The String of Self-Revolution Must Be Pulled Tighter

On the eve of this year’s July 1st [Party Founding Day], the 20th Politburo of the Central Committee held its 21st collective study session on improving and implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations and correcting the “Four Forms of Decadence” [1]1 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, the four major unhealthy tendencies targeted in the Party’s rectification campaigns. with a long-term mechanism. General Secretary Xi Jinping, when presiding over the study, pointed out that self-revolution is the second answer for our Party to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall, and that advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party by starting with the improvement of work style is an important experience of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era; he emphasized that “the string of self-revolution must be pulled tighter,” and charted a clear path for how to further implement the requirements of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era, demonstrating our Party’s unwavering determination to persistently eliminate ills and abuses and to carry the Party’s great self-revolution through to the end.

今年“七一”前夕，二十届中央政治局就健全落实中央八项规定精神、纠治“四风”长效机制进行第二十一次集体学习。习近平总书记主持学习时指出，自我革命是我们党跳出治乱兴衰历史周期率的第二个答案，从抓作风入手推进全面从严治党是新时代党的自我革命一条重要经验；强调“自我革命这根弦必须绷得更紧”，并就如何把新时代党的自我革命要求进一步落实到位指明清晰路径，彰显了我们党驰而不息去疴除弊、把党的伟大自我革命进行到底的坚定决心。

History often requires the long lens of time to be clearly and accurately observed and grasped. Looking back at the period before the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, marked the beginning of the Xi Jinping era and the launch of the anti-corruption campaign. [3, unhealthy tendencies within the Party were spreading and growing, some corruption problems were shocking, and many people were deeply worried about the future of the Party and the country. Facing this severe situation, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with the courage to turn the blade inward and scrape the poison off the bone, began by formulating and implementing the Eight-Point Regulations to break the ice and establish credibility [3], insisted on setting iron rules and imposing strong constraints, insisted on simultaneously grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, and integrating the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, launching a set of “combined punches” for self-revolution. After more than ten years of tempering through fire, our Party has curbed many unhealthy practices that were previously thought impossible to curb, removed many stubborn and chronic diseases that had been difficult to eliminate for years, solved many problems strongly reflected by the masses, brought about a completely new look to Party conduct and government conduct, significantly raised the level of Party governance and management, and gathered strong positive energy for the development of the Party’s and the country’s cause. It can be said that the small incision of the Eight-Point Regulations has leveraged a major transformation in work style; the first move of improving work style has revitalized the entire chessboard of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party by starting with the improvement of work style is a vivid practice of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era, accumulating valuable experience for continuing to push the Party’s self-revolution deeper.

历史，往往要透过时间的长镜头更能清楚准确地洞察把握。回望党的十八大之前一个时期，党内不正之风滋长蔓延，一些贪腐问题触目惊心，不少人对党和国家前途忧心忡忡。面对严峻形势，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以刀刃向内、刮骨疗毒的勇气，以制定和实施中央八项规定开局破题、徙木立信，坚持立铁规矩、强硬约束，坚持党性党风党纪一起抓、正风肃纪反腐相贯通，打出一套自我革命的“组合拳”。十余年浴火淬炼，我们党刹住了不少过去认为不可能刹住的歪风，祛除了一些多年难以祛除的顽瘴痼疾，解决了很多群众反映强烈的突出问题，党风政风焕然一新，管党治党水平显著提升，为党和国家事业发展凝聚起强大正能量。可以说，八项规定小切口，撬动了作风大变革；作风建设先手棋，盘活了全面从严治党大棋局。从抓作风入手推进全面从严治党，是新时代党的自我革命的生动实践，为继续把党的自我革命推向深入积累了宝贵经验。

Today, on the land of China, a clean breeze blows vigorously and righteousness is high. Can we relax our efforts on work style improvement? Can the Party’s self-revolution take a break? “Sailing against the current, one must strain every muscle; if the pole is loosened by an inch, one retreats a thousand fathoms.” [4] Currently, our Party is uniting and leading the people to advance Chinese-path modernization, the largest and most difficult modernization in human history. Further deepening reform comprehensively involves a wide scope, touches deep interests, and presents great difficulty in overcoming obstacles. External risks and challenges are becoming more complex. All this places higher demands on the Party’s work style and governance capacity. The Party Central Committee decided to carry out education and study on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations across the entire Party, precisely to use new achievements in work style improvement to promote the maintenance of the Party’s advanced nature and purity, and to provide a strong guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese-path modernization. However, even during this period of education and study, some Party members and cadres still violate discipline and regulations, engaging in unauthorized eating and drinking, which serves as an alarm bell reminding us: those who defy laws and discipline still exist; unhealthy tendencies and corruption remain prone to frequent occurrence; work style improvement is far from the time to relax or take a break; the string of self-revolution must be pulled tighter, and tighter still.

