Making the Tempering of Party Spirit a Lifelong Task for Communists

Strengthening the Party’s work style construction hinges on tempering a strong Party spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Work style issues are in essence Party spirit issues. To grasp work style construction, we must return to simplicity, consolidate the foundation and nurture the root, with emphasis on firming up ideals and convictions, practicing the fundamental purpose, and strengthening moral cultivation.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at a meeting on Party work style construction, 2014. Party spirit is the cornerstone of a Party member’s standing, career, speech, and virtue. Marxist classical writers have conducted a series of discussions on the issue of Party spirit. Revisiting these classical discussions helps to enhance understanding of the Party spirit of a Marxist political party, thereby comprehending the necessity of improving Party members’ Party spirit cultivation, and providing a solid ideological guarantee for implementing the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations.

加强党的作风建设，关键在于锤炼过硬党性。习近平总书记指出：“作风问题本质上是党性问题。抓作风建设，就要返璞归真、固本培元，重点突出坚定理想信念、践行根本宗旨、加强道德修养。”党性是党员干部立身、立业、立言、立德的基石。马克思主义经典作家围绕党性问题进行过一系列论述，重温这些经典论述，有助于增强对马克思主义政党党性的认识，进而理解提升党员干部党性修养的必要性，为落实中央八项规定精神提供坚实思想保障。

Party Spirit Is the Distinctive Marker of a Proletarian Political Party

党性是无产阶级政党的特有标识

In the view of Marxist classical writers, whether a political party possesses genuine Party spirit depends on the class stand and historical mission it represents. Party spirit is not a quality naturally inherent in all political parties; rather, it is a unique political character of the proletarian political party, a marker distinguishing it from bourgeois parties or reformist organizations. In criticizing the “non-party” stand of the bourgeoisie and its liberal groups, Lenin pointed out that non-partyism is a product of the bourgeoisie, a tool for concealing class contradictions and confusing political direction. In the article “The Socialist Party and Non-Party Revolutionism,” Lenin proposed: “The bourgeoisie cannot but gravitate towards non-partyism, because, among those fighting for the freedom of bourgeois society, the absence of a party means the absence of a new struggle against this bourgeois society itself.” [2]2 V. I. Lenin, “The Socialist Party and Non-Party Revolutionism” (1905). In Lenin’s view, denying Party spirit essentially serves to boost bourgeois ideology and undermines the proletariat’s political consciousness. Only through “strict Party spirit” can the proletariat make “the class struggle a conscious, clear, principled struggle.” [3]3 Ibid. This means that the masses can achieve the historical leap from “spontaneity” to “consciousness” only by following a strong Party through the Party’s organizational guidance and political education. Therefore, a Marxist political party must unequivocally uphold the principle of Party spirit and explicitly enshrine the enhancement of Party spirit cultivation in its organizational discipline.

在马克思主义经典作家看来，一个政党是否具有真正的党性，取决于其所代表的阶级立场和历史使命。党性不是所有政党天然具备的属性，而是无产阶级政党独有的政治品格，是其区别于资产阶级政党或改良派组织的标识。列宁在批判资产阶级及其自由派集团的“非党性”立场时指出，非党性是资产阶级的产物，是掩盖阶级矛盾、混淆政治方向的工具。在《社会主义政党和非党的革命性》一文中，列宁提出：“资产阶级不能不倾向于非党性，因为在为资产阶级社会的自由而进行斗争的人们当中，没有政党就意味着没有反对这个资产阶级社会本身的新的斗争。”在列宁看来，否认党性本质上是为资产阶级意识形态张目，是对无产阶级政治自觉的消解。无产阶级唯有通过“严格的党性”才能使“阶级斗争成为自觉的、明确的、有原则的斗争”。这意味着，人民群众只有通过政党的组织引导和政治教育，“跟着坚强的党走”，才能实现由“自发”向“自觉”的历史跃升。因此，马克思主义政党必须旗帜鲜明坚持党性原则，将提升党性修养明确写入党的组织纪律中。

The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, simultaneously the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation, and the leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Upholding the principle of Party spirit and enhancing Party spirit cultivation ultimately requires that Party members and cadres deeply understand the Party’s fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, and maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in political direction, ideological foundation, and practical action. Currently, the root cause of work style problems among some Party members and cadres lies in their shallow understanding of Party spirit. Implementing the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations and rectifying the “Four Forms of Decadence” [4]4 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, targets of the CPC’s mass line education campaign launched in 2013. means, through continuous improvement of work style, strengthening Party members’ and cadres’ profound identification with the Party’s fundamental purpose, internalizing Party spirit in the heart and externalizing it in action. Only by firmly standing on the people’s stand can one truly be loyal to the Party and serve the people, ensuring that work style construction achieves lasting results and continuously promoting Party building to go deeper and be more solid.

