A Profound Understanding of the Great Significance of "Work Style Improvement Is Always on the Way"

Work style improvement concerns the governing foundation of a Marxist political party and is a major issue and important component of Marxist party theory. From the fundamental stance of "working for the interests of the vast majority" established in the *Communist Manifesto* to Lenin's profound exposition on vanguard organizations, a fine work style, as the external manifestation of a Marxist party's nature and purpose, political character, and governing capacity, is not only a distinctive marker distinguishing Marxist parties from other political parties but also the deep foundation and source of political identity for the party's long-term governance. Entering the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping, with profound historical insight and a strong sense of mission, put forward the major thesis that "work style improvement is always on the way," enriching the understanding of the laws governing the construction of Marxist parties and promoting the innovative development of Marxist party theory. Profoundly elucidating its great significance is not only an inherent requirement for deepening the great new project of Party building in the New Era but also an inevitable necessity for enriching and developing Marxist party theory.

作风建设关系马克思主义政党的执政根基，是马克思主义政党理论的重大课题和重要内容。从《共产党宣言》确立“为绝大多数人谋利益”的根本立场到列宁关于先锋队组织的深刻论述，优良作风作为马克思主义政党性质宗旨、政治品格与执政能力的外在体现，不仅是马克思主义政党区别于其他政党的显著标志，更是党长期执政的深厚根基与政治认同根源。进入新时代，习近平总书记以深邃的历史洞察与强烈的使命担当，提出“作风建设永远在路上”的重大论断，丰富了对马克思主义政党建设规律的认识，推动了马克思主义政党建设的创新性发展。深刻阐释其重大意义，不仅是深化新时代党的建设新的伟大工程的题中应有之义，也是丰富发展马克思主义政党理论的必然要求。

1. Work Style Improvement Concerns the Governing Foundation and Political Identity of a Marxist Political Party

1.作风建设关乎马克思主义政党执政根基与政治认同

Marxist party theory profoundly reveals that the vanguard nature of a proletarian party is not a transcendental or static existence but must be forged, maintained, and consolidated through unremitting self-construction, especially work style improvement, in practice. The party's work style is mainly embodied in the worldview, view of power, and view of career of party members, especially leading cadres, and is mainly manifested in the flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the masses of the people. It profoundly influences and shapes the structure of social relations and political identity, determining the foundation of governance. Therefore, the issue of work style is by no means a trivial matter but a fundamental and principled issue concerning the party's nature and purpose, and its very survival.

马克思主义政党理论深刻揭示，无产阶级政党的先锋队性质不是一种先验或静态的存在，而是需要在实践中通过持续不懈的自身建设尤其是作风建设而锻造、维系与巩固的。党的作风主要体现为党员尤其是领导干部的世界观、权力观、事业观，主要表现为党同人民群众的血肉联系，它深刻影响、塑造着社会关系结构与政治认同，决定着执政的根基。因此，作风问题绝非细枝末节，而是攸关党的性质宗旨、生死存亡的根本性、原则性问题。

The people are the creators of history; the strength of a Marxist political party stems from its thorough revolutionary character and high degree of organization. The party's work style, especially the ideological style, work style, leadership style, and lifestyle of leading cadres at all levels, constitutes the most vivid and concrete practical basis for the masses to perceive and judge the party's nature and purpose. Bureaucratism, formalism, hedonism, and extravagance are essentially products of a distorted view of power and weakened sense of purpose. Like invisible barriers, they obstruct the flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the masses, erode the foundation of political identity, and fundamentally shake the governing foundation of a Marxist political party. Comrade Mao Zedong, during the Yan'an period, already proposed that "maintaining the closest ties with the broadest masses of the people" is the party's "distinctive mark." The flesh-and-blood ties between the party and the masses are by no means an abstract moral appeal but an unshakable basic principle and fundamental iron law for maintaining the governing status of a Marxist political party. The party's work style is a concrete manifestation of strengthening the party's political and ideological construction in the process of transforming the subjective and objective worlds. Whether it is good or bad directly tests whether the party truly takes "putting the people first" as the starting point and落脚点 of all actions, and whether it adheres to the political character of a Marxist political party.

