Carry Out the Improvement of Work Style Through to the End

The Party’s work style is the Party’s calling card; it concerns the Party’s image, concerns whether the people’s hearts are with or against the Party, and concerns the very survival of the Party’s cause. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core began its breakthrough by formulating and implementing

党的作风是党的名片，关乎党的形象，关乎民心向背，关乎党的事业存亡。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央从制定和落实关于改进工作作风、密切联系群众的八项规定开局破题，集中整治党内存在的形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风问题，从小抓起，以小见大，以小带大，解决了新时代作风建设抓什么、怎么抓的问题，引领党风政风焕然一新，带动社风民风持续向好。

The core of the conduct issue is

作风问题核心是

the relationship between the Party and the masses of the people.

党同人民群众的关系问题

In the long process of revolution, construction, and reform and opening up, our Party has persistently cultivated and promoted many glorious traditions and fine styles of work. From the period of the Central Soviet Area, when cadres “wore straw sandals to make revolution by day and visited poor peasants by night along mountain paths,” from the Long March, when “even if they had only one quilt, they would cut half of it to give to the common people,” to the Yan’an period, when they “firmly sat on the side of the common people” and “only public servants were seen, no officials,” and then after the founding of New China, when Gu Wenchang warned his family “not to take a single bit of advantage from public resources,” Jiao Yulu took the lead in practicing the “Ten Prohibitions for Cadres,” and Yang Shanzhong insisted that “as long as life does not end, service to the people will not stop”—all of these vividly reflect the Party’s nature and purpose, display the Party’s image and quality, and endow our Marxist Party, which upholds the lofty ideal of communism, with a powerful force of character, enabling it to always stay at the forefront of the times. However, nothing is immutable. Facing new situations and new problems, we must maintain a high degree of vigilance, with a strong sense of responsibility that the effort to improve conduct is always ongoing and that we are always concerned, adhere to genuine and strict management, dare to manage and be strict, never relax for a moment in correcting unhealthy tendencies, eliminate the negative factors that hinder the Party’s advanced nature and integrity, and continue to win the trust and support of the broad masses of the people with fine conduct.

在长期的革命、建设、改革过程中，我们党坚持培育和弘扬了许多光荣传统和优良作风。从中央苏区时期的“日着草鞋干革命，夜走山路访贫农”，从长征路上的“自己有一条被子，也要剪下半条给老百姓”，到延安时期的“把屁股端端地坐在老百姓的这一面”，“只见公仆不见官”，再到新中国成立后谷文昌告诫家人“不许沾公家的一点油”，焦裕禄带头践行“干部十不准”，杨善洲坚持“只要生命不结束，服务人民不停止”，无不鲜明地反映了党的性质和宗旨，展现了党的形象和素质，使我们这个秉持共产主义远大理想的马克思主义政党充满强大的人格力量而得以始终走在时代前列。然而，任何事物都不是一成不变的。面对新情况新问题，我们要保持高度警惕，以作风建设永远在路上时时放心不下的高度责任感，坚持真管真严、敢管敢严，一刻不放松地纠治不正之风，清除妨碍党的先进性和纯洁性的消极因素，以优良的作风继续赢得广大人民群众的信任和拥护。

When the Party’s conduct is upright, the people’s morale is smooth, and the Party and the people can share hardships; conversely, when the Party’s conduct is not upright, the people will harbor resentment, and the Party and the people will become estranged. The fundamental yardstick for measuring whether the Party’s conduct is upright or not lies in the two words “public” and “private.” In the course of more than 100 years of struggle, the reason our Party was able to stand out from repeated contests with various political forces in modern China and become the backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation is manifold, but the most fundamental one is that our Party has always adhered to the purpose of seeking benefits only for the entire proletariat and the broad masses of the people, without any private interests. As it now appears, many conduct problems arise precisely because the relationship between public and private has not been properly handled. Apart from outright embezzlement, bribery, extravagance, and dissipation, some people waste people’s money and resources on “image projects” [1]1 “Image projects” (形象工程) refers to construction or development projects undertaken primarily to create a favorable impression for officials seeking promotion, often at great public expense and with little practical benefit for the people. solely to gain capital for personal promotion; some are keen on forming small circles and practicing cronyism, solely to facilitate their own abuse of power for personal gain. In the final analysis, it is all a matter of the word “private” causing trouble. We must always be clearly aware of one point: public funds belong to the “public,” and not a single cent can be spent recklessly; public power serves the people, and not a single bit can be used for private purposes. We must correctly handle the relationship between public and private, establish a correct outlook on right and wrong, on righteousness and benefit, on power, and on career, and earnestly achieve wholehearted service to the people, rather than half-hearted service or service with two-thirds of the heart and two-thirds of the will. Only in this way can we truly hold the people in our hearts, and naturally, we will be able to form a fine style of work that satisfies the people.

