The Shift of the Center of Gravity of the World Socialist Movement and China Becoming the Mainstay of the Socialist Cause

In the history of the world socialist movement, there has been a phenomenon of the center of gravity shifting, whereby different countries or regions become the “bellwether” of the socialist movement at different times. Lenin once put forward the proposition of “backward Europe and advanced Asia.” The Communist Party of China has not disappointed Lenin’s expectations. As an important component of the cause of human progress, the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era has achieved major accomplishments, profoundly influencing the course of world history and profoundly changing the trends and patterns of world development. China is increasingly becoming the mainstay of the rejuvenation of the world socialist movement, “creating a new form of human civilization, expanding the path for developing countries to achieve modernization, offering a new choice for those countries and nations that wish to accelerate development while maintaining their independence,” and making important contributions to the peaceful development of all mankind, with great world significance.

世界社会主义运动史中出现过不同国家或地区在不同时期成为社会主义运动“领头羊”的重心转移现象。列宁曾提出“落后的欧洲和先进的亚洲”这一命题。中国共产党没有辜负列宁的期望。作为人类进步事业的重要组成部分，新时代中国特色社会主义事业取得重大成就，深刻影响了世界历史进程，深刻改变了世界发展的趋势和格局。中国日益成为复兴世界社会主义运动的中流砥柱，“创造了人类文明新形态，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径，给世界上那些既希望加快发展又希望保持自身独立性的国家和民族提供了全新选择”，为全人类的和平发展作出了重要贡献，具有重大的世界意义。

I. The Uneven Development of the World Socialist Movement Leads to a Shift in the Center of Gravity

一、世界社会主义运动发展的不平衡性导致运动重心转移

Whether it is world capitalism or world socialism, development is uneven. Regarding the development of world capitalism, from Italy, where the earliest sprouts of capitalism appeared, to Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands, which took the lead on the path of colonial expansion after the opening of new sea routes, to Britain and France in the era of the Industrial Revolution, and finally to Germany and the United States in the era of imperialism, the bellwether countries of world capitalism are in constant flux, while the current unipolar hegemony of the United States is in an unstable state. Regarding this phenomenon of the shift in the center of gravity of world capitalism, Lenin pointed out: “In the capitalist world there never has been and never can be any equilibrium, harmony, or uniformity. In the development of each country, sometimes one aspect, one feature, or one type of characteristic of capitalism and the workers’ movement is particularly prominent, and sometimes another aspect, another feature, or another type of characteristic is particularly prominent.”

无论是世界资本主义，还是世界社会主义，发展都是不平衡的。就世界资本主义发展而言，从最早出现资本主义萌芽的意大利，到新航路开辟后率先走上殖民扩张之路的葡萄牙、西班牙和荷兰，再到工业革命时代的英国和法国，最后到帝国主义时代的德国和美国，世界资本主义发展的领头羊国家处于不断变化之中，而当今美国的单极霸权地位则处于不稳定状态。对于这种世界资本主义的重心转移现象，列宁指出：“在资本主义世界中从来没有而且不会有什么平衡，什么谐和，什么均匀。在每个国家的发展中，都是有时是资本主义和工人运动的这一方面、这一特征或这一类特点特别突出，有时是另一方面、另一特征或另一类特点特别突出。”

The development of the world socialist movement is also uneven. The Industrial Revolution first emerged in Britain, making Britain the first place where the modern proletariat and its revolutionary movement appeared. Engels pointed out: “The Industrial Revolution created a class of big industrial capitalists, but also created a class of industrial workers far more numerous than the former. As the Industrial Revolution gradually spread to various industrial sectors, this class grew in numbers; as its numbers grew, its strength also increased.” With the rapid development of British industry, the ranks of the British working class continuously expanded, and their level of consciousness and organization continuously improved. The emergence and development of the British working class had world-historical significance: “On the continent, there was also poverty, destitution, and social oppression, but this had no impact on the development of the nation; on the contrary, the poverty and destitution of the modern British working class had national significance, even world-historical significance.”

世界社会主义运动的发展也是不平衡的。工业革命率先在英国出现，使英国最早出现了现代无产阶级及其革命运动。恩格斯指出：“工业革命创造了一个大工业资本家的阶级，但是也创造了一个人数远远超过前者的产业工人的阶级。随着工业革命逐步波及各个工业部门，这个阶级在人数上不断增加；随着人数的增加，它的力量也增强了。”随着英国工业飞速发展，英国工人阶级队伍不断壮大，觉悟和组织程度不断提升。英国工人阶级的产生和发展，具有世界历史意义，“在大陆，也有穷苦、贫困和社会压迫，然而这对民族的发展没有产生影响；相反，现代英国工人阶级的贫困和穷苦却具有全国性意义，甚至具有世界历史意义”。

Marx pointed out: “The British workers are the first-born sons of modern industry. They will certainly not be the last to support the social revolution caused by this industry.” With the development of the British working class, their struggle against the bourgeoisie also continuously developed, initially as a spontaneous struggle against individual capitalists who directly exploited them, mainly manifested in the “Luddite movement” of destroying machinery, factories, and goods. [1]1 The Luddite movement was a spontaneous protest by British textile workers in the early 19th century who destroyed machinery they blamed for unemployment and wage cuts. As the ranks of the proletariat expanded and the degree of exploitation by capitalists deepened, workers began to consciously unite, forming trade unions and other organizations to defend their basic rights and interests. This conscious unity was a great step forward compared to spontaneous struggle, but the aim of the struggle was still limited to the economic sphere. With the deepening of the workers’ movement, the struggle in some places turned into uprisings, beginning to take on a political character. The outbreak of the Chartist movement marked the British working class as the first to step onto the stage of world history as an independent political force, opening the prelude to the struggle of the proletariat with the bourgeoisie for political power, while most European countries were still under the heavy yoke of feudalism. Lenin pointed out, “When Britain experienced the world’s first broad, truly mass, politically formed proletarian revolutionary movement, namely the Chartist movement, the revolutions that took place on the European continent were mostly weak bourgeois revolutions,” [2]2 The Chartist movement was a working-class political movement in Britain from 1838 to 1848, demanding political reforms such as universal male suffrage. meaning that the British working class stood at the forefront of the international workers’ movement at that time, and Britain became the initial center of gravity of the world socialist movement. In 1847, the first international proletarian political party—the Communist League—was secretly founded in London, a product of the integration of scientific socialism with the international workers’ movement.

马克思指出：“英国工人是现代工业的头一个产儿。他们在支援这种工业所引起的社会革命方面肯定是不会落在最后的。”随着英国工人阶级的发展，他们反对资产阶级的斗争也在不断发展，最初是自发的同直接剥削他们的个别资产者的斗争，主要表现为破坏机器、厂房和商品的“卢德运动”。随着无产阶级队伍不断扩大及其受资本家剥削程度日益加深，工人们开始自觉联合起来，组成工会等组织，以维护自己的基本权益。这种自觉的联合比自发的斗争大大前进一步，但斗争的目的仍局限于经济领域。随着工人运动的深入，斗争在某些地方转变为起义，开始具有政治性质。宪章运动的爆发，标志着英国工人阶级作为一支独立的政治力量率先登上世界历史舞台，揭开了无产阶级同资产阶级争夺政治权力的序幕，而当时欧洲大部分国家还处于沉重的封建枷锁之下。列宁指出，“当英国发生世界上第一次广泛的、真正群众性的、政治上已经成型的无产阶级革命运动即宪章运动的时候，欧洲大陆发生的革命大都是软弱的资产阶级革命”，这意味着英国工人阶级站在了当时国际工人运动的最前列，英国成为世界社会主义运动最初的重心。1847年，第一个国际性的无产阶级政党——共产主义者同盟在伦敦秘密成立，它是科学社会主义与国际工人运动相结合的产物。

After the failure of the European revolutions of 1848, the confidence of the British working class was dampened. Engels pointed out: “The defeat of their class brothers on the continent disheartened the British working class, dampening its confidence in its own cause,” and produced an upper stratum of the proletariat that was extremely bourgeoisified, content with political inaction. Lenin believed that “from the perspective of the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat, this advanced capitalist country lagged behind by decades.” [3]3 Lenin’s remark refers to Britain’s relative political stagnation in the late 19th century compared to the revolutionary activity on the European continent. During the European revolutions, France, with its tradition of class struggle, experienced the “February Revolution” and the “June Uprising,” becoming the center of gravity of the world socialist movement after Britain. Marx highly praised the June Uprising: “This was the first great battle between the two classes that split modern society. It was a struggle to preserve or destroy the bourgeois system.” Although this uprising was defeated, “the proletariat at least failed with the glory of having waged a world-historical great struggle; not only France, but all of Europe was shaken by the earthquake of June.” [4]4 The June Uprising was a workers’ insurrection in Paris in June 1848, crushed by the French government, marking a key class conflict in the 1848 revolutions. The French proletariat was not defeated by failure but grew through struggle, rapidly gaining revolutionary experience and lessons; they “formerly measured their period of development in half-centuries, but now they cannot but measure it in weeks.” [5]5 This quote from Marx emphasizes the accelerated pace of revolutionary development for the French proletariat after the June Uprising. On March 18, 1871, a proletarian revolution broke out in Paris, establishing the first proletarian political power in human history—the Paris Commune. It inherited the glorious tradition of the French people seeking social change through violent revolution since 1789, and was a continuation of a series of revolutionary struggles for liberation, including the French Revolution and the June Uprising, marking the entry of the struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie into a new historical stage, with the French proletariat standing at the forefront of the world socialist movement at that time.