人民是历史的创造者，马克思主义政党的力量源自其彻底的革命性与高度的组织性。党的作风尤其是各级领导干部的思想作风、工作作风、领导作风、生活作风，构成了人民群众认知、判断党的性质宗旨最鲜活、最具体的现实依据。官僚主义、形式主义、享乐主义、奢靡之风等，本质上是权力观扭曲、宗旨意识淡漠的产物，它们如同无形的壁垒，阻碍着党同人民群众之间的血肉联系，消解着政治认同的基础，从根本上动摇马克思主义政党的执政根基。毛泽东同志在延安时期，就提出了“和最广大的人民群众取得最密切的联系”是党的“显著的标志”。党同人民群众的血肉联系绝非抽象的道德诉求，而是维系马克思主义政党执政地位不可撼动的基本原则与根本铁律。党的作风是党在改造主观世界和客观世界过程中加强党的政治建设和思想建设的具体体现，其优良与否直接检验着党是否真正将“人民至上”作为一切行动的出发点和落脚点，是否恪守马克思主义政党的政治品格。

The solidity of a governing position requires not only significant governance effectiveness but also the political identity of the masses with the party's ideals and values. For the Communist Party of China, which is committed to practicing the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, a fine work style is itself the value source and identity foundation of its governing status. The style of hard struggle, diligence, and thrift manifests the party's political nature of sharing weal and woe with the people; the style of integrating theory with practice and seeking truth from facts embodies the scientific attitude of respecting objective laws and the practical character of seeking truth and being pragmatic; the style of maintaining close ties with the masses and engaging in criticism and self-criticism profoundly demonstrates the political character of daring to engage in self-revolution and the broad-mindedness of consciously accepting supervision by the people. The lofty ideals and value pursuits condensed and inherited in these fine work styles are the root and foundation of the party winning the heartfelt support of the people. Work style improvement shapes the party's image, regulates the exercise of power, and consolidates the foundation of identity. It is the key to the party winning support and recognition in its governance.

执政地位的牢固不仅需要显著的治理效能，更依赖于人民群众对政党理想与价值理念的政治认同。对于矢志践行全心全意为人民服务根本宗旨的中国共产党而言，优良作风本身就是其执政地位的价值源泉和认同根源。艰苦奋斗、勤俭节约的作风，彰显着党与人民休戚与共、甘苦同尝的政治本色；理论联系实际、实事求是的作风，体现着尊重客观规律的科学态度与求真务实的实践品格；密切联系群众、批评与自我批评的作风，深刻展现了勇于自我革命的政治品格和自觉接受人民监督的坦荡胸怀。这些优良作风所凝结和传承的崇高理念和价值追求，是党赢得人民衷心拥护的根源和基础。作风建设塑造着政党形象、规范着权力运行、凝结着认同基础，是党执政能够赢得拥护和认同的关键所在。

2. "Work Style Improvement Is Always on the Way" Is the Deep Code for the Century-Old Party to Maintain Its Vigor and Vitality

2.“作风建设永远在路上”是百年大党永葆生机活力的深层密码

The deep code for the Communist Party of China to maintain its vigor and vitality is rooted in the political character of self-revolution and practical consciousness inherent in a Marxist political party. The major thesis that "work style improvement is always on the way" is not only a profound summary of the valuable experience gained in more than a century of governing the party but also a creative development of Marxist party theory in the New Era. It scientifically reveals the objective laws and inevitable path for a Marxist political party under long-term governance to maintain its advanced nature and purity through continuous self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement.

中国共产党永葆生机活力的深层密码，根植于马克思主义政党所具有的自我革命政治品格与实践自觉之中。“作风建设永远在路上”这一重大论断，不仅是对百余年来管党治党宝贵经验的深刻总结，也是对马克思主义政党理论在新时代的创造性发展。它科学揭示了马克思主义政党在长期执政条件下通过持续不断的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高，进而永葆先进性和纯洁性的客观规律和必由之路。