党的作风正，人民的心气就顺，党和人民就能同甘共苦；相反，党的作风不正，人民就会心生怨念，党和人民就会离心离德。而衡量党的作风正与不正的根本尺子在于公、私二字。在100多年的奋斗历程中，我们党之所以能够从同现代中国各种政治力量的反复较量中脱颖而出，成为中国人民和中华民族的主心骨，原因有很多，其中最根本的一条是我们党始终坚持只为整个无产阶级和广大人民谋利益而没有任何私利的宗旨。现在看来，许多作风问题都是由于没有摆正公私关系才产生的。除开公然的贪赃枉法、骄奢淫逸，有的人劳民伤财地大搞“形象工程”，无非是为个人升迁捞取资本，有的人热衷画小圈子、搞任人唯亲，也无非是为个人以权谋私提供便利，说到底都是一个“私”字作祟。我们必须时刻清楚地认识到一点，那就是公款姓“公”，一分一厘也不能乱花；公权为民，一丝一毫也不能私用。要正确处理公私关系，树立正确的是非观、义利观、权力观、事业观，切实做到全心全意为人民服务，而不是半心半意或者三分之二的心、三分之二的意为人民服务，如此才是真正把人民群众装在心里，自然也就能够形成令人民群众满意的好作风。

Promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of the effort to improve conduct

推进作风建设常态化长效化

The conduct issue is essentially a matter of Party spirit [2]2 “Party spirit” (党性) is a core concept in CPC discourse, denoting the principled, disciplined, and selfless character expected of Party members, rooted in loyalty to the Party’s theory, line, and policies.; solving the problem of Party spirit is an important focus for improving conduct. We must strengthen Party spirit education, guide Party cadres to enhance their awareness of the Party, of Party membership, and of the Party’s purpose, adhere to truth, uphold the right path, and stick to principles, and earnestly establish themselves through conviction, character, and practical work, avoiding opportunism and crooked ways. We must strengthen education on ideals and convictions, guide Party cadres to firmly believe in the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, always remember that “it was Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought that guided the Chinese people out of the long night and established New China, and it is socialism with Chinese characteristics that has enabled China to develop rapidly,” earnestly solve problems concerning their outlook on history, nationality, the state, and culture, and forge the ideological steel and iron bones of Communists. Firmness in Party spirit and firmness in faith are both inseparable from firmness in theory. We must strengthen the study of political theory, guide Party cadres to study comprehensively and systematically, rather than piecemeal, and in a practical and realistic manner, rather than formalistically, the basic theories of Marxism and the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, especially to earnestly learn the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through them, and to solidly apply the results of study to the entire process and all aspects of strengthening the Party’s conduct improvement.

作风问题本质上是党性问题，解决好党性问题是改进作风的一个重要着眼点。要加强党性教育，引导党员干部增强党的意识、党员意识、宗旨意识，坚持真理、坚守正道、坚守原则，切实做到以信念、人格、实干立身，不搞投机取巧、不搞歪门邪道。要加强理想信念教育，引导党员干部坚定对共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想的信念，始终牢记“是马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想引导中国人民走出了漫漫长夜、建立了新中国，是中国特色社会主义使中国快速发展起来了”，切实解决好历史观、民族观、国家观、文化观问题，铸牢共产党人思想上的钢筋铁骨。而党性上的坚定、信仰上的坚定都离不开理论上的坚定。要加强政治理论学习，引导党员干部全面系统地而不是零敲碎打地、实事求是地而不是形式主义地学习马克思主义基本理论和马克思主义中国化时代化最新成果，特别是认真学习贯穿其中的立场观点方法，并使学习成果扎实落到加强党的作风建设的全过程和各方面。

