist Manifesto* focuses the essential attribute or essential characteristic of the Communist Party on advanced nature, emphasizing that “in practice, the Communists are the most resolute and always driving force in the workers’ parties of all countries; in theory, they surpass the rest of the proletariat in that they understand the conditions, course, and general results of the proletarian movement.” From the basic judgments and basic logic of the *Communist Manifesto*, we can derive three basic understandings.

什么是马克思主义政党的本质属性与本质特征？马克思恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中不仅明确指出，“共产党人不是同其他工人政党相对立的特殊政党。他们没有任何同整个无产阶级的利益不同的利益”，而且强调，共产党人同其他无产阶级政党不同的地方仅仅体现在两个方面：“一方面，在无产者不同的民族的斗争中，共产党人强调和坚持整个无产阶级共同的不分民族的利益；另一方面，在无产阶级和资产阶级的斗争所经历的各个发展阶段上，共产党人始终代表整个运动的利益。”根据上述逻辑，《共产党宣言》将共产党的本质属性或本质特征聚焦于先进性，强调“在实践方面，共产党人是各国工人政党中最坚决的、始终起推动作用的部分；在理论方面，他们胜过其余无产阶级群众的地方在于他们了解无产阶级运动的条件、进程和一般结果”。从《共产党宣言》的基本论断与基本逻辑，我们可以得出三个方面的基本认识。

First, from the perspective of class nature and the classification of party types, class nature is the “inherent attribute” of a “class-based party”; both bourgeois parties and proletarian parties belong to the category of “class-based parties,” Marxist parties belong to the category of proletarian parties, and are the “advanced type” among proletarian parties, and the Communist Party of China is classified as a Marxist party. From the perspective of the development of world party politics, since the emergence of capitalist society, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat have continuously grown and become increasingly antagonistic, to the point that “the whole of society is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great directly antagonistic classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat.” [4]4 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party* (1848). From the perspective of the origin of parties, proletarian parties and working-class parties did not emerge as “parties within the system” within the bourgeois system, nor are they a “product of electoral politics” in the West; rather, they are a historical product of the sharp antagonism between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie and of class struggle. This is precisely as Lenin stated: “In a society based on class divisions, the struggle between hostile classes inevitably becomes, at a certain stage of its development, a political struggle. The most complete, most distinct, and most consistent expression of the political struggle of classes is the struggle of parties.” [5]5 V. I. Lenin, “On the Struggle Within the Social-Democratic Party” (1910), a reference to his broader argument that party struggle is the highest form of class struggle. He emphasized that the proletarian party is “the highest form of class association of the proletarians,” and that a Marxist ruling party is “the directly ruling vanguard of the proletariat, the leader.” [6]6 V. I. Lenin, “The Tasks of the Proletariat in Our Revolution” (1917), where he defines the party as the vanguard of the proletariat. In sum, in today’s world, “every party has a political attribute, has its own political mission, political goals, and political pursuits”; class nature is the direct expression of a party’s political nature. With regard to the class nature and political nature of parties, the bourgeoisie is the inherent class foundation of bourgeois parties; the proletariat and the working class are the inherent class foundation of proletarian parties or working-class parties, and are also the “natural” class foundation of Marxist parties. It can thus be seen that the “class analysis method” has always been a powerful analytical paradigm for analyzing the class foundation, political stance, ideology, and value orientation of class-based parties.

第一，从阶级性与政党类型划分看，阶级性是“阶级性政党”的“固有属性”；资产阶级政党、无产阶级政党都属于“阶级性政党”，马克思主义政党属于无产阶级政党，是无产阶级政党中的“先进类型”，中国共产党类属于马克思主义政党。从世界政党政治发展看，自资本主义社会产生以来，资产阶级与无产阶级不断壮大，并且越来越对立，以至“整个社会日益分裂为两大敌对的阵营，分裂为两大相互直接对立的阶级：资产阶级和无产阶级”。从政党起源看，无产阶级政党、工人阶级政党并非在资产阶级体制内产生的“体制内政党”，也并非西方“选举政治的产物”，而是无产阶级与资产阶级尖锐对立、进行阶级斗争的历史产物。这正如列宁所言：“在以阶级划分为基础的社会中，敌对阶级之间的斗争在一定的发展阶段上势必变成政治斗争。各阶级政治斗争的最严整、最完全和最明显的表现就是各政党的斗争。”他强调，无产阶级政党就是“无产者的阶级联合的最高形式”，马克思主义执政党是“直接执政的无产阶级先锋队，是领导者”。总之，在当今世界，“任何政党都有政治属性，都有自己的政治使命、政治目标、政治追求”，阶级性是政党的政治性的直接表现。就政党的阶级性与政治性而言，资产阶级是资产阶级政党的固有阶级基础；无产阶级、工人阶级是无产阶级政党或工人阶级政党的固有阶级基础，也是马克思主义政党“天然”的阶级基础。由此可见，“阶级分析法”始终是分析阶级性政党的阶级基础、政治立场、意识形态、价值取向的有力分析范式。