Work style issues are stubborn, recurrent, and epochal, requiring persistent effort. Work style issues are objective products of a party's governing practice under specific, complex social and historical conditions, exhibiting distinct characteristics: First, stubbornness and recurrence, mainly meaning that bad styles always exist and always accompany good styles. Old malpractices in bad styles are not eradicated at the root, while new problems arise again; overt problems are curbed, while covert variations grow and spread, and so on. This stems from the complex influence of ideological concepts, interest patterns, behavioral inertia, and changes in internal and external environments. Second, distinct epochal character. The governing tests faced by the party in different historical stages are different: in the early period of the founding of New China, it was mainly the erosion of revolutionary will and the party's healthy organism by "sugar-coated bullets"; during the period of reform and opening up, it was the negative impact of the market economy and its embedded transactional logic on leading cadres; entering the New Era, the party has long faced the "four major tests" [n1] and the "four dangers." [n2] Dialectical materialism and historical materialism profoundly reveal that contradictions are universal, and movement is universal. Work style improvement is by no means achieved overnight but is a long-term, systematic project requiring persistent effort. The major thesis that "work style improvement is always on the way" is precisely a sober recognition and profound insight into the objective laws and historical inevitability of work style improvement, and also a scientific method and inevitable path for work style improvement.

作风问题具有顽固性、反复性与时代性，需要常抓不懈。作风问题是政党在特定复杂社会历史条件下执政实践的客观产物，呈现出鲜明的特点：一是顽固性与反复性，这主要是指坏的作风始终存在、始终与好的作风相伴随。坏的作风旧弊未除根，新疾又再生；显性问题受遏制，隐性变异潜滋暗长，等等。这源于思想观念、利益格局、行为惯性，以及内外环境变化的复杂影响。二是鲜明的时代性。党在不同历史阶段面临的执政考验是不同的：新中国成立初期主要表现为“糖衣炮弹”对革命意志和党的健康肌体的侵蚀；改革开放时期则是市场经济及其蕴含的交易逻辑对领导干部的负面影响；进入新时代，党面临的“四大考验”和“四种危险”长期存在。辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义深刻揭示，矛盾是普遍的，运动也是普遍的。作风建设绝非一蹴而就，而是一项旷日持久、需要常抓不懈的系统工程。“作风建设永远在路上”的重大论断正是对作风建设客观规律和历史必然性的清醒认识与深刻洞察，也是作风建设的科学方法和必由之路。

Self-revolution is the fundamental driving force for the sustainable development of a political party, requiring long-term and persistent efforts to advance work style improvement. Daring to engage in self-revolution is a distinctive marker distinguishing Marxist political parties from other political parties and is the party's most distinctive character and greatest strength. Work style improvement, as a key entry point and strategic measure for the party to advance self-revolution, maintaining the state of "work style improvement is always on the way" is precisely the essential requirement and practical manifestation of the normalization and institutionalization of self-revolution. The thunderous anti-corruption struggle, with the determination to scrape poison off the bone and cut off a poisoned wrist to remove corrupt and degenerate elements, is a concentrated manifestation of turning the blade inward and eliminating diseases and disorders; the unremitting implementation of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations [n3] of the Central Committee and the deepening of the rectification of the "four forms of decadence" [n4] are the daily practice and long-term persistence in rectifying stubborn and chronic work style problems; intra-Party centralized study and education are strategic measures that closely combine ideological Party building with institutional Party building and work style strengthening, continuously consolidating the foundation of faith and tempering Party spirit. These vivid practices of self-revolution and their results show that only by adhering to "work style improvement is always on the way," maintaining a high degree of political sobriety and historical consciousness to solve the unique problems of a large party, and with a thorough spirit of self-revolution, continuously eliminating all negative factors that erode the party's healthy organism and damage its advanced nature and purity, can the party ensure that it remains invincible in the torrent of the times and maintains its vigorous vitality and exuberant vitality.

自我革命是政党永续发展的根本动力，要求久久为功推进作风建设。勇于自我革命，是马克思主义政党区别于其他政党的显著标志，是党最鲜明的品格和最大优势。作风建设作为党推进自我革命的关键切入点与战略举措，保持“作风建设永远在路上”的状态，正是自我革命常态化、制度化的本质要求与实践体现。雷霆万钧的反腐败斗争，以刮骨疗毒、壮士断腕的决绝清除腐化变质分子，是刀刃向内、祛疴治乱的集中彰显；锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神、深化纠治“四风”，是整治作风顽瘴痼疾的日常践行与久久为功；党内集中学习教育，是将思想建党与制度治党、作风强党紧密结合，不断筑牢信仰根基、锤炼党性修养的战略举措。这些自我革命的生动实践及其成效表明，只有坚持“作风建设永远在路上”，时刻保持解决大党独有难题的高度政治清醒与历史自觉，以彻底的自我革命精神，持续清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体、损害党的先进性纯洁性的消极因素，才能确保党在时代洪流中始终立于不败之地，永葆蓬勃朝气与旺盛生命力。