1848年欧洲革命失败后，英国工人阶级信心受挫。恩格斯指出：“大陆上的阶级弟兄的失败，把英国工人阶级弄得垂头丧气，挫伤了它对自己事业的信心”，并产生了极端资产阶级化的无产阶级上层，他们苟安于政治上的毫无作为。列宁认为，“从无产阶级的革命斗争来看，这个先进的资本主义国家竟落后了几十年。”在欧洲革命期间，素有阶级斗争传统的法国爆发了“二月革命”和“六月起义”，成为英国之后的世界社会主义运动重心。马克思高度评价六月起义：“这是分裂现代社会的两个阶级之间的第一次大规模的战斗。这是保存还是消灭资产阶级制度的斗争。”这次起义虽然失败了，但“无产阶级至少是带着进行过世界历史性的伟大斗争的光荣而失败的；不仅法国，而且整个欧洲都被六月的地震所惊动”。法国无产阶级没有被失败打倒，而是从斗争中成长，迅速获得了革命的经验和教训，他们“从前以半世纪为单位来计算自己的发展时期，现在却不能不以星期为单位来计算了”。1871年3月18日，巴黎爆发了无产阶级革命，建立起人类历史上第一个无产阶级政权——巴黎公社。它继承了自1789年以来法国人民通过暴力革命谋求社会变革的光荣传统，是法国大革命、六月起义等一系列谋求解放的革命斗争的继续，标志着无产阶级反对资产阶级的斗争进入一个新的历史阶段，法国无产阶级站在了当时世界社会主义运动的最前列。

The defeat of the Paris Commune plunged not only the French workers’ movement but also the world socialist movement into a low ebb. The proletariat of various countries, far from being intimidated by the white terror, adapted to the new situation by waging legal struggles, spreading Marxism, and establishing various workers’ organizations and workers’ parties. Following France, the German workers’ movement moved to the forefront of the era. Lenin pointed out: “The French working class twice, in 1848 and 1871, carried out heroic uprisings against the bourgeoisie, making a major contribution to world history. In these two uprisings, the strength of the French proletariat seemed to be exhausted. Thereafter, from the 1870s onward, the leadership in the international workers’ movement passed to Germany, which was economically more backward than both England and France.” It naturally took many years for the French working class to recover from the bloodshed in Paris. In Germany, by contrast, thanks to the billions in war reparations extorted from France, capitalist industry developed as rapidly as plants in a hothouse, and simultaneously the proletariat and its party grew swiftly. The German proletariat made full use of universal suffrage, founded its own daily newspapers, built its own organizations, spread Marxism widely, and turned its party into “the strongest, most disciplined, and fastest-growing socialist party,” making a major contribution to the world socialist movement. In 1874, in the preface he wrote for *The Peasant War in Germany*, Engels profoundly analyzed two advantages of the German proletariat over the proletariat of other European countries: first, it valued theory and possessed the greatest theoretical cultivation; second, standing on the shoulders of the British and French workers’ movements, it could directly draw on the experience of its “predecessors.” “On the one hand, thanks to this favorable position of the German workers, and on the other hand, thanks to the insular character of the British workers’ movement and the violent suppression of the French workers’ movement, the German workers are now at the forefront of the proletarian struggle.” With the deepening of the international workers’ movement, the widespread dissemination of Marxism, and the general establishment of workers’ parties in various countries, the Second International was founded in 1889 under Engels’ guidance, and the German Social Democratic Party was the most influential party within it.

巴黎公社的失败，不仅使法国工人运动，也使世界社会主义运动陷入低潮。各国无产阶级没有被白色恐怖吓到，而是适应新形势，开展合法斗争，传播马克思主义以及建立各种工人团体和工人政党。继法国之后，德国工人运动走向了时代前列。列宁指出：“法国工人阶级在1848年和1871年先后两次举行了反资产阶级的英勇起义，对世界历史作出了重大贡献，在这两次起义中，法国无产阶级的力量好像是用尽了。这以后，即从19世纪70年代起，工人运动国际中的领导权转到了在经济上比英法都落后的德国。”法国工人阶级要从巴黎的流血牺牲中恢复过来，自然需要多年的时间。在德国则凭借从法国获得的数十亿横财，资本主义工业像植物处在温室条件下一样迅猛发展起来，同时，无产阶级及其政党也迅速成长起来。德国无产阶级充分利用普选权，创办自己的日报，建立自己的组织，使马克思主义广泛传播开来，使自己的党成为“最强有力、最守纪律并且增长最快的社会主义政党”，为世界社会主义运动作出重大贡献。1874年，恩格斯在为《德国农民战争》写的序言中深刻分析了德国无产阶级相比欧洲各国无产阶级的两大优越之处，一是重视理论，最具理论修养；二是站在英国和法国工人运动的肩上，能够直接利用“前辈”的经验，“一方面由于德国工人具有这种有利的地位，另一方面由于英国工人运动具有岛国的特点，而法国工人运动又受到暴力的镇压，所以现在德国工人是处于无产阶级斗争的前列。”随着国际工人运动的深入发展、马克思主义的广泛传播和各国工人政党的普遍建立，在恩格斯的指导下，1889年成立了第二国际，德国社会民主党是第二国际中最具影响力的政党。

In 1892, the aging Engels placed high hopes on the German workers’ movement: “The victory of the European working class does not depend solely on England. At least the joint efforts of England, France, and Germany are needed to ensure victory. In France and Germany, the workers’ movement is far ahead of England. In Germany, the victory of the workers’ movement is even within sight. The progress of the movement there over the last twenty-five years has been unprecedented. It is advancing at an ever-accelerating pace. If the German middle class has already shown itself to be utterly lacking in political talent, discipline, courage, energy, and perseverance, then the German working class has fully proven that it possesses all these qualities. Four hundred years ago, Germany was the starting point of the first uprising of the European middle class; judging by the present situation, could Germany not once again become the stage for the first great victory of the European proletariat?” But things turned out contrary to expectations. After Engels’ death, the leadership of the German Social Democratic Party was gradually usurped by opportunists. They betrayed Engels’ hopes, abandoned the revolutionary soul of Marxism, and became intoxicated with legal parliamentary struggle. With the outbreak of the First World War, the leaders of the Second International, headed by Bernstein and Kautsky, openly betrayed scientific socialism. They shamelessly defended their own bourgeois governments, used the slogan “defend the fatherland” to fool the workers of various countries into slaughtering each other, and refused to advocate for or support the revolutionary actions of the proletariat against their own bourgeoisie, thereby degenerating into social chauvinists. On this, Lenin pointed out: “By the second decade of the 20th century, when Germany had surpassed England and France economically, the leadership of the German Marxist workers’ party, the model party of the whole world, had fallen into the hands of a small clique of utter scoundrels and the most despicable wretches who sold themselves to the capitalists.”

1892年，年迈的恩格斯对德国工人运动寄予厚望：“欧洲工人阶级的胜利不是仅仅取决于英国。至少需要英法德三国的共同努力，才能保证胜利。在法国和德国，工人运动远远超过英国。在德国，工人运动的胜利甚至指日可待了。那里运动的进展在最近25年是空前的。它正以日益加快的速度前进着。如果德国的中等阶级已经表明自己非常缺乏政治才能、纪律、勇气、活力和毅力，那么，德国工人阶级则充分证明了自己具备这些品质。400年前，德国曾是欧洲中等阶级第一次起义的出发点；依目前的形势来判断，德国难道不可能又成为欧洲无产阶级夺取第一次伟大胜利的舞台吗？”但事与愿违，自恩格斯逝世后，德国社会民主党的领导权逐渐被机会主义者篡夺，他们辜负了恩格斯的期望，抛弃了马克思主义的革命灵魂，醉心于合法的议会斗争。随着第一次世界大战的爆发，以伯恩施坦、考茨基为首的第二国际领袖们公开背叛科学社会主义，他们无耻地为本国资产阶级政府辩护，用“保卫祖国”的口号愚弄各国工人自相残杀，拒绝宣传和支持无产阶级反对本国资产阶级的革命行动，从而堕落为社会沙文主义者。对此，列宁指出：“到20世纪第二个十年，当德国在经济方面超过了英法两国的时候，领导德国马克思主义工人政党这个全世界的模范政党的，已是一小群十足的恶棍和卖身投靠资本家的最卑鄙的坏蛋。”

Lenin led the Russian Bolshevik Party in waging a resolute struggle against the Second International’s revision of Marxism and betrayal of scientific socialism, putting forward the internationalist slogan “turn the imperialist war into a civil war.” Exploiting the political and economic crises caused by the war, they overthrew the tsarist autocracy in the February Revolution and, seizing the opportune moment, launched the October Revolution, ultimately establishing the world’s first socialist state under the dictatorship of the proletariat. “A new era in world history had begun.” In 1919, under Lenin’s guidance, the Third International was founded in Moscow, and Russia became the center of gravity of the world socialist movement and the cradle of the world proletarian revolution. On the shift of the center of gravity of the world socialist movement from Germany to Russia, Lenin stated: “When Karl Kautsky was still a Marxist… he wrote an article at the beginning of the 20th century entitled ‘The Slavs and Revolution.’ In this article, he pointed out that, due to certain historical conditions, the leadership of the international revolutionary movement might pass into the hands of the Slavs. And so it happened. The leadership of the revolutionary proletarian International passed temporarily (naturally, only for a short period) into the hands of the Russians, just as at various periods in the 19th century it had been held successively by the English, the French, and the Germans.” Thereafter, the birth of the Soviet Union and the achievements it made in construction fully demonstrated the superiority of the socialist system. Under the influence of the Soviet Union and the Communist International, China, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, and many Eastern European countries all embarked on the socialist path, once forming a powerful socialist camp in the world. This greatly promoted the struggle of colonial countries and oppressed nations for national independence and liberation, accelerated the disintegration of the world colonial system, profoundly changed the world political landscape, and advanced the course of world history.