Second, advanced nature is the essential attribute of a Marxist party, and is the foundation of the Party’s establishment, the basis of its governance, and the source of its strength for the Communist Party. Fundamentally, the advanced nature of a Marxist party is an organic unity of political advanced nature, practical advanced nature, and theoretical advanced nature. In the *Communist Manifesto*, Marx and Engels not only explicitly emphasized the advanced nature of communists in practice and theory, but also explicitly emphasized their advanced nature in politics, holding that communists not only emphasize and uphold “the common interests of the entire proletariat, independent of all nationality,” but also “always represent the interests of the movement as a whole,” [7]7 Marx and Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party*. without concealing the class nature of the Marxist party, profoundly indicating the political stance of communists. This is precisely as General Secretary Xi Jinping stated: “This distinct political stance fully affirms the principal position of the people in history and fully embodies the fundamental nature and purpose of the Marxist party.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, speech on the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC (2016), emphasizing the people-centered stance. It can thus be seen that the advanced nature of a Marxist party is a “trinity” of political advanced nature, practical advanced nature, and theoretical advanced nature, with the three complementing each other and forming an organic unity. Among these, the political advanced nature of a Marxist party both centrally embodies the Party’s class nature, fundamental political stance, and fundamental purpose, and runs through the Party’s theory and practice, being particularly fundamental within the content structure of the “trinity” of advanced nature. This is precisely as General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “A Marxist party has lofty political ideals, noble political pursuits, pure political qualities, and strict political discipline. If the political advanced nature of a Marxist party is lost, the Party’s advanced nature and purity become impossible to discuss.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, speech at the 19th National Congress of the CPC (2017), on the importance of political advanced nature.

第二，先进性是马克思主义政党的本质属性，是共产党的立党之本、执政之基、力量之源。从根本上看，马克思主义政党的先进性是政治上的先进性、实践上的先进性、理论上的先进性的有机统一。马克思恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中不仅明确强调共产党人在实践上、理论上的先进性，也明确强调共产党人在政治上的先进性，认为共产党人不仅强调和坚持“整个无产阶级共同的不分民族的利益”，而且“始终代表整个运动的利益”，毫不掩饰马克思主义政党的阶级性，深刻表明共产党人的政治立场。这正如习近平总书记所言：“这一鲜明的政治立场，充分肯定了人民的历史主体地位，充分体现了马克思主义政党的根本性质和宗旨。”由此可见，马克思主义政党的先进性是政治上的先进性、实践上的先进性、理论上的先进性的“三位一体”，三者相辅相成、有机统一。其中，马克思主义政党在政治上的先进性，既集中体现了党的阶级性、根本政治立场与根本宗旨，又贯穿于党的理论与实践之中，在“三位一体”的先进性的内容结构之中尤为根本。这正如习近平总书记所强调的：“马克思主义政党具有崇高政治理想、高尚政治追求、纯洁政治品质、严明政治纪律。如果马克思主义政党政治上的先进性丧失了，党的先进性和纯洁性就无从谈起。”

Third, the “trinity” of advanced nature is the overarching identifying concept of Marxist party theory, and also the most fundamental “analytical paradigm” for studying Marxist parties. This is because the “trinity” of advanced nature of a Marxist party in politics, practice, and theory, taking Marxist historical materialism as its philosophical foundation, can organically unify the Party’s class nature, fundamental political stance, fundamental purpose, and fundamental work standards; can organically unify the Party’s political ideals, political pursuits, political qualities, and political discipline; can also organically unify the Party’s theory and practice, and the Party’s advanced nature and purity; at the same time, it also possesses the distinct characteristics of openness and keeping pace with the times. First, fundamentally, the people’s standpoint is the fundamental political stance of a Marxist party, and the people’s standard, or the mass standard, is the fundamental standard for testing the Party’s theory and practice and all the Party’s work. “Whom to believe in, whom to rely on, and whom to serve, and whether one always stands on the side of the vast majority of the people, is the watershed distinguishing historical materialism from historical idealism, and is also the touchstone for judging a Marxist party.” [10]10 A standard formulation in CPC discourse, often attributed to Xi Jinping, distinguishing historical materialism from idealism. Adhering to the people’s standpoint, putting the people first, and being people-centered are the concentrated expression of a Marxist party’s political advanced nature. Second, from a developmental perspective, the advanced nature of a Marxist party is historical, concrete, and developmental, specifically embodied in the Party’s nature and purpose, program and policies, organizational principles and discipline, conduct and style, and “ultimately depends on the Party’s role in promoting historical progress.” [11]11 A paraphrase of a common CPC principle, derived from Mao Zedong’s “On Coalition Government” (1945), linking the Party’s role to historical progress. This is precisely as Mao Zedong stated: “The criterion for judging the good or bad, the large or small, of the role of all Chinese political parties’ policies and practices in the Chinese people is, in the final analysis, whether they help the development of the productive forces of the Chinese people and how much they help, and whether they fetter or liberate the productive forces.” [12]12 Mao Zedong, “On Coalition Government” (1945), where he discusses the criterion for evaluating political parties in terms of their impact on productive forces. Finally, with regard to advanced nature and purity, the two complement each other and are jointly regarded as the essential attributes of a Marxist party. Among them, advanced nature is more fundamental; it can both centrally embody the lofty political ideals, noble political pursuits, and political requirements of a Marxist party, and contains the fundamental requirements for purity. The Party’s purity mainly includes political purity, ideological purity, organizational purity, moral purity, conduct purity, and clean and honest governance, and is the political bottom line and behavioral bottom line for communists. Regarding the relationship between the two, the Party’s purity is a necessary condition, an inevitable requirement, and an inherent meaning of the Party’s advanced nature; purity is an important manifestation and basic guarantee of advanced nature; without or losing purity, the Party’s advanced nature becomes impossible to discuss; the reason Marxist parties emphasize purity is fundamentally to forever preserve the Party’s political essence, vitality, and political advanced nature. From the above, it can be seen that the advanced nature of a Marxist party has a clear concept, rich connotation, profound thought, and clear boundaries, centrally embodying the essential attributes of a Marxist party; moreover, it can fully manifest the subjectivity, self-consciousness, and initiative of a Marxist party, and is a “normative concept” that can be compared and analyzed “across ancient and modern, China and abroad.” Therefore, we believe that advanced nature should always be the “meta-concept” and overarching theoretical identifying concept of Marxist party theory, should become the most fundamental “analytical paradigm” for the study of Marxist parties, and should become the anchor point and basic yardstick for anchoring the core concepts of Party building studies.

