The World-Historical Significance of a High-Level Socialist Market Economy System

In 1993, the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Issues Concerning the Establishment of a Socialist Market Economy System," adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 14th Central Committee of the CPC, outlined the blueprint and basic framework for establishing a socialist market economy system. In 2013, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee proposed deepening economic system reform closely around enabling the market to play a decisive role in resource allocation. In 2022, the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed building a high-level socialist market economy system. In 2024, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee placed the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system in a prominent position, proposing the goal of fully establishing a high-level socialist market economy system by 2035. This is a strategic plan of significant theoretical and practical importance, marking that China's socialist market economy has entered a brand-new stage of development. From the perspectives of the history of economic thought, the history of world modernization, and Chinese-path modernization, building a high-level socialist market economy system has important world-historical significance.

1993年，党的十四届三中全会通过的《中共中央关于建立社会主义市场经济体制若干问题的决定》，勾画了建立社会主义市场经济体制的蓝图和基本框架。2013年，党的十八届三中全会提出紧紧围绕使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用深化经济体制改革。2022年，党的二十大提出构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制。2024年，党的二十届三中全会把构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制摆在突出位置，提出到2035年全面建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制的目标。这是具有重要理论意义和实践意义的战略谋划，标志着我国社会主义市场经济进入崭新的发展阶段。从经济思想史、世界现代化史、中国式现代化等角度看，构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制具有重要的世界历史意义。

I. A Triple Transcendence in the History of Economic Thought

一、经济思想史上的三重超越

From the perspective of the history of economic thought, whether socialism and the market economy can be combined is a question that has been the subject of major international controversy, with multiple debates having occurred. Since reform and opening up, the combination of the basic socialist system and the market economy system has been an unprecedented great pioneering undertaking by the Communist Party of China. Fully establishing a high-level socialist market economy system will further produce significant and far-reaching impacts in practice and achieve a triple transcendence in theory.

从经济思想史角度来看，社会主义与市场经济能否结合，是一个在国际范围内有过重大争议的问题，发生了多次论战。改革开放以来，社会主义基本制度与市场经济体制的结合，是中国共产党作出的一项前无古人的伟大创举。全面建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制，将在实践中进一步产生重大而深远的影响，在理论上实现三重超越。

(I) Transcending the Theoretical Framework of Mainstream Western Economics

（一）超越西方主流经济学的理论框架

According to neoclassical economics, every member of society has the freedom to act based on their own interests. This action is guided by the "invisible hand" of the market, and ultimately, the entire society creates the greatest possible wealth. If left to operate on its own, the market economy would manage itself better. Therefore, the government should relax market controls as much as possible; the government that intervenes the least is the best government. For neoclassical economics, the combination of the market economy and socialism is unimaginable. Keynesian economics holds that the government plays a crucial role in predicting, preventing, and offsetting the recurring imbalances between savings and investment. Therefore, to compensate for the limitations of human cognition and the imperfections of the market itself, the government must strengthen its intervention in the market. Only by strengthening government intervention is it possible to avoid market imperfections, imbalances, and the ensuing economic cycles. However, the government intervention it advocates remains a policy design based on the capitalist system. Although neoclassicism and Keynesianism emphasize different aspects (the former emphasizes market incentives, the latter emphasizes the role of government), both advocate capitalism as the most suitable economic system. The socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics insists on combining socialism with the market economy and combining market mechanisms with government regulation, which far exceeds the theoretical framework of mainstream Western economics.

在新古典经济学看来，每个社会成员都有基于自身利益而采取行动的自由，这种行动由市场这只“看不见的手”引导，最终整个社会创造出最大可能的财富。如果可以自行运作，市场经济就会更好地管理自己。因此，政府应尽可能放松市场管制，干预得最少的政府就是最好的政府。对于新古典经济学而言，市场经济与社会主义结合，是不可想象的事情。凯恩斯经济学认为，政府在预测、预防、抵消储蓄和投资之间反复出现的不均衡方面具有至关重要的作用。因此，为了弥补人类认知的有限性、市场本身的不完善性，政府必须加强对市场的干预。只有加强政府干预，才有可能避免市场不完善、不平衡和随之而来的经济周期。但是，它所主张的政府干预仍然是基于资本主义制度体系的政策设计。新古典主义与凯恩斯主义强调的侧重点虽然不同（前者强调市场激励，后者强调政府作用），但两者都将资本主义作为最合适的经济制度加以提倡。中国特色社会主义市场经济坚持社会主义与市场经济相结合、市场机制与政府调节相结合，这远远超出了西方主流经济学的理论框架。