列宁领导俄国布尔什维克党，对第二国际修正马克思主义和背叛科学社会主义的行为展开了坚决斗争，提出“变帝国主义战争为国内战争”的国际主义口号，利用战争造成的政治和经济危机，在二月革命中推翻了沙皇专制统治，并不失时机地发动了十月革命，最终建立了世界上第一个无产阶级专政的社会主义国家，“世界历史的新时代开始了”。1919年，在列宁指导下，第三国际在莫斯科成立，俄国成为世界社会主义运动的重心和世界无产阶级革命的策源地。关于世界社会主义运动的重心从德国转移到俄国，列宁指出：“当卡尔·考茨基还是个马克思主义者……的时候，他曾在20世纪初写了《斯拉夫人和革命》这篇文章。在这篇文章中，他指出由于某种历史条件，国际革命运动的领导权可能转入斯拉夫人的手中。果然如此。革命无产阶级国际中的领导权暂时（自然只是在一个短时期内）转到俄国人手中去了，正像它在19世纪各个不同的时期中曾先后掌握在英国人、法国人和德国人的手中一样。”此后，苏联诞生及其在建设中取得的成就，充分彰显了社会主义制度的优越性。在苏联和共产国际的影响下，中国、朝鲜、越南、古巴等国以及东欧许多国家都走上了社会主义道路，一度在世界上形成了一个强大的社会主义阵营，极大推动了殖民地国家和被压迫民族争取国家独立和民族解放的斗争，促进了世界殖民体系的瓦解，深刻改变了世界政治格局，推动了世界历史进程。

Surveying the history of the continuous shift of the center of gravity of the world socialist movement, one can draw the following conclusion: the development of the world socialist movement is uneven. Which nation can temporarily occupy the leading position depends mainly on two aspects: objective circumstances and subjective preparation. Among these, objective circumstances play a decisive role; changes in objective circumstances are the fundamental cause of the shift in the movement’s center of gravity. Without the heavy blow dealt to the French proletariat by the defeat of the Paris Commune, the leadership of the movement would not have shifted from France to Germany. However, subjective preparation is also very important, especially when objective circumstances have matured; then subjective conditions play a key role. The most important subjective condition is a strong and capable proletarian party. It was precisely because Lenin and the Bolshevik Party had made long-term and thorough revolutionary preparations that they were able to seize the great victory of the October Revolution when the time was ripe, pushing the center of gravity of the world socialist movement from Germany to Russia. In analyzing the German workers’ movement, Engels once pointed out: “How long the circumstances will allow them to occupy this glorious position cannot be predicted in advance… If the German workers continue to develop in this way, then although it cannot be said that they will necessarily walk at the very forefront of the movement (it is not in the interests of the movement for only the workers of one country to walk at the very forefront), they will nevertheless occupy a glorious place in the battle ranks; and if in the future unexpected severe trials or great events should demand of them greater courage, greater determination, and greater perseverance, they will certainly be well prepared.” However, the German workers’ movement did not develop as Engels had hoped. Because leadership was gradually usurped by opportunists, the German Social Democratic Party, when faced with the great event of the First World War, not only lacked adequate preparation but instead betrayed the revolution. Germany lost its glorious leading position in the world socialist movement.

纵观世界社会主义运动重心不断转移的历史，可以得出这样的结论：世界社会主义运动的发展是不平衡的，究竟哪一个民族能暂时占据领导地位，主要取决于客观形势和主观准备两个方面。其中，客观形势起着决定性作用，客观形势的变化是导致运动重心转移的根本原因。如果没有巴黎公社的失败对法国无产阶级的沉重打击，运动的领导权就不会由法国转移到德国。但主观准备也很重要，特别是在客观形势成熟后，主观条件就起着关键作用。最重要的主观条件是坚强有力的无产阶级政党。列宁和布尔什维克党正是由于做了长期、充分的革命准备，才能在时机成熟之时一举夺取十月革命的伟大胜利，推动世界社会主义运动的重心从德国转移到俄国。恩格斯在分析德国工人运动时曾指出：“形势究竟容许他们把这种光荣地位占据多久，现在还无法预先断言。……如果德国工人将来继续这样发展下去，那么虽然不能说他们一定会走在运动的最前列（只是某一个国家的工人走在运动的最前列，这并不符合运动的利益），但是毕竟会在战斗行列中占据一个光荣的地位；而将来如果有出乎意料的严峻考验或者重大事变要求他们表现出更大的勇气、更大的决心和毅力的时候，他们一定会有充分的准备。”然而，德国工人运动并没有如恩格斯所愿那样发展下去，由于领导权逐渐被机会主义者篡夺，德国社会民主党在第一次世界大战的重大事变面前不仅缺乏充分准备，反而背叛了革命，德国丧失了在世界社会主义运动中的光荣领导地位。

II. China Becoming the Mainstay of the Revival of the Socialist Cause

二、中国成为复兴社会主义事业的中流砥柱

In the history of the world socialist movement, the Paris Commune and the October Revolution have unquestionable milestone significance. As a great attempt by the proletariat to overthrow the rule of the bourgeoisie and establish the dictatorship of the proletariat, Marx highly appraised the world-historical significance of the Paris Commune: “Working men’s Paris, with its Commune, will be forever celebrated as the glorious harbinger of a new society. Its martyrs are enshrined in the great heart of the working class.” [11]11 Karl Marx, “The Civil War in France,” in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 22 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1986), p. 335. The quotation is from the final paragraph of the address. Although the Paris Commune ultimately failed, “the principles of the Commune are eternal and indestructible; they will repeatedly assert themselves until the working class is liberated.” [12]12 This is a paraphrase of a well-known statement by Marx, often cited in Chinese Marxist literature. The original source is Marx’s letter to Ludwig Kugelmann, April 17, 1871, where he writes: “The principles of the Commune are eternal and indestructible; they will repeatedly assert themselves until the working class is liberated.” The October Revolution, in turn, ended the low ebb of the international communist movement since the defeat of the Paris Commune, and was forever recorded in the annals of history as “the first victory of the world workers’ alliance over the alliance of the national bourgeoisies,” [13]13 V. I. Lenin, “The First Victory of the World Workers’ Alliance,” in Lenin, Collected Works, vol. 28 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1965), p. 57. This is a reference to Lenin’s speech on the first anniversary of the October Revolution. inaugurating a new epoch in human history in which the oppressed and exploited class—the proletariat—exercises rule. As Lenin pointed out, we have begun this undertaking; “the ice has been broken, the path has been opened, the road has been indicated.” [14]14 V. I. Lenin, “The Immediate Tasks of the Soviet Government,” in Lenin, Collected Works, vol. 27 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1965), p. 235. The phrase “the ice has been broken, the path has been opened, the road has been indicated” is a well-known metaphor from Lenin’s writings on the October Revolution. The Paris Commune and the October Revolution profoundly influenced the world pattern and historical process, and are two milestones of the world socialist movement. So, where will the third milestone of the world socialist movement appear?

在世界社会主义运动史上，巴黎公社和十月革命具有毋庸置疑的里程碑意义。作为无产阶级推翻资产阶级统治，建立无产阶级专政的一次伟大尝试，马克思高度评价了巴黎公社的世界历史意义：“工人的巴黎及其公社将永远作为新社会的光辉先驱而为人所称颂。它的英烈们已永远铭记在工人阶级的伟大心坎里。”虽然巴黎公社最终失败了，但“公社的原则是永存的，是消灭不了的；这些原则将一再凸显出来，直到工人阶级获得解放”。十月革命则结束了自巴黎公社失败后国际共产主义运动的低潮期，以“全世界工人联盟对各国资产阶级联盟的第一次胜利”永远载入了史册，开创了由被压迫被剥削的阶级——无产阶级实行统治的人类历史新纪元。正如列宁指出的，我们已经开始了这一事业，“坚冰已经打破，航路已经开通，道路已经指明”。巴黎公社和十月革命深刻影响了世界格局和历史进程，是世界社会主义运动的两大里程碑。那么，世界社会主义运动的第三个里程碑将出现在哪里呢？

Marx and Engels once predicted that the Pacific would replace the Atlantic, just as the Atlantic historically replaced the Mediterranean, as an irreversible historical trend: “The gold of California and the untiring energy of the Americans will soon make the shores of the Pacific as densely populated, as conveniently connected by trade, and as industrially developed as the coast from Boston to New Orleans is now. Then the Pacific will play the same great role as a world waterway as the Atlantic does now and the Mediterranean did in antiquity and the Middle Ages; and the Atlantic will decline to the status of an inland sea, like the Mediterranean today.” [15]15 This is a paraphrase of a passage from Marx and Engels’s writings on the Pacific, likely from their articles on the California gold rush and the development of the American West. The exact source is Marx and Engels, “The Future of the Pacific,” in Marx and Engels, Collected Works, vol. 13 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1980), p. 199. Lenin also pointed out in “The Backward Europe and Advanced Asia” that with the awakening of Asia, world history would enter a new stage: “Europe, which is technically highly developed, culturally rich, constitutional, civilized, and advanced, has entered a historical period in which the bourgeoisie in power, fearing the growing and maturing proletariat, supports everything backward, moribund, and medieval. The decaying bourgeoisie unites with all forces that are already decaying and are in the process of decaying, in order to preserve the tottering system of wage slavery… In Asia, a powerful democratic movement is everywhere developing, expanding, and strengthening. There the bourgeoisie is still with the people against the reactionary forces. Hundreds of millions of people are awakening, striving for life, for light, for freedom.” [16]16 V. I. Lenin, “The Backward Europe and Advanced Asia,” in Lenin, Collected Works, vol. 19 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1963), pp. 99-100. The quotation is a composite of two passages from this article. The Chinese Communists have not disappointed Marx, Engels, and Lenin. Today, socialist China is bursting with vitality, and Chinese-path modernization provides new choices for the development of human society, offering Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength, increasingly becoming the mainstay of the socialist cause.