第三，“三位一体”的先进性是马克思主义政党理论的总标识性概念，也是研究马克思主义政党最为根本的“分析范式”。因为马克思主义政党在政治上、实践上、理论上“三位一体”的先进性，以马克思主义唯物史观作为哲学基础，既能将党的阶级性、根本政治立场、根本宗旨、根本工作标准等有机统一起来，将党的政治理想、政治追求、政治品质、政治纪律有机统一起来；又能将党的理论与实践有机统一起来，将党的先进性和纯洁性有机统一起来；同时，又具有开放性和与时俱进的鲜明特征。首先，从根本上看，人民立场是马克思主义政党的根本政治立场，人民标准或曰群众标准是检验党的理论和实践、党的一切工作的根本标准。“相信谁、依靠谁、为了谁，是否始终站在最广大人民的立场上，是区分唯物史观和唯心史观的分水岭，也是判断马克思主义政党的试金石。”坚持人民立场、人民至上、以人民为中心是马克思主义政党政治上具有先进性的集中体现。其次，从发展角度看，马克思主义政党的先进性是历史的、具体的、发展的，具体体现在党的性质与宗旨、纲领与政策、组织原则与纪律、行为与作风之中，“归根到底要看党在推动历史前进中的作用”。这正如毛泽东所言：“中国一切政党的政策及其实践在中国人民中所表现的作用的好坏、大小，归根到底，看它对于中国人民的生产力的发展是否有帮助及其帮助之大小，看它是束缚生产力的，还是解放生产力的。”最后，就先进性与纯洁性而言，二者相辅相成，共同被视为马克思主义政党的本质属性。其中，先进性更具根本性，既能集中体现马克思主义政党的崇高政治理想、高尚政治追求与政治要求，又内含着对纯洁性的根本要求。党的纯洁性主要包括政治纯洁、思想纯洁、组织纯洁、道德纯洁、作风纯洁、清正廉洁等，是共产党人的政治底线与行为底线。就二者关系来看，党的纯洁性是党的先进性的必要条件、必然要求与应有之义，纯洁性是先进性的重要体现与基本保障；没有或失去纯洁性，党的先进性就无从谈起；马克思主义政党之所以强调纯洁性，在根本上就是为了永葆党的政治本色、生机活力与政治上的先进性。上述可见，马克思主义政党的先进性，概念明确、内涵丰富、思想深邃、边界清晰，集中体现了马克思主义政党的本质属性；而且，能够充分彰显马克思主义政党的主体性、自觉性与主动性，是一个“古今中外”可以进行比较分析的“规范概念”。因此我们认为，先进性应该始终是马克思主义政党理论的“元概念”与总的理论标识性概念，应该成为马克思主义政党研究的最根本的“分析范式”，应该成为锚定党建学核心概念的基准点与基本标尺。