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。坚持党性原则，提升党性修养，归根到底是要让党员干部深刻认识到党的全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨，在政治方向、思想根基和实际行动上，始终同党中央保持高度一致。当前一些党员干部在作风上出现问题，根子就在于对党性的理解不深入。贯彻落实中央八项规定精神，纠治“四风”，就是通过持续改进作风，强化党员干部对党的根本宗旨的深刻认同，把党性内化于心、外化于行。只有牢牢站稳人民立场，才能真正做到对党忠诚、为民服务，确保作风建设抓出长效，持续推动党的建设走深走实。

Firmness of Party Spirit Cannot Be Separated from Firmness in Theory

党性的坚定离不开理论上的坚定

In the view of Marxist classical writers, whether theory possesses Party spirit depends not only on the correctness of its ideological content but also on whether it possesses the spiritual power of a critical weapon. In the “Preface and Conclusion to ‘Fourier on the Fragment of Commerce’,” Engels sharply criticized German “absolute socialism,” pointing out that it “had no Party spirit in the theoretical field” and therefore “lost its last drop of blood, its last bit of spirit and strength.” [5]5 Friedrich Engels, “Preface and Conclusion to ‘Fourier on the Fragment of Commerce’” (1845). The “Party spirit” in theory means that the theory of a proletarian political party must be intrinsically consistent with the fundamental interests of the proletariat; this is the key distinction between the theory of scientific socialism and utopian socialism, humanitarianism, and various vulgar reformist ideas. That kind of “socialism” which uses abstract slogans like “human nature” and “universal love” to conceal class struggle and evade real contradictions, though nominally aimed at improving people’s lives, is in fact theoretically weak and powerless. Lenin further revealed that philosophy itself must also possess Party spirit. In the conclusion of “Materialism and Empirio-Criticism,” he stated: “The latest philosophy is as partisan as it was two thousand years ago.” [6]6 V. I. Lenin, “Materialism and Empirio-Criticism” (1909), Conclusion. In Lenin’s view, philosophy is not a purely speculative activity detached from social struggle; the Party spirit of philosophy in modern society is concentratedly embodied in the struggle between the two basic worldviews of materialism and idealism, and in the profound divergence between scientific socialism and bourgeois ideology. Refusing to acknowledge the Party spirit of philosophy is in fact denying the political attribute of theory.

在马克思主义经典作家看来，理论是否具有党性，不仅在于其思想内容正确与否，更在于其是否具备批判武器的精神力量。在《“傅立叶论商业的片断”的前言和结束语》中，恩格斯尖锐批评德国的“绝对的社会主义”，指出其“在理论领域中没有党性”，因而“丧失了最后一滴血、最后一点精神和力量”。理论中的“党性”，是指无产阶级政党理论要与无产阶级根本利益内在一致，这是科学社会主义理论区别于空想社会主义、人道主义和各种庸俗改良主义思想的关键。那种借“人性”“博爱”等抽象口号掩盖阶级斗争、回避现实矛盾的“社会主义”，虽以改善人民生活为名，实则在理论上软弱无力。列宁则进一步揭示了哲学自身也必须具有党性。他在《唯物主义和经验批判主义》的结论中指明：“最新的哲学像在2000年前一样，也是有党性的。”在列宁看来，哲学并非脱离社会斗争的纯粹思辨活动，现代社会中哲学的党性，集中体现在唯物主义与唯心主义这两种基本世界观的斗争之中，体现为科学社会主义与资产阶级意识形态之间的深刻分歧。拒绝承认哲学的党性，实际上就是否认理论的政治属性。

Party spirit is not innate; it is tempered through continuous learning and reflection. Theoretical study is not only knowledge accumulation but also an important pathway for Party spirit cultivation. What theory to study and how to study it reflect one’s stand, attitude, and direction, directly affecting Party spirit cultivation itself. Whether theory possesses Party spirit directly determines whether Party members and cadres can truly build a solid foundation of faith, replenish their spiritual calcium, and steady the helm of thought. [7]7 A common CPC metaphor: “faith as the foundation, spirit as calcium, thought as the helm.” Only by continuously enhancing theoretical consciousness and firming up theoretical stand can one build a solid foundation of Party spirit deep in thought and continuously exert the practical role of Party spirit in practice. On the new journey, strengthening Party spirit cultivation at the theoretical level primarily requires deeply studying Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, truly achieving the integration of learning, thinking, and application, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action.