马克思、恩格斯曾预测，太平洋将取代大西洋，就像历史上大西洋取代地中海一样，这是不可扭转的历史趋势，“加利福尼亚的黄金和美国的不断努力，将使太平洋两岸很快就会同现在从波士顿到新奥尔良的海岸地区那样，人口也那样稠密、贸易也那样方便、工业也那样发达。那时，太平洋就会像大西洋在现代，地中海在古代和中世纪一样，起着伟大的世界水路交通线的作用；而大西洋的地位将要降低，而像现在的地中海那样只起一个内海的作用”。列宁在《落后的欧洲和先进的亚洲》中也指出，随着亚洲的觉醒，世界历史将进入到一个新阶段：“技术十分发达、文化丰富全面、实行立宪、文明又先进的欧洲，已经进入这样一个历史时期，这时当权的资产阶级由于惧怕日益成长壮大的无产阶级而支持一切落后的、垂死的、中世纪的东西。正在衰朽的资产阶级与一切已经衰朽的和正在衰朽的势力联合起来，以求保存摇摇欲坠的雇佣奴隶制……在亚洲，强大的民主运动到处都在发展、扩大和加强。那里的资产阶级还在同人民一起反对反动势力。数亿人正在觉醒起来，追求生活，追求光明，追求自由。”中国共产党人没有辜负马克思、恩格斯和列宁，如今社会主义中国焕发出勃勃生机，中国式现代化为人类社会发展提供了新的选择，提供了中国智慧、中国方案、中国力量，日益成为社会主义事业的中流砥柱。

First, after the drastic changes in Eastern Europe, the world socialist cause entrusted China with the glorious mission of becoming the mainstay. In 1991, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, personally founded by Lenin and possessing a glorious history of struggle and rich experience in struggle, withdrew from the stage of governance. The first socialist state in the world, born in the October Revolution and tempered in the fires of imperialist armed intervention and world war, and the leader of the world socialist camp—the Soviet Union—collapsed and disintegrated. A large number of socialist countries changed their banners, and the world socialist movement fell into an unprecedented low ebb. For a time, slogans such as “the obsolescence of Marxism,” “the bankruptcy of socialism,” and “the end of history” [17]17 “The end of history” refers to Francis Fukuyama’s 1989 thesis, popularized in his 1992 book *The End of History and the Last Man*, which argued that the end of the Cold War marked the final triumph of liberal democracy and the end of ideological evolution. were clamorously propagated, and many people’s faith in Marxism and belief in socialism wavered. Not only did large numbers of unsteady elements withdraw from the Party one after another, but the front of socialism was greatly reduced; communist parties in many countries were either ordered to disband, ceased activities, or changed their names.

第一，东欧剧变后，世界社会主义事业赋予中国成为中流砥柱的光荣使命。1991年，由列宁亲手缔造的、有着光荣斗争历史和丰富斗争经验的——苏联共产党退出执政舞台。在十月革命中诞生、在帝国主义武装干涉和世界大战的烽火中历练成长的世界上第一个社会主义国家和世界社会主义阵营的领袖——苏联分崩离析。一大批社会主义国家改旗易帜，世界社会主义运动陷入了前所未有的低潮。一时间，“马克思主义过时论”“社会主义破产论”“历史终结论”等甚嚣尘上，很多人对马克思主义的信仰和对社会主义的信念产生了动摇。不仅大批不坚定分子纷纷退党，而且社会主义的阵地大大缩小，很多国家的共产党或遭到勒令解散、或停止活动、或变换名称。

In the vast ocean of history, true heroism is revealed. As the world socialist movement fell into a trough, the world significance of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics became even more prominent, and people all over the world, as if by common consent, placed their hopes on China. The Chinese Communists were not intimidated by setbacks and failures, nor did they drift with the tide or change their banners. Instead, under extremely difficult domestic and international circumstances, they upheld the guiding role of Marxism, adhered to the direction of socialist development, and blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics that conforms to China’s national conditions and the requirements of the times, thereby saving world socialism. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era. The cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era is flourishing day by day. On the basis of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the first centenary goal, [18]18 The “first centenary goal” is the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects (xiaokang shehui) by the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in 2021. our country has embarked on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, steadily advancing toward the second centenary goal. [19]19 The “second centenary goal” is the goal of building China into a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 2049. Every step forward in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a contribution to the world socialist cause and will promote the development of the world socialist movement. Xi Jinping pointed out that the success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics “has enabled the socialist proposition with a history of over 500 years to successfully open up a correct path with high practicality and feasibility in the world’s most populous country, allowing scientific socialism to radiate new vitality in the 21st century.” [20]20 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2016. The quotation is from the official English translation published by the Xinhua News Agency. The world socialist cause has not sunk into silence in the trough; rather, it has demonstrated strong vitality in China in the New Era. People can see the bright future of the world socialist cause from the thriving socialist China and strengthen their confidence that capitalism will inevitably perish and socialism will inevitably triumph.

沧海横流，方显英雄本色。世界社会主义运动跌入低谷，中国特色社会主义事业的世界意义更加凸现，全世界人民不约而同地将希望寄托在中国身上。中国共产党人没有被挫折、失败吓倒，没有随波逐流、改旗易帜，而是在极端困难的国内外局势下坚持马克思主义的指导地位，坚守社会主义的发展方向，开辟出一条符合中国国情和时代发展要求的中国特色社会主义道路，从而挽救了世界社会主义。党的十八大以来，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，新时代中国特色社会主义事业蒸蒸日上，在全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标的基础上，我国已迈入全面建设社会主义现代化国家的新征程，向着第二个百年奋斗目标稳步迈进。中国特色社会主义事业每前进一步，都是对世界社会主义事业做出的贡献，都将推动世界社会主义事业的发展。习近平指出，中国特色社会主义事业的成功“使具有500年历史的社会主义主张在世界上人口最多的国家成功开辟出具有高度现实性和可行性的正确道路，让科学社会主义在21世纪焕发出新的蓬勃生机”。世界社会主义事业并没有在低潮中沉寂下去，而是在新时代的中国显示出强大的生命力，人们可以从欣欣向荣的社会主义中国身上，看到世界社会主义事业的美好未来，坚定资本主义必然灭亡、社会主义必然胜利的信心。

Second, the important achievements and major accomplishments in both theory and practice over the past hundred years demonstrate the ability of the Communist Party of China to shoulder the mission of revitalizing the world socialist cause. In its century-long struggle, our Party has always “insisted on writing Marxism on its banner, continuously adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, absorbing all outstanding achievements of human civilization with a broad mind, and using the scientific theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context to guide great practice.” [21]21 This is a paraphrase of a statement from the “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century,” adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee in November 2021. The Party has insisted on integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, promptly answering the questions of the times and the questions of the people, and has successively formed Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. “The continuous success of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has enabled Marxism to present a new image in the world,” [22]22 Ibid. “the scientific nature and truth of Marxism have been fully tested in China, the people’s nature and practicality of Marxism have been fully implemented in China, and the openness and epochal nature of Marxism have been fully demonstrated in China.” [23]23 Ibid.

第二，百余年来在理论与实践两个方面取得的重要成果和重大成就，显示了中国共产党肩负复兴世界社会主义事业的能力。我们党在百年奋斗历程中，始终“坚持把马克思主义写在自己的旗帜上，不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化，用博大胸怀吸收人类创造的一切优秀文明成果，用马克思主义中国化的科学理论引领伟大实践”。党坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，及时回答时代之问、人民之问，先后形成了毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观和习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，“马克思主义中国化时代化不断取得成功，使马克思主义以崭新形象展现在世界上”，“马克思主义的科学性和真理性在中国得到充分检验，马克思主义的人民性和实践性在中国得到充分贯彻，马克思主义的开放性和时代性在中国得到充分彰显”。

The history of the development of the Communist Party of China is both a history of the victory of Marxism and its Sinicized theories and a history of the victory of China’s socialist practice. Looking at communist parties across the world, no party has been able, like the CPC, to correctly integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with its own national conditions while adhering to them, continuously promote theoretical innovation on the basis of practice, develop Marxism, and withstand the test of practice. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union, by abandoning the guiding position of Marxism-Leninism, deviating from the socialist road, and moving toward so-called “humane, democratic socialism,” led to the demise of both the party and the state. The communist parties of Eastern European countries, due to their long-term dependence on the CPSU and the Soviet Union and their failure to independently explore a socialist path suited to their own national conditions, inevitably collapsed along with the CPSU and the Soviet Union. Communist parties in Europe and the United States, such as those in France, the United States, and Italy, under the influence of the Bernsteinism of the Second International, increasingly social-democratized, abandoned violent revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat, confined their goals to reforms within the capitalist framework, and degenerated into ordinary parties focused on maintaining their political status through parliamentary elections. Some other communist parties, such as the Communist Party of Greece, while adhering to Marxism-Leninism as a guide and upholding the goal of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the organizational principle of democratic centralism, have faced continuous splits due to sectarianism and strategic differences, failing to broadly unite the majority and win over the masses, and thus face developmental difficulties and the political risk of increasing marginalization. The Japanese Communist Party once stood out in Marxist theoretical research, achieving many important results and at one time possessing strong influence and authority among Marxist theorists, but with changes in the external environment and failures in practice, many people have come to doubt and waver in their commitment to Marxism. Only the CPC has truly adhered to and developed Marxism, achieving brilliant victories in practice. “Having traversed a century of struggle, the CPC has become stronger and more dynamic through revolutionary tempering. Its political leadership, theoretical guidance, mass organization, and social mobilization have been significantly enhanced. It has always maintained a close bond with the people. In the historical process of profound changes in the world situation, the CPC has always stayed at the forefront of the times. In the historical process of responding to various domestic and international risks and tests, it has always been the backbone of the entire Chinese people. In the historical process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, it has always been the strong leading core.” [24]24 Quotation from the Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC (2022). This has enabled Marxism to demonstrate its powerful and convincing truth-force on Chinese soil. Therefore, Marxism in contemporary China is fully worthy of being the banner of the development of scientific socialism and the Marxism of the 21st century that leads the world.