(II) Transcending the Traditional Interpretations of Some Marxists

（二）超越一些马克思主义者的传统解释

Internationally, there exists a traditional understanding of Marxian economics that holds socialism and the market economy are incompatible, like fire and water. For example, the American "Dialectical Marxism" theorist Bertell Ollman insists that, in Marx's view, as a mechanism for capital accumulation and capital expansion, the market is intrinsically combined with capital and is incompatible with socialism. "As long as the thought patterns and emotions of the market are daily reinforced through people's experiences of exchange, the thought patterns and emotions of socialism, and thus all aspects of socialist practice, cannot long continue." [1]1 A Chinese idiom meaning to grasp the key link or the most crucial aspect of a matter. Hillel Ticktin of the University of Glasgow emphasizes that, as Marx said, capitalism works because it is a system where economic forces play a role. In a socialist society, the economy operates according to the principle of directly meeting human needs. Consequently, there is an inevitable conflict between the market and socialism. In the practice of socialist countries, people long directly applied Marx's general design of the future society's economic system to real life, and a strong "planning worship" complex severely constrained the vitality of the socialist system.

国际上存在一种对马克思经济学的传统理解，认为社会主义与市场经济是水火不容的。例如，美国“辩证法马克思主义”理论家伯特尔·奥尔曼坚持认为，在马克思那里，作为资本积累和资本扩张的机制，市场与资本是内在结合在一起的，与社会主义不相容。“只要市场的思想方法和情感通过人们交换的经历天天得到加强，社会主义的思想情感，以及由此而来的各方面的社会主义实践就不能长久地继续下去。”英国格拉斯哥大学的希勒尔·蒂克庭强调，正如马克思所说，资本主义运转是因为它是一种经济力量起作用的制度。在社会主义社会中，经济是根据直接满足人的需要的原则运行的。因而，市场和社会主义存在必然冲突。在社会主义国家的实践中，人们曾长期将马克思关于未来社会经济体制的一般设计直接照搬到现实生活中，浓厚的“计划崇拜”情结严重制约了社会主义制度的活力。

In fact, according to Marx's later "leapfrog" conception regarding the development path of Russian society, under the conditions of the existence of a world market, backward countries that had not developed a market economy, after leaping over the "Caudine Forks" of capitalism, should utilize the market economy. [2]2 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization'," July 21, 2024. Although this view was not explicitly stated, but rather deeply embedded within the "leapfrog" conception, it at least indicates that Marx did not block the path of combining socialism with the market economy, but left a certain theoretical space. Lenin's New Economic Policy expanded the theoretical space for the combination of socialism and the market economy and initially put it into practice. In the exploration of the theory of the socialist market economy, Deng Xiaoping made great contributions. He separated the market and planning from the basic social system, highlighting their function as economic means and their attributes as specific institutions, breaking through the traditional ideological constraint of equating market logic with capital logic. At the same time, he insisted on combining the basic socialist system with the market economy, filling the entire society with the creative vitality of reform and development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee placed the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system in a prominent position. This is a theoretical sublimation achieved by our Party based on years of practical exploration, a recognition of the laws governing the development and improvement of the socialist market economy system, a new development of the theory of the socialist market economy, and a new transcendence of the traditional interpretations of some Marxists.

事实上，根据马克思晚年关于俄国社会发展道路的“跨越”设想，在世界市场存在的条件下，市场经济没有发展起来的落后国家在跨越资本主义“卡夫丁峡谷”后，应该利用市场经济。虽然这一观点并没有被明确表达出来，而是深层次地蕴含在“跨越”设想之中，但这至少表明，马克思并没有堵死社会主义与市场经济相结合的通路，而是留下了一定的理论空间。列宁的新经济政策为社会主义与市场经济的结合拓展了理论空间并初步付诸实践。在社会主义市场经济理论的探索过程中，邓小平作出了伟大贡献。他将市场和计划从社会基本制度中剥离出来，突出其经济手段功能和具体制度属性，突破了将市场逻辑等同于资本逻辑的传统思想束缚。同时，坚持社会主义基本制度同市场经济相结合，使全社会充满了改革发展的创造活力。党的二十届三中全会把构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制摆在突出位置，这是我们党基于多年实践探索而实现的理论升华，是在发展、完善社会主义市场经济体制方面得出的规律性认识，是对社会主义市场经济理论的新发展，也是对一些马克思主义者的传统解释的新超越。