党性不是与生俱来的，而是在不断学习、思考中锤炼出来的。理论学习不仅是知识积累，更是党性锻炼的重要途径。学什么理论、怎么学理论，体现着立场、态度和方向，直接关乎党性修养本身。理论具不具有党性，直接决定党员干部能否在思想上真正筑牢信仰之基、补足精神之钙、把稳思想之舵。只有不断增强理论自觉、坚定理论立场，才能在思想深处筑牢党性之基，在实践中不断发挥党性的实践作用。新征程上，在理论层面加强党性修养，首要任务就是深入学习习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，真正做到学思用贯通、知信行统一。

Practice Is the Best Touchstone of Party Spirit

实践是党性的最好试金石

In the French workers’ movement of the 1850s and 1860s, the Blanquists resolutely resisted the interference of Proudhonism in the direction of the workers’ movement. Marx highly praised this, clearly stating: “In Paris, within the socialist party, Party spirit and the spirit of unity still hold sway.” [8]8 Karl Marx, letter to Engels, 1865, referring to the French socialist movement. In Marx’s view, Party spirit was not only a stabilizer for the organization of the proletarian political party but also ensured that the revolutionary direction would not waver. Lenin had a profound understanding of the practical role of Party spirit; he believed that Party spirit was not some abstract quality but a political capacity and organizational consciousness continuously tempered in concrete practice. Party spirit is both a condition for political development and a marker of political development. To judge whether a Party member has Party spirit, one must see whether they “most actively, directly, and openly participate in all the work of their own Party (not just its Duma faction).” [9]9 V. I. Lenin, “What Is to Be Done?” (1902). Lenin clearly pointed out the practical need for Party spirit: “Strict Party spirit is the concomitant and result of highly developed class struggle. Conversely, to conduct open and extensive class struggle, it is necessary to develop strict Party spirit.” [10]10 V. I. Lenin, “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back” (1904). Party spirit is a necessary prerequisite for organizing principled and directed practice; only under the guidance of the principle of Party spirit can people’s spontaneous struggles be elevated into organized political action, thereby promoting fundamental changes in social history.

在十九世纪五六十年代法国工人运动中，布朗基派坚决抵制蒲鲁东主义对工人运动方向的干扰。马克思对此给予高度评价，明确指出：“在巴黎，在社会党内，党性和团结精神仍然占着统治地位。”在马克思看来，党性不仅是无产阶级政党组织的稳定剂，更确保了革命方向不动摇。列宁对党性的实践作用有深刻认识，他认为党性不是某种抽象品质，而是在具体实践中不断锤炼出来的政治能力和组织觉悟。党性既是政治开展的条件，也是政治开展的标志。判断党员是否有党性，就要看其是否“最积极、直接、公开地参与自己党的（不仅是它的杜马党团的）各项工作”。列宁明确指出党性的实践需要：“严格的党性是高度发展的阶级斗争的随行者和结果。相反地，为了公开地和广泛地进行阶级斗争，必需发展严格的党性。”党性是组织起有原则、有方向的实践的必要前提，只有在党性原则指导下，才能将人们的自发斗争上升为有组织的政治行动，从而推动社会历史的根本变革。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Leading cadres must make tempering Party spirit and raising ideological awareness a lifelong task, learning, cultivating, and improving until old age.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), 2023. Whether Party spirit is strong must ultimately be tested in practice; it depends not only on attitude but also on action. Party spirit is not only reflected in political loyalty and theoretical clarity but also in the concrete practice of undertaking endeavors, assuming responsibility, and fulfilling duties. To temper Party spirit in practice, one must constantly calibrate political direction, consolidate the people’s stand, and strengthen responsibility and commitment. Through serious intra-Party political life, strict organizational discipline, and persistent self-revolution, Party spirit must be transformed from a “passive awareness” into an “active consciousness” in practice, and from an “organizational requirement” into a “political conviction” in practice. Implementing the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations and promoting the continuous improvement of Party and government conduct rely precisely on the vast numbers of Party members and cadres continuously enhancing their Party spirit cultivation, solving problems of arbitrary action, inaction, timidity in action, and incompetence in action, thoroughly discarding hedonism and other unhealthy practices, daring to struggle and being good at acting, achieving the state of knowing responsibility in the heart, bearing responsibility on the body, and fulfilling responsibility in action.

习近平总书记指出：“领导干部要把锤炼党性、提高思想觉悟作为终身课题，活到老、学到老、修养到老。”党性是否坚强，最终要在实践中检验；不仅要看态度，更要看行动。党性不仅体现为政治忠诚、理论清醒，更体现在干事创业、担当尽责的具体实践中。在实践中锤炼党性，就要不断校准政治方向、夯实群众立场、强化责任担当，通过严肃的党内政治生活、严格的组织纪律和持之以恒的自我革命，使之由“被动意识”变为实践中的“主动自觉”，由“组织要求”升华为实践中的“政治信念”。贯彻落实中央八项规定精神，推动党风政风持续向好，靠的正是广大党员干部不断增强党性修养，解决乱作为、不作为、不敢为、不善为问题，彻底摒弃享乐主义等歪风陋习，敢于斗争、善于作为，做到知责于心、担责于身、履责于行。

(Author: Xu Jian, is a Distinguished Researcher of the Liaoning Provincial Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Associate Professor at the School of Marxism, Dalian Maritime University)

（作者：徐健，系辽宁省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心特约研究员、大连海事大学马克思主义学院副教授）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心