中国共产党的发展史，既是马克思主义及其中国化理论胜利的发展史，也是中国的社会主义实践胜利的发展史。纵观世界各国共产党，没有哪一个党能像中国共产党一样，在坚持马克思主义基本原理的同时正确地将马克思主义基本原理与本国实际相结合，在实践的基础上不断推动理论创新，发展马克思主义，并经受住实践的检验。苏联共产党由于放弃了马克思列宁主义的指导地位，背离了社会主义道路，走向所谓的“人道的民主的社会主义”而亡党亡国；东欧国家的共产党由于长期依附苏联共产党和苏联，没有独立自主地探索出适合本国国情的社会主义道路，也不可避免地随着苏联共产党和苏联的垮台而失败；欧美等国的共产党，如法国、美国、意大利共产党等，由于第二国际伯恩施坦主义的影响日益社会民主党化，放弃了暴力革命和无产阶级专政，将自己的目标局限于资本主义框架内的改良，沦为专注于通过议会选举保持自己政党地位的普通党派；还有一些国家的共产党，如希腊共产党，虽然坚持以马克思列宁主义为指导，坚持无产阶级专政的奋斗目标和民主集中制的组织原则，但由于宗派主义和策略分歧，自身不断分裂，不能广泛团结大多数和争取群众，面临发展困境和日趋被边缘化的政治风险；日本共产党曾在马克思主义理论研究上独树一帜，取得了不少重要成果，一度在马克思主义理论研究者中有很强的影响力和权威性，但随着外部环境的变化以及实践中的失败，使得不少人对马克思主义产生怀疑和动摇。只有中国共产党真正做到了坚持和发展马克思主义，并在实践中取得了辉煌胜利，“走过百年奋斗历程的中国共产党在革命性锻造中更加坚强有力，党的政治领导力、思想引领力、群众组织力、社会号召力显著增强，党同人民群众始终保持血肉联系，中国共产党在世界形势深刻变化的历史进程中始终走在时代前列，在应对国内外各种风险和考验的历史进程中始终成为全国人民的主心骨，在坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的历史进程中始终成为坚强领导核心”，使马克思主义在中国大地上展现出强大、有说服力的真理力量。因此，当代中国马克思主义才当之无愧地成为科学社会主义发展的旗帜，成为引领世界的21世纪马克思主义。

Third, the Chinese solutions provided by the CPC to address the real “global disorder” demonstrate our Party’s strong governance leadership and the superiority of the socialist system. The current world is marked by prominent instability and uncertainty. Humanity faces numerous challenges, such as “insufficient momentum for global economic growth, increasingly severe wealth polarization, frequent regional flashpoints, and the continuous spread of non-traditional security threats like terrorism, cyber security, major infectious diseases, and climate change.” [25]25 Quotation from the Report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC (2017). Capitalism is not only powerless to resolve global disorder but adds to the chaos. The people of the world have not enjoyed the peace dividend after the end of the Cold War; instead, they remain overshadowed by the threat of war. To consolidate its global hegemonic status and seek comprehensive and absolute military superiority, the United States has successively caused a series of armed conflicts, including the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War. Since the 2008 international financial crisis, the economies of major capitalist countries have remained sluggish, social contradictions have intensified and manifested in a series of political upheavals, such as the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States, riots in the United Kingdom, the refugee crisis in Germany, and the Yellow Vests movement in France. Anti-globalization trends and populist ideologies have also spread accordingly, plunging the entire capitalist world into a systemic crisis that is difficult to resolve.

第三，中国共产党为解决现实的“全球之乱”提供的中国方案，展示出我们党强大的治理领导力，展示出社会主义制度的优越性。当今世界不稳定性不确定性突出，人类面临“世界经济增长动能不足，贫富分化日益严重，地区热点问题此起彼伏，恐怖主义、网络安全、重大传染性疾病、气候变化等非传统安全威胁持续蔓延”等诸多挑战。资本主义不但无力解决全球之乱，反而乱上添乱。世界人民并没有享受到冷战结束后和平的红利，反而笼罩在战争阴影之下。美国为巩固其全球霸主地位，谋求全面和绝对的军事优势，相继造成了海湾战争、阿富汗战争、伊拉克战争等一系列武装冲突。2008年国际金融危机以来，世界主要资本主义国家经济持续低迷，社会矛盾加剧并表现为一系列政治动荡，如美国的“占领华尔街”运动，英国的骚乱，德国的难民危机，法国的“黄背心”运动等，逆全球化趋势和民粹主义思潮也随之蔓延，整个资本主义世界陷入难以解决的系统性危机。

If the current global problems cannot be solved within the framework of the capitalist system, then the success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics demonstrates the feasibility of using the socialist system to solve them. With changes in the world pattern and shifts in the international system, the two social systems of capitalism and socialism will show a trend of one rising while the other falls in the long river of human history, and socialism will win broader institutional advantages over capitalism.

如果说在资本主义制度范围内无法解决目前呈现的全球性问题的话，那么，中国特色社会主义事业的成功则彰显了用社会主义制度解决这些问题的可行性。随着世界格局的变化和国际体系的变迁，资本主义和社会主义两种社会制度在人类历史的长河中将呈现出此消彼长的态势，社会主义将赢得比资本主义更广泛的制度优势。

Fourth, the unique and excellent qualities of the century-old CPC determine that our Party represents the direction of development of the socialist cause. A century-old party, tempered into steel through a hundred years of refinement, embodies multiple excellent qualities. For example, it brings together hundreds of millions of outstanding descendants of the Chinese nation, is vast in scale, and is strong and resilient. In today’s world, there are only a dozen countries with a population exceeding 100 million, while the current number of CPC members is close to 100 million, with nearly 5 million primary-level Party organizations spread across every corner of cities, villages, factories, mines, barracks, schools, and communities. The CPC is not only the world’s largest party in terms of membership but also the world’s strongest party with unparalleled capacity for social mobilization and cohesion. Built according to the principle of democratic centralism, the CPC is tightly organized and strictly disciplined, with the entire Party obeying the Central Committee. At a single command from the Party Central Committee, the Party’s organizational strength can be immediately transformed into executive power, forming a mighty force capable of overwhelming mountains and rivers, overcoming any difficulties and challenges arising from the political, economic, cultural, social, and natural spheres. From Mao Zedong’s call to “serve the people” to the New Era’s “people first,” this manifests the inseparable flesh-and-blood bond between the Party and the people. The strength of the century-old Party also lies in its roots in the people, its bloodline in the people, and its power in the people, possessing the political advantage of close ties with the masses and the greatest confidence in governing and rejuvenating the country. For example, the century-old Party has the excellent character of self-revolution and daring to struggle. The Party’s greatness, glory, and correctness do not lie in whether it makes mistakes, but in whether it dares to face mistakes head-on and bravely engage in self-revolution. Daring to struggle and daring to win is the invincible and powerful spiritual strength of the century-old Party. A century of brilliance is built on a century of struggle. No matter how powerful the opponent or how severe the challenge, the Party is always determined to sacrifice, fear no hardship, and overcome all difficulties to achieve victory. The CPC has never represented the interests of any interest groups, power groups, or privileged strata; this is the source of courage and the foundation of confidence for our Party’s self-revolution. “Being selfless, the world will be just.” [26]26 A classical Chinese saying from the *Zhuangzi* (chapter “The Great and Venerable Teacher”), often cited to emphasize that impartiality and selflessness lead to universal fairness. Precisely because it is selfless, the Party can examine itself, constantly reflect on its own faults, dare to engage in criticism and self-criticism, dare to turn its blade inward, resolutely oppose phenomena within the Party, dare to sweep away with great force all viruses that erode the Party’s healthy organism, dare to declare war on those who seize the interests of the state and the people, erode the Party’s governing foundation, and shake the socialist state power, break free from the encirclement and corrosion of all interest groups, power groups, and privileged strata, eliminate all factors that damage the Party’s advanced nature and purity, and ensure that the Party’s organism is full of healthy vitality. Additionally, the century-old Party possesses the important principle of independence and self-reliance, the forward momentum of independence based on proceeding from national conditions, the broad-mindedness to correctly understand and handle relations with the outside world from the perspective of the general trend of human development, the changing world landscape, and China’s long history, and the magic weapon of the united front for uniting all forces that can be united. These excellent qualities of the CPC ensure that China is increasingly becoming the mainstay of the rejuvenation of the socialist cause, and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics determines the future and direction of the world socialist cause.