Conduct problems are recurrent and stubborn; strengthening institutional building is a long-term and fundamental strategy. We must be adept at using systematic thinking, law-based thinking, and bottom-line thinking, adhere to the principle of being comprehensive in law and simple in practice, combine the central authorities’ requirements, the people’s expectations, practical needs, and fresh experience, and strive to form a complete and systematic institutional system, using rigid institutional provisions to ensure that the improvement of conduct has a basis to follow. We must enhance the targeting and operability of institutions, on the basis of scientifically distinguishing between individual problems and universal problems, problems in a certain work link and problems in the entire work process, problems caused by relatively single factors and problems caused by deep-seated and complex factors, respond to each one and solve them concretely, and resolutely prevent vague and abstract approaches that lack substance. We must enhance the seriousness and authority of institutions, adhere to the principle that everyone is equal before the institutions, that there are no privileges in observing the institutions, and that there are no exceptions in implementing the institutions, leaving no “hidden doors” and opening no “skylights,” and warn everyone never to harbor any illusions, never to expect leniency beyond the law, and never to hold unrealistic fantasies about the political iron law that our country has no “golden-armor edict” [3]3 “Golden-armor edict” (丹书铁券) is a historical reference to a document issued by emperors granting immunity from punishment to certain officials or nobles; here it is used metaphorically to deny any such exemption in the CPC. for exemption from punishment and no “iron-hat prince” [4]4 “Iron-hat prince” (铁帽子王) originally referred to Manchu princes whose noble titles were hereditary and irrevocable; in contemporary political discourse, it is used to denote powerful figures who are considered untouchable by discipline or law.. We must carry forward the work of supervising the implementation of institutions with the momentum of leaving marks on stone and grabbing iron with bare hands, persist in regular, detailed, and long-term efforts, start well and end well, do well and achieve results, prevent a strong start and a weak finish, and prevent the situation where “hundreds of documents cannot control one mouth” [5]5 “Hundreds of documents cannot control one mouth” (几百个文件管不住一张嘴) is a popular saying criticizing the ineffectiveness of bureaucratic regulations in curbing extravagant banqueting and gift-giving, a key target of the Eight-Point Regulations..

作风问题具有反复性和顽固性，加强制度建设是长远之策、根本之策。要善于运用系统思维、法治思维、底线思维，本着于法周延、于事简便的原则，把中央要求、群众期盼、实际需要、新鲜经验结合起来，努力形成系统完备的制度体系，以刚性的制度规定确保改进作风有据可依。要增强制度的针对性和可操作性，在科学区分个别问题和普遍问题、某一工作环节的问题和工作全过程的问题、由比较单一原因造成的问题和由深层次复杂原因造成的问题的基础上，做到一一回应、具体解决，坚决防止大而化之的空对空。要增强制度的严肃性和权威性，坚持制度面前人人平等、遵守制度没有特权、执行制度没有例外，不留“暗门”、不开“天窗”，告诫任何人永远不要心存侥幸，不要指望法外施恩，不要对我们国家没有免罪的“丹书铁券”，也没有“铁帽子王”的政治铁律抱有不切实际的幻想。要以踏石留印、抓铁有痕的劲头将监督制度执行的工作抓下去，坚持抓常、抓细、抓长，善始善终、善作善成，防止虎头蛇尾，防止出现“几百个文件管不住一张嘴”的情况。

Conduct problems are diverse in manifestation and complex in cause, with principal contradictions and the principal aspect of contradictions, as well as secondary contradictions and the secondary aspect of contradictions. The “four forms of decadence” [6]6 The “four forms of decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance, which were identified as major problems in Party conduct and targeted in the mass-line education campaign launched in 2013. are the problems that the broad masses of cadres and people deeply detest and reflect most strongly on at present, and they should be solved as the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction. To truly solve the “four forms of decadence,” we must further recognize the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction to be grasped when correcting each unhealthy tendency. Among them, opposing formalism should focus on solving the problem of work not being solid; opposing bureaucracy should focus on solving the problem of not safeguarding or acting on the interests of the people; opposing hedonism should focus on overcoming the mentality of seeking pleasure in the moment and the phenomenon of privilege; opposing extravagance should focus on resolutely curbing the bad habits of wastefulness, pleasure-seeking, and dissipation. We must proceed from reality, focus on solving whatever problem is prominent, and urgently address whatever problem is pressing, earnestly achieving the goal of aiming at the focal point, finding the right spot, grasping the key, and shooting the arrow at the target. We must closely monitor the new forms and new trends of the “four forms of decadence,” maintain a high degree of vigilance against their variability and infectiousness, persist in holding firm at one node after another and advancing stage by stage, and each year use new methods to meet new challenges, ensuring that the effort to improve conduct is not a “passing wind” or “rain that only wets the surface of the ground.”