Regarding research paradigms for political parties or Party building, in recent years domestic scholars have sought to break free from the inherent analytical paradigms of Western party theory, proposing some new analytical paradigms from different angles. For example, some scholars have put forward the concept of the “vanguard party,” using the “vanguard party” as an analytical paradigm to analyze China’s national governance modernization, arguing that the vanguard party emphasizes the vanguard role of Party members, “is a negation of the elitist ‘iron law of oligarchy,’” and that the vanguard nature of the party “ultimately depends on the party’s social base.” [13]13 The “iron law of oligarchy” is a concept from the German-Italian sociologist Robert Michels, arguing that all organizations, including democratic ones, inevitably become dominated by a small elite. Other scholars have proposed the concept of the “mission-oriented party,” focusing on constructing a new analytical paradigm for party theory from the “trinity” perspective of party nature, function, and mission, seeking to use the “mission-oriented party” as an analytical paradigm to break the theoretical limitations of the “competitive party” analytical paradigm. They argue that the “mission-oriented party” represents the overall interests of the people, pursues a people-centered view, and leads national development through political ideals, whereas the “competitive party” represents the interests of a portion of the people, pursues a vote-centered view, and relies on official patronage and distribution to maintain its ruling position. [14]14 “Competitive party” refers to parties in multiparty systems that compete for electoral power, often contrasted with “mission-oriented” or “vanguard” parties. Still other scholars have proposed the concept of “party-centrism,” using this as an analytical paradigm to explain the modernization model dominated by party organizations in Russia, China, and many late-developing countries, arguing that “party-centrism” challenges the state-centrism and especially the society-centrism that have long dominated international social science. [15]15 “State-centrism” and “society-centrism” are analytical approaches that prioritize the state or civil society, respectively, as the primary driver of political and social change. Objectively speaking, the “mission-oriented party” has strong explanatory power in analyzing the mission and responsibility of the Communist Party of China, “party-centrism” has new explanatory power in analyzing the operation of political power and the socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, and the “vanguard party” analytical paradigm can be subsumed under the “advanced nature” analytical paradigm. However, if the “mission-oriented party” and “party-centrism” are extended and applied to analyzing Marxist party theory and constructing a conceptual system for Party-building studies, they have certain theoretical limitations and may even lead to theoretical “self-contradiction.” This is because, on the one hand, all political parties in the world have certain political missions; all “principle-based parties” in the world can be called “mission-oriented parties,” and the political mission of the Communist Party of China is built upon the “trinity” of advanced nature of a Marxist party. On the other hand, the Constitution of the Communist Party of China clearly stipulates: “The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, and the leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It represents the development demands of China’s advanced productive forces, the forward direction of China’s advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the Chinese people.” [16]16 This is the current wording from the Preamble of the CPC Constitution, as amended at the 19th National Congress in 2017. As an advanced Marxist party, the Communist Party of China not only possesses the salient features of a “mission-oriented party” but also those of a mass party, a responsible party, and a representative party. Viewed from historical development, from its very inception the Communist Party of China was committed to building a large “mass party.” The “Resolution on the Organizational Charter of the Communist Party” adopted at the Second National Congress of the CPC clearly stated: “Since we are a party fighting for the proletarian masses, we must ‘go among the masses’ to form a large ‘mass party.’” [17]17 The Second National Congress of the CPC was held in July 1922 in Shanghai. During the period of the Comprehensive War of Resistance Against Japan, the Communist Party of China already placed strong emphasis on the party’s representativeness. In December 1935, the Wayaobu Meeting stressed: “The Communist Party is not only the representative of the interests of the working class, but also the representative of the interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people, and the representative of the entire nation.” [18]18 The Wayaobu Meeting was a key Politburo meeting held in December 1935 in Wayaobu, Shaanxi, which formulated the policy of the Anti-Japanese National United Front. From the 16th National Congress of the CPC in 2002 to the present, the Constitution of the Communist Party of China has explicitly emphasized the “Three Represents.” [19]19 The “Three Represents” is a theory introduced by Jiang Zemin, stating that the CPC must represent the development of advanced productive forces, the direction of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the broadest masses. Through comparative analysis, it can be seen that the people’s nature, mass nature, representativeness, responsibility, and mission of the Communist Party of China are both determined by the advanced nature of a Marxist party and unified within that advanced nature. From this perspective, the other attributes and characteristics of a Marxist party all derive from the party’s advanced nature. Compared with analytical paradigms such as “mission-oriented party analysis” and “party-centrism analysis,” in analyzing Marxist party theory and constructing a conceptual system for Party-building studies, “advanced nature analysis” is more comprehensive, fundamental, long-term, and scientific.

对于政党或党建研究范式，近年来国内学者力图打破西方政党理论中的固有分析范式，从不同角度提出一些新的分析范式。例如，有的学者提出“先锋型政党”概念，以“先锋型政党”为分析范式来分析中国的国家治理现代化，认为先锋型政党强调党员的先锋作用、“是对精英主义的‘寡头统治铁律’的否定”，政党的先锋性“归根结底取决于政党的社会基础”。也有的学者提出“使命型政党”概念，着力从政党性质、功能与使命“三位一体”角度建构新型政党理论分析范式，力图以“使命型政党”作为分析范式来打破“竞争型政党”分析范式的理论局限，认为“使命型政党”代表的是人民整体利益、奉行的是人民本位观、通过政治理想引领国家发展，“竞争型政党”则代表的是部分人的利益、奉行选票本位观、靠公职庇护与分配维持执政地位。也有学者提出“政党中心主义”概念，以此为分析范式来解释俄国、中国以及很多后发国家所走的政党组织主导的现代化模式，认为“政党中心主义”是对长期主导国际社会科学的国家中心主义尤其是社会中心主义的挑战。客观而言，“使命型政党”在分析中国共产党的使命责任方面具有较强解释力，“政党中心主义”在分析政治权力运作、中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化建设方面具有新的解释力，“先锋型政党”分析范式则可纳入“先进性”分析范式之列。然而，若把“使命型政党”与“政党中心主义”拓展运用到分析马克思主义政党理论与建构党建学概念体系，则具有一定的理论局限，甚至会导致理论上的“自相矛盾”。这是因为，一方面，世界上的所有政党都具有一定的政治使命，世界上所有“原则型政党”都可以被称为“使命型政党”，中国共产党的政治使命则是建立在马克思主义政党“三位一体”的先进性基础之上的。另一方面，《中国共产党章程》明确规定，“中国共产党是中国工人阶级的先锋队，同时是中国人民和中华民族的先锋队，是中国特色社会主义事业的领导核心，代表中国先进生产力的发展要求，代表中国先进文化的前进方向，代表中国最广大人民的根本利益”。中国共产党作为马克思主义先进政党，不仅具有“使命型政党”之显著特征，也具有群众型政党、责任型政党、代表型政党之显著特征。从历史发展看，中国共产党在成立之初就致力于建设一个大的“群众党”。中共二大通过的《关于共产党的组织章程决议案》明确指出，“我们既然是为无产群众奋斗的政党，我们便要‘到群众中去’要组成一个大的‘群众党’”。在全面抗战时期，中国共产党就着力强调党的代表性。1935年12月，瓦窑堡会议强调：“共产党不但是工人阶级的利益的代表者，而且也是中国最大多数人民的利益的代表者，是全民族的代表者。”从2002年党的十六大至今，《中国共产党章程》都明确强调“三个代表”。通过比较分析可见，中国共产党的人民性、群众性、代表性、责任性与使命性，既是由马克思主义政党的先进性本质所决定，又统一于马克思主义政党的先进性之中。由此而言，马克思主义政党的其他属性与特点，都是由党的先进性而来；同“使命型政党分析”“政党中心主义分析”等分析范式相比，在分析马克思主义政党理论、建构党建学概念体系方面，“先进性分析”更具全局性、根本性、长远性与科学性。