第四，中国共产党百年大党独特的优秀品质，决定了我们党代表着社会主义事业的发展方向。百年大党，百炼成钢，集多种优秀品质于一身。比如，她汇集了中华民族亿万的优秀子孙，规模庞大，坚强有力。当今世界，人口过亿国家仅十多个，而目前的中国共产党党员人数接近一亿，有近五百万个基层党组织，遍布城乡工矿营房学校社区的每一个角落。中国共产党不仅是拥有党员人数最多的世界第一大党，也是具有无与伦比的社会动员能力和凝聚力的世界第一强党。按照民主集中制建党的中国共产党，组织严密、纪律严明，全党服从中央。党中央一声号令，能够立即将党的组织力转化成执行力，形成排山倒海、气吞山河的磅礴之力，战胜任何来自政治、经济、文化、社会等领域和自然界出现的困难和挑战。从毛泽东提出的“为人民服务”到新时代的“人民至上”，彰显着党与人民血肉联系不可分离。百年大党之所以有力量，还在于她根基在人民，血脉在人民，力量在人民，具有密切联系群众的政治优势，具有执政兴国的最大底气。比如，百年大党具有自我革命、敢于斗争的优秀品格。党的伟大光荣正确，不在于是否犯错误，而在于是否敢于直面错误，勇于自我革命。敢于斗争、敢于胜利，是百年大党不可战胜的强大精神力量。百年辉煌建立在百年奋斗的基础之上。无论面对如何强大的对手，面临如何严峻的挑战，党总是下定决心，不怕牺牲，排除万难地夺取胜利。中国共产党从来不代表任何利益集团、任何权势团体、任何特权阶层的利益，这是我们党敢于自我革命的勇气之源、底气所在。“不私，而天下自公。”正因为无私，党能够检视自身、常思己过，敢于批评与自我批评，敢于刀刃向内，坚决反对党内的现象，敢于大刀阔斧地清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体的病毒，敢于向攫取国家和人民利益、侵蚀党的执政根基、动摇社会主义国家政权的人宣战，摆脱一切利益集团、权势团体、特权阶层的围猎腐蚀，清除一切损害党的先进性和纯洁性的因素，确保党的肌体充满健康活力。另外，百年大党还具有独立自主的立党重要原则，具有坚持从国情出发的独立自主的前进定力，具有从人类发展大潮流、世界变化大格局、中国发展大历史出发正确认识和处理同外部世界关系的胸怀，具有团结一切可以团结的力量的统一战线制胜法宝。中国共产党具有的这些优秀品格，确保了中国日益成为复兴社会主义事业的中流砥柱，中国特色社会主义事业决定着世界社会主义事业的前途和走向。

III. The World Significance of the Cause of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era

三、新时代中国特色社会主义事业的世界意义

In 1962, Mao Zedong predicted: "From now on, for fifty to a hundred years, it will be a great era of thorough change in the world's social systems, an earth-shaking era, one that no historical era in the past can compare with." [27]27 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Celebration of the Centenary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" (July 1, 2021). Mao Zedong called on the Chinese people to strive for this goal in the world, to build our country into a prosperous and powerful nation, and to make greater contributions to the world. Exactly fifty years later, the hand of history turned to 2012, which was not only the time of the convening of the 18th National Congress of the CPC but also precisely the beginning of the great era Mao Zedong had predicted. This great era is the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics; it is the era in which the CPC leads the Chinese people to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and then to comprehensively build a modern socialist country and strive to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it is the era in which socialist China increasingly steps onto the center of the world stage and continuously makes greater contributions to humanity; it is the era in which the world socialist cause gradually emerges from its low ebb and moves toward revival. Today, the 20th National Congress of the CPC has been successfully convened, and the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics has passed through a decade. "The great transformations of the New Era over the past decade are of milestone significance in the history of the Party, the history of the People's Republic of China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation," [28]28 Xi Jinping, "Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects — Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China" (October 16, 2022). laying a solid foundation for the arrival of the "Pacific Era" and the "advanced Asia" era predicted by Marx, Engels, and Lenin, and possessing great world significance.

1962年，毛泽东就预言：“从现在起，五十年内外到一百年内外，是世界上社会制度彻底变化的伟大时代，是一个翻天覆地的时代，是过去任何一个历史时代都不能比拟的。”毛泽东号召中国人民要在世界上争这一口气，把我国建设成为一个富强的国家，对世界做出更大的贡献。整整50年后，历史的时针拨到2012年，这既是党的十八大召开的时间，又恰好是毛泽东所预言的伟大时代开始的时间。这个伟大时代就是中国特色社会主义新时代，就是中国共产党领导中国人民全面建成小康社会、进而全面建设社会主义现代化强国、奋力实现中华民族伟大复兴的时代，是社会主义中国日益走近世界舞台中央、不断为人类作出更大贡献的时代，是世界社会主义事业逐渐走出低潮、走向复兴的时代。如今，党的二十大胜利召开，中国特色社会主义新时代已走过十年，“新时代十年的伟大变革，在党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史上具有里程碑意义”，为马克思、恩格斯和列宁所预言的“太平洋时代”“先进的亚洲”时代的到来奠定了坚实基础，具有重大的世界意义。

First, it has refuted the "end of history thesis," which is of great significance for the world socialist cause. In the history of the world socialist movement, assertions that "socialism has failed" and "Marxism is outdated" have been incessant, becoming especially prevalent after the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The most representative of these is the "end of history thesis" proposed by the American scholar Francis Fukuyama, who declared that the liberal democracy of capitalism is "the end point of mankind's ideological evolution" and "the final form of human government." [29]29 Ibid. The theory and practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, especially the success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, "has used facts to declare the bankruptcy of the 'end of history thesis' and the bankruptcy of the unilinear view of history that all countries must ultimately take the Western institutional model as their destination." [30]30 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" (July 1, 2016).

第一，破解了“历史终结论”，对于世界社会主义事业具有重要意义。在世界社会主义运动史上，“社会主义失败了”“马克思主义过时了”的论断不绝于耳，在苏东剧变后尤为盛行，其中最具代表性的就是美国学者福山提出的“历史终结论”，他宣称资本主义的自由民主制度是“人类意识形态发展的终点”和“人类最后一种统治形式”。中国特色社会主义的理论与实践，特别是新时代中国特色社会主义事业的成功“用事实宣告了‘历史终结论’的破产，宣告了各国最终都要以西方制度模式为归宿的单线式历史观的破产。”

The collapse of the socialist system in some countries at the end of the 20th century does not prove that socialism has failed or that Marxism is ineffective. If the CPC leads the Chinese people and fails to break the Western schemes of peaceful evolution or armed subversion of socialist China over the next several generations or even more, the impact on the world socialist movement would be no less than that of the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. In the face of severe tests, Deng Xiaoping calmly pointed out: "The issue now is not whether the Soviet flag will fall; the Soviet Union will certainly be in chaos. The issue is whether China's flag will fall." [31]31 Deng Xiaoping, "The Two Major Tasks Facing the World" (May 25, 1988), in *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, vol. 3. "As long as China's socialism does

20世纪末社会主义制度在一些国家崩塌，并不能证明社会主义失败了，马克思主义不灵了。如果中国共产党领导中国人民在今后几代乃至数代打不破西方和平演变或者武装颠覆社会主义中国的图谋，由此给世界社会主义运动带来的影响，将不低于苏东剧变。在严峻考验面前，邓小平冷静地指出：“现在的问题不是苏联的旗帜倒不倒，苏联肯定要乱，而是中国的旗帜倒不倒。”“只要中国社会主义不倒，社会主义在世界将始终站得住。”习近平也深刻指出：“如果中国共产党领导和我国社会主义制度也在那场多米诺骨牌式的变化中倒塌了，或者因为其他原因失败了，那社会主义实践就可能又要长期在黑暗中徘徊了。”

From the perspective of the relationship between the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the world socialist cause, in the more than 30 years since the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, at every important juncture, the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics has played a crucial role in world socialism. Particularly in the decade since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have experienced three major events of great practical significance and far-reaching historical importance: the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a New Era, and the completion of the historical tasks of eradicating absolute poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The cause of the Party and the state has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. "China presents to the world a thriving and flourishing scene, standing tall and firm in the East." [27]27 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Celebration of the Centenary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" (July 1, 2021). The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out: "This is a historic victory won through the united struggle of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people, a historic victory that will shine in the annals of the development of the Chinese nation, and also a historic victory with far-reaching implications for the world." [28]28 Xi Jinping, "Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects — Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China" (October 16, 2022). Facts have proven that the Chinese Communists have withstood the severe test of the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Under the extremely difficult circumstances of the world socialist cause, they not only upheld and developed Marxism in theory, leading and shaping 21st-century Marxism, but also achieved remarkable major accomplishments in practice, "causing the historical evolution and contest between the two ideologies and two social systems of socialism and capitalism in the world to undergo a major shift favorable to socialism." [29]29 Ibid.