作风问题表现多样、成因复杂，有主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，也有次要矛盾和矛盾的次要方面。“四风”问题是当前广大干部群众深恶痛绝、反映最强烈的问题，要作为主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面来解决。而要真正解决“四风”问题，还必须进一步认清纠正每一种不正之风时所要抓住的主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面。其中，反对形式主义要着重解决工作不实的问题，反对官僚主义要着重解决在人民群众利益上不维护、不作为的问题，反对享乐主义要着重克服及时享乐思想和特权现象，反对奢靡之风要着重狠刹挥霍享乐和骄奢淫逸的不良风气。要坚持从实际出发，什么问题突出就着重解决什么问题，什么问题紧迫就抓紧解决什么问题，切实做到对准焦距、找准穴位、抓住要害、有的放矢。要密切注意“四风”的新形式新动向，高度警惕其变异性和传染性，坚持一个节点一个节点坚守、一个阶段一个阶段推进，每年都以新招数应对新挑战，确保作风建设不是“一阵风”、不是“雨过地皮湿”。

Leading organs are important organs in the national governance system, and leading cadres are the "key minority" in the development of the Party and the state's cause; they serve as a weathervane for the entire Party and the whole society. The more a leading cadre, especially a senior leading cadre, the more they should hold reverence and fear in their hearts, be strict with themselves, first do what they ask others to do, and resolutely refrain from what they ask others not to do, truly internalizing a fine work style as political conviction and moral cultivation and externalizing it as behavioral norms and conscious action. First-in-charge at every level hold high positions and wield great power; they must especially use power correctly and cautiously according to rules, take the lead in clean self-discipline, take the lead in accepting the supervision of the Party and the people, take the lead in being upright in conduct, clean in work, and honorable in office, cherishing their reputation and integrity as they cherish life itself, and constantly remind themselves that a high position does not permit arbitrary use of power and that great power does not permit seeking personal gain. Besides managing themselves well, leading cadres should also value family, family education, and family traditions, manage their family members and relatives well, manage those around them and matters concerning them well, educate them to establish a sound concept of abiding by discipline and law, living plainly and frugally, and relying on one's own efforts, and make them understand that forgetting righteousness at the sight of profit and taking bribes and bending the law are immoral acts. They should set an example for the whole society in inheriting and promoting the excellent traditional Chinese culture and the red family traditions of the older generation of revolutionaries.

领导机关是国家治理体系中的重要机关，领导干部是党和国家事业发展的“关键少数”，对全党全社会都具有风向标作用。越是领导干部特别是高级干部，越应心存敬畏、严于律己，要求别人做到的自己首先做到，要求别人不做的自己坚决不做，真正把优良作风内化为政治信念和道德养成、外化为行为准则和行动自觉。各级一把手都位高权重，特别要按规矩正确用权、谨慎用权，带头廉洁自律，带头接受党和人民监督，带头清清白白做人、干干净净做事、堂堂正正做官，像珍惜生命一样珍惜名节和操守，时刻警醒自己位高不能擅权、权重不能谋私。领导干部除了应管好自身，还应重视家庭、家教、家风，管好家人亲戚、管好身边人、身边事，教育他们树立遵纪守法、艰苦朴素、自食其力的良好观念，明白见利忘义、贪赃枉法是不道德的事情，要在继承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化、老一辈革命家的红色家风方面为全社会做表率。

(The author is an assistant researcher at the Fourth Research Department of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the CPC)

（作者系中央党史和文献研究院第四研究部助理研究员）

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