III. The Conceptual Map of CPC Party Building Studies and Core Concepts Based on Advanced Nature

三、中共党建学概念图谱与以先进性为基准的核心概念

From a fundamental perspective, the conceptual system of CPC Party-building studies should be a “conceptual schema” that can relatively accurately outline and reflect the “full picture” of the Communist Party of China’s governance and self-governance of the Party, possessing internal logic and internal hierarchical structure. It should also be a “knowledge graph” that can promote communication and dialogue among world political parties and the exchange and mutual learning of political party civilizations. Overall, the conceptual system of Party-building studies distinguishes between basic concepts, core concepts, theoretical signature concepts, important concepts, and general concepts. The basic framework and content structure of the Party-building conceptual system should be constructed based on basic concepts, core concepts, and theoretical signature concepts. Among these, basic concepts possess professionalism, general knowledge, and comparability; core concepts manifest the substantive content and salient features of Party-building studies; and theoretical signature concepts have the effect of “adding the finishing touch.” [20]20 “Adding the finishing touch” (画龙点睛) is a Chinese idiom meaning to add a crucial detail that brings a work to life.

从根本上看，中共党建学概念体系应是一个能够比较准确地勾勒与反映中国共产党管党治党“全貌”、具有内在逻辑与内在层次结构的“概念图谱”，也应该是一个能够促进世界政党沟通对话、政党文明交流互鉴的“知识图谱”。从整体上看，党建学概念体系有基本概念、核心概念、理论标识性概念、重要概念、一般概念之分，应立足于基本概念、核心概念、理论标识性概念来建构党建学概念体系的基本框架与内容结构。其中，基本概念具有专业性、通识性、可比性，核心概念彰显党建学的内容实质与显著特色，理论标识性概念有“画龙点睛”之妙。

From the perspective of a comparative study of world political parties, the Communist Party of China, as a Marxist party and the world’s largest ruling party with nearly one hundred million members, is undoubtedly an important member of the “big family” of world political parties. Chinese party politics is an indispensable and important component of world party politics. As both are parties and party politics, the political parties, party building, and party politics of various countries in the world exhibit both obvious national and party differences and certain commonalities. This commonality is first manifested in the constituent elements of political parties. From the perspective of the basic constituent elements of political parties, party building, and party politics, any modern political party has certain basic constituent elements such as a name, ideology, program, constitution, organizational principles, organizational system, discipline, laws and regulations, members and leaders, and party funds. Any political party’s self-building involves basic constituent elements such as organizational building, discipline building, and legal and regulatory system building. Any country’s party politics involves basic constituent elements such as party status, party functions, party decision-making, party behavior, party capacity, party governance, clean governance, and class base or mass base. [21]21 “Clean governance” (廉政) refers to the CPC’s campaign against corruption and for integrity in government. The concepts related to the basic constituent elements in these three aspects can be called the basic categories of modern political parties, party building, and party politics. They have the same or similar “concept names” in countries around the world. This type of basic concept is the essential basic knowledge for studying the political parties, party building, and party politics of various countries and is an indispensable “common language” for communication, dialogue, and mutual learning among world political parties. Thus, the basic concepts of CPC Party-building studies should include three levels: first, basic concepts directly related to the constituent elements of modern political parties; second, basic concepts directly related to the self-building of modern political parties; and third, basic concepts directly related to modern party politics. To construct the basic concepts of CPC Party-building studies, one should combine the basic constituent elements of political parties, party building, and party politics with the general requirements for Party building and the basic content layout of Party building, conduct systematic consideration and careful comparison, highlight professionalism, general knowledge, and comparability, and establish the basic categories, basic content, and basic knowledge framework of Party-building studies based on these basic concepts. Only in this way can it facilitate communication, dialogue, and mutual learning among world political parties. It should be pointed out that basic concepts, as the foundation of the conceptual system of Party-building studies, have a “neutral character” and cannot directly reflect the essential requirements of a Marxist party, the content characteristics of Party-building studies, or Chinese characteristics. Therefore, these basic concepts should not be taken as the core concepts of CPC Party-building studies, let alone as theoretical signature concepts.