今日神州大地，清风劲吹、正气昂扬，作风建设是否可以松口气、党的自我革命是否可以歇歇脚了？“逆水行舟用力撑，一篙松劲退千寻。”当前，我们党正团结带领人民推进中国式现代化这一人类历史上规模最大、难度最大的现代化，进一步全面深化改革涉及范围广、触及利益深、攻坚难度大，来自外部的风险挑战更加复杂，这一切对党的作风和执政能力提出了更高要求。党中央决定在全党开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，就是为了以作风建设新成效推动保持党的先进性纯洁性，为进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化提供有力保障。然而就在学习教育期间，一些党员、干部仍然顶风违纪、违规吃喝，犹如一记警钟提醒我们：目无法纪者仍在，不正之风和腐败现象仍然易发多发，作风建设远未到可以松劲歇脚的时候，自我革命这根弦必须绷得紧些、再紧些。

To forge the hardest iron, one must be a person made of iron. Facing the complex situation and heavy tasks, work style improvement cannot stop for a single step, and self-revolution is always on the way. This is already the consensus of the majority of Party members and cadres. However, a small number of people still have insufficient understanding. Some regard self-revolution as “asking for trouble,” some oppose self-revolution to economic and social development, and others think it is none of their business and adopt a hands-off attitude. History and reality have repeatedly proven that unhealthy tendencies and corruption are great enemies of the Party and the people, and also great enemies of sustained and healthy economic and social development. Self-revolution absolutely does not damage the Party’s image; on the contrary, by removing diseases, healing wounds, and eliminating decay to regenerate, it better establishes image and authority, and unites the Party and the people. Far from hindering economic and social development, it can remove obstacles and inject vitality into development by eliminating accumulated ills and improving work style. Party members and cadres should further raise their awareness, deeply grasp the arduousness and complexity of rectifying conduct and fighting corruption, deeply understand the importance and necessity of self-revolution, not act as outsiders or bystanders, and wage a resolute struggle against unhealthy tendencies and corruption.

打最硬的铁，须是铁打的人。面对复杂形势、繁重任务，作风建设一步也不能停歇，自我革命永远在路上，这已是多数党员、干部的共识。但仍有少数人认识上不到位，有的把自我革命当作“自找麻烦”，有的将自我革命与经济社会发展对立起来，还有的则认为事不关己、高高挂起。历史和现实反复证明，不正之风和腐败现象是党和人民的大敌，也是经济社会持续健康发展的大敌。自我革命绝不是自损形象，而是通过祛病疗伤、去腐生肌，更好树立形象威信、凝聚党心民心；非但不会阻碍经济社会发展，反而能够通过革除积弊、改进作风，为发展破除障碍、注入活力。党员、干部应进一步提高认识，深刻把握正风反腐的艰巨性复杂性，深入领会自我革命的重要性必要性，不当局外人，不做旁观者，同不正之风和腐败现象作坚决斗争。

“The problem of work style is essentially a problem of Party spirit.” [5] What determines how a Party member treats people and matters is Party spirit. With strong Party spirit, one can maintain the sobriety to face problems and the courage for self-revolution, and can more firmly and consciously improve work style. In today’s era of diverse interests and surging ideologies, some people, as they walk, forget why they set out; some, in prolonged peace, have their fighting spirit worn away and indulge in pleasure; some, before temptations and encirclement, lose their composure and disturb their resolve… Examining the roots of various unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems, all stem from deviating from Party spirit. Only by continuously consolidating the foundation, cultivating the essence, and tempering Party spirit can one ensure that inner tranquility prevents outer recklessness. Party members and cadres must both strengthen ideological tempering, drawing nourishment for Party spirit from Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and also pay attention to engaging in practice, actively participating in the practice of Chinese-path modernization. Through substantial cultivation and training, in the course of undertaking work and starting enterprises, they should firm up their ideals and convictions, forge loyalty to the Party, deepen their feelings of serving the people, purify their moral character, maintain integrity and honesty, and continuously enhance their consciousness and firmness in self-revolution and improving work style.

“作风问题本质上是党性问题。”决定一名党员如何对待人和事的是党性。党性坚强，才能葆有正视问题的清醒和自我革命的勇气，才能更加坚定自觉改进作风。在利益多元、思潮激荡的今天，有人走着走着就忘了为什么出发，有人在承平日久中消磨了斗志、沉迷于享乐，有人在诱惑围猎前慌了心神、乱了心志……细究种种不正之风和腐败问题的根源，都是背离了党性。只有不断固本培元、锤炼党性，才能以内无妄思保证外无妄动。党员、干部既要加强思想淬炼，从习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想中汲取党性滋养；又须注重躬身实践，积极投身中国式现代化建设实践。通过实实在在的修养历练，在干事创业中，坚定理想信念，铸牢对党忠诚，厚植为民情怀，纯正道德品质，保持清正廉洁，不断提高自我革命、改进作风的自觉性坚定性。

Unhealthy tendencies and corruption are often related to the abuse of power. Advancing the Party’s self-revolution must further standardize the exercise of power. After years of law-based governance and rule-based governance of the Party, the mechanisms for the exercise of power by the Party and the state have become more complete and standardized. However, a small number of leading cadres still unscrupulously, racking their brains, and using new tricks to manipulate power, indicating that there are still loopholes and shortcomings in the institutional mechanisms. Only by continuously identifying and filling gaps, perfecting institutional mechanisms that unify authorization, power use, and power control, are clear, transparent, and traceable, truly confining power to the cage of institutions, while strictly enforcing institutions, strengthening whole-process supervision, and effectively ensuring that power operates in the sunlight, can we ensure that the power entrusted by the Party and the people is not abused, and deprive problems of conduct and corruption of their attached soil.