从中国特色社会主义事业与世界社会主义事业的关系来看，苏东剧变后30多年以来，在每个重要节点上，中国特色社会主义事业的发展都对世界社会主义发挥了至关重要的作用。特别是党的十八大以来的十年，我们经历了中国共产党成立一百周年、中国特色社会主义进入新时代和完成脱贫攻坚、全面建成小康社会的历史任务三件具有重大现实意义和深远历史意义的大事，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，“中华民族向世界展现的是一派欣欣向荣的气象，巍然屹立于世界东方”。党的二十大报告指出：“这是中国共产党和中国人民团结奋斗赢得的历史性胜利，是彪炳中华民族发展史册的历史性胜利，也是对世界具有深远影响的历史性胜利。”事实证明，中国共产党人经受住了苏东剧变的重大考验，在世界社会主义事业处于极端困难的形势下，不仅在理论上坚持和发展了马克思主义，引领和塑造着21世纪马克思主义，而且在实践中取得了举世瞩目的重大成就，“使世界范围内社会主义和资本主义两种意识形态、两种社会制度的历史演进及其较量发生了有利于社会主义的重大转变。”

Socialism has moved from utopia to science, from theory to practice, from one country to many countries, from achieving great victories to encountering major setbacks, and then to the remarkable great achievements of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. Over more than five hundred years, humanity's pursuit of socialism has never ceased. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The success of scientific socialism in China is of great significance to Marxism and scientific socialism, and to world socialism." [30]30 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China" (July 1, 2016). The success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era has, at a critical moment, saved and defended scientific socialism through concrete actions, presenting Marxism to the world in a new image. It has proven with solid facts that the world socialist cause in the 21st century still possesses strong vitality, largely reversing the desolate situation of the world socialist cause after the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, reversing the passive situation formed in the long-term competition between socialism and capitalism, and promoting the development of the world socialist movement.

社会主义从空想到科学、从理论到实践、从一国到多国，从取得巨大胜利到遭遇重大挫折，再到新时代中国特色社会主义事业取得举世瞩目的伟大成就。五百多年来，人类对社会主义的追求从未止步。习近平指出：“科学社会主义在中国的成功，对马克思主义、科学社会主义的意义，对世界社会主义的意义，是十分重大的。”新时代中国特色社会主义事业的成功，在关键时刻以实际行动挽救和捍卫了科学社会主义，使马克思主义以崭新形象展现于世界，用铁的事实证明了21世纪的世界社会主义事业仍然具有强大的生命力，很大程度上扭转了苏东剧变后世界社会主义事业万马齐喑的局面，扭转了社会主义同资本主义在长期竞争中形成的被动局面，推动了世界社会主义运动的发展。

Second, it has broken the "Western-centric theory" and is of great significance for the modernization of developing countries. Countries that have achieved modernization in the world are basically divided into two categories: one is the Western developed capitalist countries built on bloody colonial plunder; the other is developing countries dependent on Western developed countries. The success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era has changed the monopoly position of the Western modernization model and blazed a brand-new path of modernization development for humanity. This path of modernization neither relies on external colonial plunder nor gets rid of dependence on and attachment to developed countries, ending the dilemma of developing countries having independence without modernization or having modernization without independence.

第二，破解了“西方中心论”，对于发展中国家的现代化具有重要意义。世界上实现现代化的国家基本分为两类：一是建立在血腥殖民掠夺基础上的西方发达资本主义国家；二是依附于西方发达国家的发展中国家。新时代中国特色社会主义事业的成功，改变了西方现代化模式的垄断地位，为人类探索出了一条崭新的现代化发展之路。这条现代化道路既不依赖外在的殖民掠夺，也摆脱了对发达国家的依赖和依附，终结了发展中国家有独立性无现代化、有现代化无独立性的困境。

Capitalism once played a positive role in the development of human civilization, but the nature of capitalism determines that it will trigger more international problems while being unable to solve them. The two world wars, which inflicted the greatest trauma on the world's people, precisely originated from the capitalist system. Western powers once acted as suzerain states, forcing many poor and weak countries to become colonies or semi-colonies, using gunboats to create an old international economic and political order. Although the old colonial system collapsed in the second half of the 20th century, the old international economic and political order has not fundamentally changed. The vast number of developing countries still suffer from the economic plunder, political control, and military expansion of neocolonialism. Capitalism cannot guarantee the prosperity of developing countries and has always been a serious obstacle to their development. Constructing the future of the world according to the laws of capitalism can only result in the concentration of global wealth in the hands of a very small number of people in a very small number of countries, further widening the gap between the rich and the poor between a few developed countries and the vast number of developing countries. As early as 1988, when meeting with foreign guests, Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "Although the international community has proposed solving the North-South problem, after talking about it for so many years, the gap between the North and the South is not narrowing but widening, and it is getting wider and wider." [31]31 Deng Xiaoping, "The Two Major Tasks Facing the World" (May 25, 1988), in *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, vol. 3.

资本主义对人类文明的发展曾经起到积极作用，但资本主义的本性决定了它将引发更多的国际问题而无力解决。给世界人民以最大创伤的两次世界大战，恰恰源于资本主义制度。西方大国曾经作为宗主国，迫使许多贫弱的国家成为殖民地或半殖民地，用坚船利炮营造了一个国际经济政治旧秩序。尽管老殖民体系在20世纪后半叶已经土崩瓦解，但国际经济政治旧秩序并没有从根本上改变，广大发展中国家仍然遭受着新殖民主义的经济掠夺、政治控制和军事扩张。资本主义无法保证发展中国家的繁荣，从来就是发展中国家发展的严重障碍。按照资本主义的法则建构世界的未来，只能造成全球财富向极少数国家的极少数人集中，进一步加剧少数发达国家与广大发展中国家的贫富差距。邓小平早在1988年会见外宾时就指出：“国际社会虽然提出要解决南北问题，但讲了多少年了，南北之间的差距不是在缩小，而是在扩大，并且越来越大。”

For developing countries, the achievements and experience of socialist China are extremely precious and of extraordinary significance. China’s New Democratic Revolution completely overthrew the “three great mountains” of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism, serving as a model for colonial and semi-colonial countries striving for national independence and people’s liberation. The socialist revolution and construction led by the Communist Party of China not only propelled a vast Eastern nation that was “poor and blank” [32]32 “Poor and blank” (一穷二白) is a Chinese idiom used by Mao Zedong to describe China’s economic and cultural backwardness after the founding of the PRC, implying it was a blank slate for socialist construction. and populous into socialism in great strides, but also shattered the political map of the world carved up by the three great powers at the Yalta Conference, inspiring the confidence of oppressed peoples worldwide to rise up. Its significance far exceeds China’s borders. It was precisely under the inspiration of China’s socialist revolution and construction achievements that the peoples of colonial and semi-colonial countries, through unyielding struggle, were able to destroy the world capitalist system and order that capitalism had built over several centuries since the Age of Discovery in the 16th century, promoting the formation of the “Three Worlds.” [33]33 The “Three Worlds” theory was a geopolitical framework proposed by Mao Zedong in the 1970s, dividing the world into the First World (the US and the Soviet Union as superpowers), the Second World (other developed countries), and the Third World (developing and non-aligned nations). Since reform and opening up, the Communist Party of China has led the people in successfully blazing the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, forming the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, establishing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics has flourished. Our country “has completed the industrialization process that took developed countries centuries in just a few decades, creating the two miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability,” catching up with the times in great strides.

对于发展中国家，社会主义中国的成就与经验弥足珍贵，意义非凡。中国新民主主义革命彻底推翻了帝国主义、封建主义和官僚资本主义“三座大山”，是殖民地半殖民地国家谋求民族独立和人民解放的典范。中国共产党领导的社会主义革命和建设不仅使一个“一穷二白”、人口众多的东方大国大步迈进社会主义，而且打破了雅尔塔会议上的世界三大巨头分割世界的政治版图，鼓舞了全世界被压迫民族崛起的信心，它的意义远远超出了中国地域。正是在中国社会主义革命与建设成就激励下，殖民地半殖民地国家人民才能够以不屈不挠的斗争，摧毁了自16世纪地理大发现以来资本主义营造数百年的世界资本主义体系和秩序，推动了“三个世界”形成。改革开放以来，中国共产党带领人民成功开辟了中国特色社会主义道路，形成了中国特色社会主义理论体系，确立了中国特色社会主义制度，中国特色社会主义事业蓬勃发展。我国“仅用几十年时间就走完发达国家几百年走过的工业化历程，创造了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹”，大踏步赶上时代。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC profoundly pointed out: “On the basis of long-term exploration and practice since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, and through theoretical and practical innovations and breakthroughs since the 18th National Congress, our Party has successfully advanced and expanded Chinese-path modernization.” The major achievements of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era have, through unprecedented feats, resolved many difficult problems in the development of human society, abandoned the Western modernization path centered on capital, characterized by polarization, one-sided and distorted development, materialist expansion, and external colonial expansion, and independently explored a new path of Chinese-path modernization that is people-centered, adheres to common prosperity for all, coordinates material and cultural-ethical progress, promotes harmony between humanity and nature, and follows a path of peaceful development, providing new choices for humanity to achieve modernization. The path of Chinese-path modernization has eloquently proven to the world through facts that the socialist system has great superiority, and taking the socialist path will be more conducive to the rapid development of developing countries in the Third World, enabling them to achieve modernization faster and better. Today, on the basis of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, our country has embarked on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. When China becomes a powerful country that achieves modernization not by taking the capitalist path but by taking the socialist path, the world significance of the Chinese-path modernization path will be even more fully demonstrated.