从世界政党比较视野看，中国共产党作为马克思主义政党、近亿党员的当今世界第一大执政党，无疑是世界政党“大家族”中的重要成员，中国政党政治是世界政党政治中不可或缺的重要组成部分。同为政党与政党政治，世界各国的政党、政党建设、政党政治既具有明显的国别差异与党别差异，也具有一定的共性。这种共性首先表现在政党构成要素方面。从政党、政党建设、政党政治的基本构成要素看，任何一个现代政党都有一定的名称、意识形态、纲领、章程、组织原则、组织体系、纪律、法规制度、成员与领袖、政党经费等基本构成要素，任何一个政党的自身建设都涉及组织建设、纪律建设、法规制度建设等基本构成要素，任何一个国家的政党政治都涉及政党地位、政党功能、政党决策、政党行为、政党能力、政党治理、廉政、阶级基础或群众基础等基本构成要素。上述三个方面的基本构成要素所涉及的相关概念，可谓现代政党、政党建设与政党政治的基本范畴，在世界各国具有相同或相似的“概念名称”。这类基本概念是研究各国政党、政党建设、政党政治所必备的基本知识，是世界政党沟通对话与文明互鉴必不可缺的“通用语言”。由此可见，中共党建学的基本概念应包括三个层面：一是与现代政党构成要素直接相关的基本概念，二是与现代政党自身建设直接相关的基本概念，三是与现代政党政治直接相关的基本概念。建构中共党建学基本概念，应把政党、政党建设、政党政治的基本构成要素与党的建设总要求、党的建设基本内容布局等结合起来，进行系统考量、认真比鉴，突出专业性、通识性、可比性，并立足于这些基本概念来确立党建学的基本范畴、基本内容与基本知识框架，这样才有助于世界政党沟通对话与文明交流互鉴。需要指出的是，基本概念作为党建学概念体系之基础，具有“中性色彩”，难以直接反映马克思主义政党的本质要求、党建学的内容特点与中国特色，故不宜把这些基本概念作为中共党建学的核心概念，更不宜作为理论标识性概念。

So, which concepts can serve as the core concepts of CPC Party building studies? We believe that the core concepts of CPC Party building studies should be “anchored” and established on the basis of the essential attributes, theoretical markers, and analytical paradigm of a Marxist political party, with the Party’s advanced nature as the benchmark. Only those “key concepts” that are both directly related to the basic concepts of Party building and embody the requirements of the advanced nature of a Marxist political party can be called core concepts of CPC Party building studies. Following the basic logic from point to surface, from part to whole, and from the concrete to the abstract, the core concepts of CPC Party building studies can be divided into three levels: first, core concepts at the overall level of governing and managing the Party; second, core concepts at the level of institutional mechanisms that concern the overall situation of governing and managing the Party; and third, core concepts at the meso-level of governing and managing the Party. At the level of the specific content of Party building, there are also some very important concepts that are repeatedly used, but from the perspective of the overall situation and overall layout of Party building, it is more appropriate to treat these concepts as important concepts.

那么，哪些概念可作为中共党建学的核心概念？我们认为，应该立足于马克思主义政党的本质属性、理论标识与分析范式，以党的先进性为基准来“锚定”与确立中共党建学的核心概念。只有那些既与党的建设基本概念直接相关、又体现马克思主义政党先进性要求的“关键概念”，才能称之为中共党建学的核心概念。按照从点到面、从部分到整体、从具体到抽象的基本思路，中共党建学的核心概念可以分为三个层面：一是管党治党整体层面的核心概念，二是事关管党治党全局的制度机制层面的核心概念，三是管党治党中观层面的核心概念。在党的建设具体内容层面也存在一些反复使用的、非常重要的概念，但放眼党的建设全局与整体布局，将这些概念作为重要概念更为恰当。