3. "Work Style Improvement Is Always on the Way" Manifests the Deepening of Understanding of the Laws of Party Construction

3.“作风建设永远在路上”彰显了对政党建设规律认识的深化

The operation of modern politics requires political parties to drive it. The ideals and beliefs, nature and purpose, value pursuits, operational logic, and institutional mechanisms of the Communist Party of China are different from those of political parties in Western countries. When Western political parties are deeply mired in difficulties such as political polarization and short-term self-interested governance, the Communist Party of China, with political sobriety, ideological maturity, and conscious action, explores new experiences and new paths in governing the country, further deepening the understanding and grasp of the laws of party construction.

现代政治的运行需要政党来推动。中国共产党的理想信念、性质宗旨、价值追求、运行逻辑与制度机制等不同于西方国家政党。当西方国家政党深陷政治极化、短期自利执政等困境不能自拔时，中国共产党以政治上的清醒、思想上的成熟、行动上的自觉探索治国理政新经验、新道路，进一步深化了对政党建设规律的认识和把握。

The historical cycle of “rising swiftly and perishing suddenly” [1]1 A classical allusion from the *Zuo Zhuan* (Zhuang Gong, 11th year), referring to the rapid rise and sudden fall of rulers or regimes, often cited in discussions of the “historical cycle” of dynastic change. warns people that a ruling group or ruling party that becomes divorced from the masses, lax in thought, and alienated in power will lead to the failure of its rule. With a high degree of historical self-awareness, our Party has deeply absorbed the lessons of the rise and fall of regimes past and present, at home and abroad, and has placed work style building at a strategic height for ensuring long-term stability and security, understanding and grasping it accordingly. This is not only a historical experience in governing the Party but also a practical requirement for long-term governance. The Yan’an Rectification Movement [2]2 A Party-wide ideological rectification campaign (1942–1945) centered in Yan’an, aimed at correcting subjectivism, sectarianism, and stereotyped Party writing, and establishing Mao Zedong Thought as the guiding ideology. focused on eradicating undesirable work styles such as subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotyped writing, laying a solid foundation for establishing a scientific ideological line and fine work style. In the early period after the founding of New China, the “Three-Anti” and “Five-Anti” campaigns [3]3 The “Three-Anti” campaign (1951–1952) targeted corruption, waste, and bureaucracy within the Party and government; the “Five-Anti” campaign (1952) targeted bribery, tax evasion, theft of state property, cheating on government contracts, and stealing economic information among private businesses. were launched to resolutely curb the signs of power corrosion. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, our Party repeatedly emphasized that “the work style of the ruling Party is a matter of life and death for the Party,” treating the issue of work style at the height of the Party’s survival. Since the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has advanced comprehensive and strict governance of the Party with the resolve to “offend thousands of people rather than fail the 1.4 billion,” treating work style building as a foundational and strategic project to be persistently addressed, always maintaining the deep bond of fish-and-water affection and flesh-and-blood connection with the masses, and constantly alert to and effectively overcoming the danger of becoming divorced from the masses. This not only reflects our Party’s governing character of being vigilant in times of peace and preparing for danger but also constitutes a profound insight and scientific grasp of the laws governing the rule of a ruling party.