党的二十大报告深刻指出：“在新中国成立特别是改革开放以来长期探索和实践基础上，经过十八大以来在理论和实践上的创新突破，我们党成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化。”新时代中国特色社会主义事业取得的重大成就，以前无古人的创举破解了人类社会发展的诸多难题，摒弃了西方以资本为中心、两极分化、片面畸形发展、物质主义膨胀、对外殖民扩张的现代化老路，独立自主地探索出了一条以人民为中心、坚持全体人民共同富裕、物质文明和精神文明协调发展、人与自然和谐共生、走和平发展道路的中国式现代化新路，为人类实现现代化提供了新的选择。中国式现代化道路用事实向世界雄辩地证明了：社会主义制度具有极大的优越性，走社会主义道路将更有利于第三世界发展中国家的迅速发展，更快更好实现现代化。如今，在全面建成小康社会的基础上，我国已迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家的新征程，当中国成为不是走资本主义道路，而是走社会主义道路实现现代化的强国时，中国式现代化道路的世界意义将更加充分彰显。

Third, it has resolved the “clash of civilizations” theory, which is of great significance for the peaceful development of all humanity. Humanity experienced the catastrophes of two world wars and half a century of the Cold War in the 20th century, and yearns for lasting peace and prosperity in the 21st century. Seeking peace and pursuing cooperation is the common aspiration of people of all countries in the world today. The international community has racked its brains to solve the problem of world peace, with politicians frequently shuttling across the international stage, but with little effect. The entire world is still plagued by continuous local wars, conflicts, and frequent turbulence. Against this backdrop, Harvard professor Samuel Huntington proposed the so-called “clash of civilizations” theory, arguing that differences between civilizations will inevitably lead to a “clash of civilizations,” and also emphasized that China’s rise “is a potential source of large-scale inter-civilizational war between core states.” The successful practice of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era shows that differences between civilizations do not lead to conflict; on the contrary, they cause “civilizations to communicate through diversity, learn from each other through communication, and develop through mutual learning.” China’s rise is not a source of war but an important guarantee of world peace. It has resolved the “clash of civilizations” theory and provided a path of peaceful development for the common struggle of all humanity.

第三，破解了“文明冲突论”，对于全人类的和平发展具有重要意义。人类在20世纪经历了两次世界大战的浩劫和半个世纪的冷战，渴望在21世纪享受持久和平与繁荣。求和平，谋合作，是当今世界各国人民的共同愿望。国际社会为解决世界和平问题殚精竭虑，政治家们为此频繁穿梭于国际社会，但收效甚微，整个世界仍然局部战争不断，冲突动荡频发。在这样的背景下，哈佛大学教授亨廷顿提出了所谓的“文明冲突论”，认为不同文明的差异必将导致“文明冲突”，还强调中国的崛起“是核心国家大规模文明间战争的潜在根源”。新时代中国特色社会主义事业的成功实践表明，不同文明间的差异不仅不会导致冲突，反而会使“文明因多样而交流，因交流而互鉴，因互鉴而发展”，中国的崛起不仅不是战争的根源，反而是世界和平的重要保障。它破解了“文明冲突论”，提供了一条全人类共同奋斗的和平发展之路。

Looking back at history, socialist China is an unignorable force for peace on the international stage. The history of the first half of the 20th century has already shown that a poor, weak, divided, and fragmented old China was the focal point of international capital struggles and an unstable factor for world peace. Imperialist powers, in their scramble for interests in China, provoked countless wars, including both joint wars of aggression against China and internecine wars for dividing the spoils. Similarly, the experience of the second half of the 20th century also shows that a unified, independent, and prosperous socialist China is a blessing for the world. After the founding of New China, the Chinese people stood up. The Party led the people in embarking on a magnificent cause of socialist construction, no longer subject to being bullied. The international disputes originally triggered by the so-called “China question” disappeared once and for all. To this day, some people full of hostility toward China still inherit the mantle of old colonialism, trying by every means to contain, blockade, divide, and disintegrate China. If such attempts were to succeed, it would be a serious destruction of world peace.

回顾历史，社会主义中国是国际舞台上一支不可忽视的和平力量。20世纪前半叶的历史已经昭示，一个贫穷衰弱、四分五裂的旧中国是国际资本争斗的焦点，是世界和平的不安定因素。帝国主义列强为争夺在华利益，挑起了无数次战争，其中既包括联合对华的侵略战争，也包括火并式的分赃战争。同样，20世纪后半叶的经验还表明，一个统一、独立、繁荣的社会主义中国是世界的福音。新中国成立后，中国人民站起来了，党领导人民开始了波澜壮阔的社会主义建设事业，不再任人宰割，原来因所谓“中国问题”而引发的国际纷争一去不复返了。至今，一些对华充满敌意的人仍然继承旧殖民主义的衣钵，千方百计地遏止、封锁、分化、瓦解中国。这种企图一旦实现，才是对世界和平的严重破坏。

For over 70 years, New China has always appeared on the world stage with the image of being hardworking, brave, and peace-loving. Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “Under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai, China emphasized opposing the hegemonism of the superpowers,” and “opposing the hegemonism of the superpowers means safeguarding world peace.” At the beginning of the founding of New China, we proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which became basic norms for international relations and fundamental principles of international law. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, calling on “all countries in the world to promote the common values of all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, to enhance mutual understanding and affinity among peoples, to respect the diversity of world civilizations, to transcend civilizational estrangement through civilizational exchange, transcend civilizational clashes through civilizational mutual learning, and transcend civilizational superiority through civilizational coexistence, and to jointly address various global challenges,” contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and clean and beautiful, and making important contributions to the noble cause of human peace and development.

70多年来，新中国一直以勤劳勇敢、爱好和平的形象出现在世界舞台上。邓小平指出：“中国在毛泽东主席和周恩来总理领导的时候，就强调反对超级大国的霸权主义”“反对超级大国的霸权主义也就是维护世界和平。”新中国成立之初，我们就提出了和平共处五项原则，成为国际关系基本准则和国际法基本原则。党的十八大以来，习近平提出的“一带一路”倡议和构建人类命运共同体的理念，呼吁“世界各国弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，促进各国人民相知相亲，尊重世界文明多样性，以文明交流超越文明隔阂、文明互鉴超越文明冲突、文明共存超越文明优越，共同应对各种全球性挑战”，为建设一个持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界贡献了中国智慧和中国方案，为人类和平与发展崇高事业作出了重要贡献。

Looking to the future, we can definitely conclude that China in the New Era can bring the dawn of peace to the world. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The Communist Party of China cares about the future and destiny of humanity, and advances hand in hand with all progressive forces in the world. China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order!” China is currently in the historical process of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, requiring not only a stable domestic environment but also a peaceful international environment. China cannot replace the people of the world in resolving all disputes and conflicts and forever maintaining world peace, but a developed socialist China will certainly contribute to world peace. “As long as we adhere to the path of peaceful development, developing ourselves by safeguarding world peace and safeguarding world peace through our own development, advancing hand in hand with all progressive forces in the world, not attaching ourselves to others, not plundering others, and never seeking hegemony, we will surely continue to contribute wisdom and strength to the progress of human civilization, and together with the people of all countries, push the wheel of history toward a bright future.”

展望未来，我们完全可以断定：新时代中国能够给世界和平带来曙光。习近平指出：“中国共产党关注人类前途命运，同世界上一切进步力量携手前进，中国始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者！”中国目前正处于全面建设社会主义现代化国家的历史进程，不仅需要一个安定的国内环境，更需要和平的国际环境。中国不可能代替世界人民解决一切争端和冲突，永保世界和平，但一个发展起来的社会主义中国，一定会对世界和平作出贡献。“只要我们坚持和平发展道路，既通过维护世界和平发展自己，又通过自身发展维护世界和平，同世界上一切进步力量携手前进，不依附别人，不掠夺别人，永远不称霸，就一定能够不断为人类文明进步贡献智慧和力量，同世界各国人民一道，推动历史车轮向着光明的前途前进。”

Lenin pointed out: “Only a socialist state can achieve and has achieved a high level of civilization.” The success of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics in the New Era has made China a leading force in the development of human civilization. In the New Era, Chinese Communists “uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization, and create a new path of Chinese-path modernization and a new form of human civilization,”[34]34 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. fully embodying the “high level of civilization” Lenin spoke of in contemporary China. The new form of human civilization is the civilizational form of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the civilizational form of Chinese-path modernization. It not only breaks through the traditional socialist civilizational form but also comprehensively surpasses the Western capitalist civilizational form. It consistently upholds the people-centered principle, adheres to peaceful development, embraces a global vision, actively learns from and absorbs all beneficial achievements of human civilization, and becomes an advanced civilizational form that conforms to the laws of human civilizational development and represents the direction of human civilizational progress. It has profoundly changed the global pattern of human civilization, fully demonstrated the superiority of socialist civilization over capitalist civilization, and pointed a new path for the revival of world socialism, the modernization of developing countries, and the peaceful development of all humanity. It will surely lead humanity toward a better future.

列宁指出：“只有社会主义国家才能够达到而且已经达到了高度的文明。”新时代中国特色社会主义事业的成功，使中国成为人类文明发展的引领性力量。新时代中国共产党人“坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态”，使列宁所说的“高度的文明”在新时代中国得到充分体现。人类文明新形态是中国特色社会主义的文明形态，是中国式现代化的文明形态，不仅突破了传统的社会主义文明形态，而且全面超越了西方资本主义的文明形态，始终坚持人民至上，坚持和平发展，坚持胸怀天下，积极学习吸收借鉴人类文明的一切有益成果，成为顺应人类文明发展规律、代表人类文明前进方向的先进文明形态。它深刻改变了人类文明的世界格局，充分彰显了社会主义文明相对于资本主义文明的优越性，为世界社会主义的复兴、发展中国家的现代化以及全人类的和平发展指明了一条新路，必将引领人类走向更加美好的未来。

(Authors: Wang Chuanli, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, School of Marxism, Tsinghua University; Zhu Siyuan, Doctoral Candidate, School of Marxism, Tsinghua University)

（作者：王传利，清华大学马克思主义学院教授、博士生导师；朱思远，清华大学马克思主义学院博士研究生）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心