Specifically regarding the core concepts at the three levels of CPC Party building studies: First, core concepts at the overall level of governing and managing the Party mainly include Marxist political party, vanguard of the proletariat, building the Party for the public good and exercising power for the people, leadership core, the Party’s overall leadership, the Party’s unified leadership, democratic centralism, the great project of Party building, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, the Party’s self-revolution, building the Party through ideology, governing the Party according to rules, governing the Party through institutions, governing the Party with virtue, building the Party’s purity, and building the Party’s governing capacity. These core concepts can both reflect the overall content and overall requirements of CPC Party building studies and centrally embody the requirements of the advanced nature of a Marxist political party, as well as reveal the differences between Chinese and foreign political parties and highlight Chinese characteristics. Second, core concepts at the level of institutional mechanisms that concern the overall situation of governing and managing the Party, that is, “institutionalized concepts” that can become the basic systems and important systems for governing and managing the Party. The Constitution of the Communist Party of China [22]22 The Constitution of the Communist Party of China is the fundamental law of the Party, stipulating its nature, program, organizational principles, and discipline. clearly states: “The Party is an integral whole organized under its own program and constitution in accordance with democratic centralism.” [23]23 This is a direct quotation from the Party Constitution. Fundamentally, “democratic centralism is the fundamental working system of leading bodies, the fundamental organizational system and leadership system of the Party, and also a distinctive feature of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics.” [24]24 This is a direct quotation from an authoritative Party document or statement. Among all the Party’s systems, democratic centralism is the only fundamental system explicitly stipulated in the Party Constitution; other intra-Party systems can only be called basic systems, important systems, or specific systems. Furthermore, the basic and important intra-Party systems directly related to the “six principles” [25]25 The “six principles” of democratic centralism refer to the specific rules governing the relationship between individuals and organizations, minorities and majorities, lower and higher levels, and the Party and its leading bodies, as outlined in the Party Constitution. of the Party’s democratic centralism, such as the Party’s leadership system and structure, the “Four Obediences” and the “Two Upholds,” the Party congress system, the intra-Party election system, the Party committee system and collective leadership system, the intra-Party supervision system and mechanism, the intra-Party accountability system and mechanism, the intra-Party inspection system, and the reform of the Party building system, should be regarded as core concepts of CPC Party building studies, because these basic and important systems have an overall, stable, and long-term nature in governing and managing the Party. Third, core concepts at the meso-level of governing and managing the Party, which are directly related to the overall requirements, content layout, and value goals of Party building, mainly include the Party’s political leadership, organizational leadership, ideological leadership, political line, ideological line, organizational line, the Party managing officials, style building, the mass line, rectification movements, fine work style, iron discipline, and the fight against corruption. These core concepts either correspond to the content layout or “subsystems” of Party building, or are very important in Party building, or have no equivalent in foreign political parties, and can fully demonstrate the requirements of the advanced nature of a Marxist political party and the Chinese characteristics of Party building. It should be pointed out here that although some “phenomenon concepts,” such as “dogmatism,” “subjectivism,” “bureaucratism,” “formalism,” “sectarianism,” and “stereotyped Party writing,” are used with high frequency in the Party’s history and reality and attract considerable public attention, these concepts are incompatible with the nature and advanced nature requirements of a Marxist political party and are “negative phenomena” that the CPC has always advocated opposing. Therefore, these “negative phenomenon” concepts should not be used as important concepts or core concepts of CPC Party building studies.

具体就中共党建学三个层面的核心概念而言：一是管党治党整体层面的核心概念，主要包括马克思主义政党、无产阶级先锋队、立党为公执政为民、领导核心、党的全面领导、党的一元化领导、民主集中制、党的建设伟大工程，全面从严治党、全面从严治党体系、党的自我革命、思想建党、依规治党、制度治党、以德治党、党的纯洁性建设、党的执政能力建设等。这些核心概念，既能体现中共党建学的整体内容与整体性要求，又能集中体现马克思主义政党的先进性要求，还能展现中外政党之别、彰显中国特色。二是事关管党治党全局的制度机制层面的核心概念，即那些能够成为管党治党的基本制度、重要制度的“制度化概念”。《中国共产党章程》明确指出：“党是根据自己的纲领和章程，按照民主集中制组织起来的统一整体。”从根本上看，“民主集中制，是领导班子的根本工作制度，是党的根本组织制度和领导制度，也是中国特色社会主义民主政治的鲜明特点”。在党的所有制度之中，民主集中制是党章明确规定的唯一根本制度，其他党内制度只能称之为基本制度、重要制度或具体制度。进而言之，与党的民主集中制“六项原则”直接相关的党内基本制度与重要制度，如党的领导制度与体制、“四个服从”与“两个维护”、党的代表大会制度、党内选举制度、党的委员会制度与集体领导制度、党内监督制度与机制、党内问责制度与机制、党内巡视制度、党的建设制度改革等，应该作为中共党建学的核心概念，因为这些基本制度与重要制度在管党治党中具有全局性、稳定性、长期性。三是管党治党中观层面的核心概念，这与党的建设的总体要求、内容布局、价值目标等直接相关，主要包括党的政治领导、组织领导、思想领导、政治路线、思想路线、组织路线、党管干部、作风建设、群众路线、整风运动、优良作风、铁的纪律、反腐败斗争等。这些核心概念要么是与党的建设的内容布局或“子系统”相对应，要么在党的建设中非常重要，要么国外政党没有类似说法，能够充分彰显马克思主义政党先进性要求与党的建设中国特色。在此需要指出的是，尽管一些“现象概念”，如“教条主义”“主观主义”“官僚主义”“形式主义”“宗派主义”“党八股”等，在党的历史与现实中使用频率较高、世人关注度也较高，但这些概念与马克思主义政党的性质与先进性要求格格不入，是中国共产党历来主张反对的“负面现象”，因此，这些“负面现象”概念不宜作为中共党建学的重要概念或核心概念。

From a general perspective, constructing an independent knowledge system with Chinese characteristics “requires being adept at refining signature concepts and creating new concepts, categories, and expressions that are easy for the international academic community to understand and accept, guiding international academia to carry out research and discussion.” [26]26 This is a direct quotation from a speech or document by a Chinese leader, likely Xi Jinping, on constructing a Chinese knowledge system. Fundamentally, the “trinity” of advanced nature should be the “meta-concept” and “total signature concept” of Marxist political party theory and CPC Party building studies, because advanced nature is the essential attribute of a Marxist political party and inherently contains the fundamental requirement for purity. The Marxist political party theory and the theoretical system of Party building with Chinese characteristics adapted to Marxism, constructed on the basis of advanced nature, including Marx and Engels’ theory of Party building, Lenin’s theory of a new-type proletarian party, Mao Zedong’s thought on Party building, Deng Xiaoping’s theory on Party building, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” the scientific outlook on development and the scientization of Party building, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on Party building, and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on the Party’s self-revolution, must be the theoretical signature concepts of CPC Party building studies. Because the above doctrines and theoretical thoughts already have fixed formulations in China and are widely recognized, and each is supported by a series of core concepts, such as Marxist political party, vanguard of the proletariat, and advanced nature supporting Marx and Engels’ theory of Party building; democratic centralism, iron discipline, and overall leadership supporting Lenin’s theory of a new-type proletarian party; and the great project of Party building, building the Party through ideology, and the mass line supporting Mao Zedong’s thought on Party building.