“其兴也勃焉，其亡也忽焉”的历史周期率昭示人们，执政集团或执政党脱离群众、思想懈怠、权力异化，就会导致执政失败。我们党以高度的历史自觉，深刻汲取古今中外政权兴衰的经验教训，将作风建设置于确保长治久安的战略高度予以认识和把握，这不仅是管党治党的历史经验，也是长期执政的现实要求。延安整风运动着力破除主观主义、宗派主义、党八股等不良作风，为确立科学思想路线和优良作风奠定坚实基础；新中国成立初期开展“三反”“五反”运动，坚决遏制权力腐蚀的苗头；改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期我们党反复强调“执政党的党风问题是有关党的生死存亡的问题”，将作风问题置于党生死存亡的高度来对待。新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以“得罪千百人、不负十四亿”的魄力推进全面从严治党，将作风建设作为基础性、战略性工程常抓不懈，始终保持同人民群众的鱼水深情和血肉联系，时刻警惕并有效克服脱离群众的危险。这不仅体现出我们党居安思危、未雨绸缪的执政品格，更是对执政党执政规律的深刻洞察和科学把握。

The spirit of self-revolution and the requirement of rigid institutions embodied in “work style building is always on the way” also contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to world party politics and national governance. From the practice of party politics in Western countries, democratic elections and party governance have basically degenerated into periodic “political performances” and power struggles, forming the current practical predicament of Western party politics. Given their political concepts and institutional structures, this predicament is almost unsolvable. The nature and purpose of the Communist Party of China determine its political character and practical logic. To maintain the Party’s nature and purpose, our Party has the courage to engage in self-revolution, forming mechanisms for self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement. This perpetual impetus for renewal stems from a profound insight into and practical consciousness of the historical cycle, and is a Chinese solution that uses the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method to solve the long-term governance challenges of a Marxist party. It marks the political sobriety, political consciousness, and political maturity of a Marxist party—that is, not evading contradictions, not fearing challenges, and always carrying out a profound, sustained, and normalized self-revolution with the sobriety of “taking an examination” [4]4 A metaphor derived from Mao Zedong’s reference to the Party’s entry into Beijing in 1949 as “taking an examination” for governance, later used by Xi Jinping to emphasize the Party’s continuous need to meet the people’s expectations. and the steadfastness of “being on the way.” This is not only the fundamental political guarantee for the steady and enduring progress of the great cause of Chinese-path modernization but also a profound manifestation in the field of party politics of the new form of human civilization created by Chinese-path modernization, bearing great world-historical significance.

“作风建设永远在路上”所体现的自我革命精神与刚性制度要求，也为世界政党政治与国家治理贡献了中国智慧和中国方案。从西方国家政党政治的实践来看，民主选举与政党执政基本沦为周期性“政治表演”与争权夺利的政治实践，形成了当前西方政党政治的现实困境。鉴于其政治理念与制度构造，这种困境几乎不可解决。中国共产党的性质宗旨决定了其政治品格和实践逻辑。为了保持党的性质宗旨，我们党勇于自我革命，形成了自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高机制。这种永续的革新动力，源于对历史周期率的深刻洞察与实践自觉，是运用马克思主义立场观点方法破解政党长期执政难题的中国方案。它标志着马克思主义政党的政治清醒、政治自觉和政治成熟，即不回避矛盾，不畏惧挑战，始终以“赶考”的清醒和“在路上”的坚定，进行着深刻、持续、常态化的自我革命。这不仅是中国式现代化伟大事业行稳致远的根本政治保障，更是中国式现代化所创造的人类文明新形态在政党政治领域的深刻体现，具有重大世界历史意义。

Work style building, as a strategic and foundational project for the construction of a Marxist party, has great significance not only in providing political guarantees for the Party’s long-term governance but also in offering new solutions for the construction of Marxist parties. Only by deeply grasping the scientific connotation and practical requirements of “work style building is always on the way” and integrating work style building throughout the entire process of the great new project of Party building can the Party be ensured to always remain the strong leading core of the cause of Chinese-path modernization, contributing more Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to human civilization.

作风建设作为马克思主义政党建设的战略性、基础性工程，其重大意义不仅体现在为党的长期执政提供政治保障，更在于为马克思主义政党建设提供了新方案。深刻把握“作风建设永远在路上”的科学内涵和实践要求，将作风建设贯穿党的建设新的伟大工程全过程，才能确保党始终成为中国式现代化事业的坚强领导核心，为人类文明贡献更多中国智慧与中国方案。

(Author: Huang Qisong, is a professor and Party Secretary of Guizhou Normal University, and a researcher at the Guizhou Local Practice Think Tank for the “Two Integrations” of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context.)

（作者：黄其松，系贵州师范大学党委书记、贵州马克思主义中国化“两个结合”的地方实践智库研究员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心