(III) Transcending the Institutional Design of Market Socialism

（三）超越市场社会主义的制度设计

As a trend of thought, market socialism emerged in the late 19th century and, as a "prescription" for curing the deep-rooted "British disease," gained prominence in Britain after the 1980s, subsequently attracting widespread attention from Western left-wing intellectuals. Among the more influential variants are the "economic democracy" market socialism advocated by American scholar David Schweickart and the so-called "Third Way" proposed by the British Labour Party. Market socialism's reflection and critique of the Soviet model and capitalism have their reasonable aspects; the "neutral mechanism" theory and "marriage" theory of market socialism have some enlightening significance for our exploration of the socialist market economy system. However, it must be pointed out that there are essential differences between market socialism and the theory of the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics. These are mainly reflected in the following: Regarding the issue of public ownership, market socialism has undergone a process of decay from advocating it to downplaying it and even denying it, whereas our Party has consistently adhered to the dominant position of public ownership throughout the exploration and improvement of the socialist market economy system. In terms of theoretical foundation, market socialism adheres to Western economic theory and Western ethical thought, while the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics adheres to Marxism that advances with the times. In terms of the practicality of institutional design, market socialism has fallen into theoretical empty talk divorced from the social system, whereas China's market economy is a living, practice-based, institutionalized form of the socialist market economy. In this sense, compared with the Western left-wing trend of market socialism, the high-level socialist market economy system, as a new stage and new achievement in the development of the socialist market economy, will achieve further major transcendence in terms of scientificity, practicality, and influence.

作为一种思潮，市场社会主义出现于19世纪后期，并作为一种医治根深蒂固的“英国病”的“药方”，在20世纪80年代以后的英国得以抬头，其后广受西方左翼知识分子关注，其中影响较大的有美国学者施韦卡特倡导的“经济民主”的市场社会主义、英国工党提出的所谓“第三条道路”等。市场社会主义对于苏联模式和资本主义的反思和批判，有其合理之处；市场社会主义的“中性机制”论和“联姻”论，对于我们探索社会主义市场经济体制具有一定启发意义。但需要指出的是，市场社会主义与中国特色社会主义市场经济理论存在本质区别，主要体现在：在对待公有制问题上，市场社会主义有一个从提倡到淡化乃至否定的衰变过程，而我们党在探索和完善社会主义市场经济体制过程中始终坚持公有制的主体地位。在理论基础上，市场社会主义奉行的是西方经济理论、西方伦理思想，而中国特色社会主义市场经济坚持的是与时俱进的马克思主义。在制度设计的现实性上，市场社会主义陷入了脱离社会制度的理论空谈，而中国的市场经济则是活生生的立足实践的体制化的社会主义市场经济形态。从这种意义上说，相比西方左翼的市场社会主义思潮，高水平社会主义市场经济体制作为社会主义市场经济发展的新阶段新成果，将在科学性、现实性、影响力等方面实现进一步的重大超越。

II. An Effective Solution to the Problems of World Modernization

二、世界现代化难题的有效破解

How to properly handle the relationships between vitality and order, efficiency and fairness, and so on, can be considered a difficult problem in the history of world modernization. Building a high-level socialist market economy system is an active and effective solution to the problems of world modernization.

如何处理好活力与秩序、效率与公平等方面的关系，可谓世界现代化史上的难题。构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，是对世界现代化难题的积极有效的破解。

(I) Striving to Resolve the Contradiction between Vitality and Order

（一）着力化解活力与秩序的矛盾

During the development of capitalism and the process of modernization in Western Europe, a modernizing difficulty emerged in the contradiction between vitality and order. The precursors of the German Historical School, Adam Müller, and the French economist Sismondi, among others, noted the destruction of traditional order by the development of industry and commerce, but they often discussed economic order from a nostalgic standpoint, and their attempts to return to the past could only be a "pure fantasy." [1]1 A Chinese idiom meaning to grasp the key link or the most crucial aspect of a matter. In 1856, the French historian Tocqueville, in *The Old Regime and the Revolution*, raised and pondered questions such as "why did prosperity accelerate the arrival of the Revolution" and "why did lightening the people's burden instead enrage the people," touching upon the relationship between economic development and social order. [2]2 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization'," July 21, 2024. In 1968, the American political scientist Huntington, in *Political Order in Changing Societies*, argued that economically developed and economically backward countries were both relatively stable politically, while political turmoil mostly occurred in countries with a certain degree of economic development; thus, the root of political instability lay in modernization itself: "Modernity breeds stability, but the process of modernization breeds turmoil." [3]3 The "two unswervinglies" refer to the policy of unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy, and unswervingly encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector of the economy.