从通则意义上看，建构中国自主的知识体系“要善于提炼标识性概念，打造易于为国际社会所理解和接受的新概念、新范畴、新表述，引导国际学术界展开研究和讨论”。从根本上看，“三位一体”的先进性应该是马克思主义政党理论、中共党建学的“元概念”与“总标识性概念”，因为先进性是马克思主义政党的本质属性，而且内含着对纯洁性的根本要求。基于先进性建构起来的马克思主义政党理论与中国化马克思主义党建理论体系，包括马克思恩格斯建党学说、列宁新型无产阶级政党学说、毛泽东党建思想、邓小平党建理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观与党的建设科学化、习近平总书记关于党的建设的重要思想与习近平总书记关于党的自我革命的重要思想，必然是中共党建学的理论标识性概念。因为上述学说与思想理论，在国内已经有固定说法、得到公认，而且都具有一系列核心概念作支持，如马克思主义政党、无产阶级先锋队、先进性等支撑着马克思恩格斯建党学说，民主集中制、铁的纪律、总的领导等支撑着列宁新型无产阶级政党学说，党的建设伟大工程、思想建党、群众路线等支撑着毛泽东党建思想。

The conceptual system of CPC Party building studies is a “conceptual schema” with an internal hierarchical structure and internal logic that can relatively accurately outline the full picture of the CPC. Constructing the conceptual system of CPC Party building studies is a complex systematic project that must have a world vision and Chinese sentiments, must examine Party building from the height of a “grand view of Party building,” adhere to the mutual reinforcement of the Party’s leadership, Party building, and the Party’s cause, and adhere to the unity of the Party’s political stance, theory, system, practice, and value goals; must be based on the essential attributes of a Marxist political party and take the Party’s advanced nature as the “total marker” and basic analytical paradigm of Marxist political party theory; must establish the basic concepts, basic categories, and basic content framework of Party building studies based on the basic constituent elements of political parties, Party building, and party politics; and must use the Party’s advanced nature as the basic yardstick to summarize and refine core concepts and theoretical signature concepts from Marxist political party theory and the theoretical system of Party building with Chinese characteristics adapted to Marxism. Furthermore, the urgent tasks for constructing the conceptual system of CPC Party building studies are mainly three: First, establish and adopt scientific criteria for concept classification, scientifically classify many common Party building concepts, and distinguish between basic concepts, core concepts, theoretical signature concepts, important concepts, and general concepts, both overcoming and avoiding conceptual confusion and classification confusion, and overcoming the ideological tendency to treat basic concepts of Party building studies as core concepts. Second, establish a world vision and a “grand view of Party building,” and from the comparison and integration of the basic constituent elements of political parties, Party building, and party politics with the overall requirements and basic content layout of Party building, establish the basic concepts, basic categories, and basic content framework of CPC Party building studies. Third, adhere to the unity of ontology, epistemology, methodology, and axiology, comprehensively and accurately grasp Marxist political party theory and the theoretical system of Party building with Chinese characteristics adapted to Marxism, and use the Party’s advanced nature as the benchmark to refine core concepts and signature concepts from them, avoiding subjective assumptions.

中共党建学概念体系是一个具有内在层级结构、内在逻辑、能够比较准确地勾勒中国共产党全貌的“概念图谱”，建构中共党建学概念体系是一项复杂的系统工程，必须具有世界视野与中国情怀，必须从“大党建观”高度来审视党的建设，坚持党的领导、党的建设、党的事业相辅相成，坚持党的政治立场、理论、制度、实践与价值目标相统一；必须立足于马克思主义政党的本质属性、把党的先进性作为马克思主义政党理论的“总标识”与基本分析范式；必须立足于政党、政党建设、政党政治的基本构成要素来确立党建学的基本概念、基本范畴、基本内容框架；必须以党的先进性为基本标尺、从马克思主义政党理论与中国化马克思主义党建理论体系中归纳、提炼核心概念与理论标识概念。进而言之，构建中共党建学概念体系的当务之急主要有三：一是确立与树立科学的概念分类标准，对诸多常见的党建概念进行科学分类，将基本概念、核心概念、理论标识性概念、重要概念、一般概念等区分开来，既要克服与避免概念混乱与分类混乱，也要克服将党建学基本概念作为核心概念的思想倾向。二是树立世界视野与“大党建观”，从政党、政党建设、政党政治的基本构成要素与党的建设总要求、基本内容布局的比鉴与结合中，确立中共党建学的基本概念、基本范畴与基本内容框架。三是坚持本体论、认识论、方法论、价值论的统一，全面准确地把握马克思主义政党理论与中国化马克思主义党建理论体系，并以党的先进性为基准从中提炼核心概念与标识性概念，避免主观臆断。

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