不正之风和腐败现象往往与权力滥用有关，推进党的自我革命必须进一步规范权力运行。经过这些年厉行法治、依规治党，党和国家权力运行机制更加完善规范，但仍有少数领导干部肆无忌惮、绞尽脑汁、花样翻新地搞权力操弄，这说明制度机制仍有漏洞短板。只有不断查漏补缺，健全授权用权制权相统一、清晰透明可追溯的制度机制，真正把权力关进制度的笼子，同时严格制度执行，加强全过程监督，切实让权力在阳光下运行，才能确保党和人民赋予的权力不被滥用，让风腐问题失去附着的土壤。

“Weeding out one harmful thing makes many seedlings thrive; punishing one evil makes the myriad people rejoice.” [6] Strict supervision and discipline enforcement are sharp weapons for the Party’s self-revolution. Violations of discipline and law must be resolutely investigated and dealt with, forming a strong deterrent. To this day, corruption problems still occur from time to time, and some Party members and cadres still lack reverence and act recklessly, indicating that daily supervision in some localities and departments is still not in place, and a strict atmosphere has not truly been formed. Only with a lasting deterrent can righteousness endure. Party organizations at all levels must further uphold discipline, make daily supervision meticulous and concrete, combine intra-Party supervision with people’s supervision, promote the coordination and integration of various types of supervision, while simultaneously increasing the intensity of simultaneous investigation and punishment of conduct and corruption, striking at unhealthy tendencies and corruption as soon as they appear and seriously investigating and punishing them, so that iron rules exert their force and prohibitions generate authority, continuously sending the signal to the entire Party that strictness will be maintained to the end and no concessions will be made.

“锄一害而众苗成，刑一恶而万民悦。”从严监督执纪是党的自我革命的利器。对违纪违法问题必须坚决查处，形成强大震慑。时至今日，仍有贪腐问题不时发生，还有党员、干部不知敬畏、胆大妄为，说明一些地方、部门日常监督还不到位，严的氛围还没有真正形成。震慑常在，才能正气长存。各级党组织要进一步把纪律挺起来，把日常监督做细做实，把党内监督和人民监督结合起来，推动各类监督贯通协调，同时加大风腐同查同治力度，对不正之风和腐败现象露头就打、严肃查处，让铁规发力、让禁令生威，向全党持续释放一严到底、寸步不让的信号。

Layering and consolidating responsibilities layer by layer is an effective means of implementing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. The main responsibility, supervisory responsibility, first responsible person’s responsibility, and “one post with dual responsibilities” [7] for governing and managing the Party constitute a complete chain of responsibility. Each type of responsibility must be strictly implemented, and perfunctory coping is unacceptable. When problems of violating discipline or law occur, one cannot “cover the lid” or “shield the calf” [8], as this will only nourish an ulcer and leave a future calamity, leading to greater disaster. Leading cadres at all levels, as the “key minority,” must further shoulder the responsibility for governing and managing the Party, implement the requirements of the Party’s self-revolution without any discount, be strict with themselves, strictly fulfill their responsibilities, and strictly manage their jurisdictions, effectively creating a strict atmosphere and establishing a correct ethos.

层层压实责任，是落实全面从严治党的有效手段。管党治党的主体责任、监督责任、第一责任人责任、“一岗双责”等构成完整的责任链条，每一种责任都要严格落实，容不得敷衍应付。出现违纪违法问题后，不能“捂盖子”“护犊子”，否则只会养痈遗患，导致更大的祸端。各级领导干部作为“关键少数”，必须进一步扛牢管党治党责任，不折不扣把党的自我革命要求落实到位，严于律己、严负其责、严管所辖，切实把严的氛围营造起来、把正的风气树立起来。

When climbing halfway up the mountain, do not stop; when the boat reaches midstream, row even harder. By seizing the opportunity of grasping and implementing education and study, honing the spirit of self-revolution, continuously stirring up a clean and righteous atmosphere, and constantly strengthening the Party’s organism, the Chinese Communist Party on the new journey will surely be able to shoulder heavy burdens and bear its mission, always remain the most reliable and strongest backbone of the Chinese people, and lead the people to cleave through waves and forge ahead on the road to rejuvenation.

行至半山不停步，船到中流更奋楫。以抓紧抓实学习教育为契机，砥砺自我革命精神，持续激荡清风正气，不断强健党的肌体，新征程上的中国共产党定能挑得起重担、扛得起使命，始终成为中国人民最可靠、最坚强的主心骨，带领人民在复兴之路上劈波斩浪、奋发前行。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心