西欧在资本主义发展和现代化进程中，出现了活力与秩序相矛盾的现代化难题。德国历史学派先驱亚当·米勒、法国经济学家西斯蒙第等人注意到工业和贸易的发展对传统秩序的破坏，但他们往往站在怀旧的立场上谈论经济秩序，其试图回到过去的主张只能是一种“纯粹的幻想”。1856年，法国历史学家托克维尔在《旧制度与大革命》中提出并思考了“何以繁荣反而加速了大革命的到来”“何以减轻人民负担反而激怒人民” 等问题，论及经济发展与社会秩序的关系。1968年，美国政治学家亨廷顿在《变化社会中的政治秩序》中认为经济发达和经济比较落后的国家在政治上都比较稳定，而发生政治动荡的大都是经济上有一定程度发展的国家，因而政治不稳定的根源就在于现代化，“现代性孕育着稳定，而现代化过程却滋生着动乱”。

Regarding the relationship between vitality and order, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "In the historical process of modernization, handling this pair of relationships is a worldwide challenge. Chinese-path modernization should and can achieve a dynamic balance of being lively without chaos, active yet orderly." [4]4 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform'," November 9, 2013. Unlike the "serial" development process of Western developed countries following the sequence of industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, and informatization, China's modernization, to catch up from behind, must inevitably be a "parallel" development process where industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization develop in an overlapping manner. In this process, besides encountering the universal contradictions of modernization, it will also face the special contradictions of "time-space compression" and the overlapping of multiple phases, involving tradition, modernity, and post-modernity. Reform and opening up allowed Chinese society to achieve a great liberation of thought, a great transformation of concepts, and a great boost in spirit. The combination of the basic socialist system with the market economy greatly enhanced people's subjectivity, initiative, and creativity. Since reform and opening up, our Party has consistently focused on correctly handling the relationship among reform, development, and stability. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Central Committee has adhered to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, [5]5 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Symposium of Enterprises and Experts," May 23, 2024. embodying the dialectics of the positive interaction between "stability" and "progress," and writing a new chapter in the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. [6]6 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the 13th Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee," May 26, 2014. To build a high-level socialist market economy system, it is necessary to improve the macro-economic governance system, strive to achieve a governance rhythm and macro-environment with appropriate tension and relaxation, and avoid and resolve the vicious cycle of "stifling vitality when tightening control, causing chaos when loosening control." At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the guidance of public opinion, focus on cultivating a correct view of labor, values, and wealth, "form a correct orientation where labor creates wealth, hard work creates achievements, and struggle creates happiness, preventing the breeding and spread of undesirable thoughts such as contempt for labor, getting something for nothing, overnight riches, reaping without sowing, and passive lying flat, fully stimulating the creative vitality of the whole society." [7]7 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization'," July 21, 2024.

对于活力与秩序的关系，习近平总书记深刻指出：“在现代化的历史进程中，处理好这对关系是一道世界性难题。中国式现代化应当而且能够实现活而不乱、活跃有序的动态平衡。”与西方发达国家依循工业化、城镇化、农业现代化、信息化顺序的“串联式”发展过程不同，中国的现代化要后来居上，必然是工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化叠加发展、“并联式”的发展过程。在这个过程中，除了遭遇现代化的普遍矛盾以外，还会面临传统、现代、后现代等“时空压缩”、多期叠加的特殊矛盾。改革开放让中国社会实现思想大解放、观念大转变、精神大提振，社会主义基本制度同市场经济相结合极大增强了人们的主体性、积极性、创造性。改革开放以来，我们党一直注重正确处理改革、发展、稳定三者之间的关系。特别是党的十八大以来，中央坚持稳中求进的总基调，体现了“稳”与“进”良性互动的辩证法，书写了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹新篇章。建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制，要健全宏观经济治理体系，努力实现张弛有度的治理节奏、宏观环境，避免和化解“一管就死、一放就乱”的怪圈；同时，要加强社会舆论引导，着力培养正确的劳动观、价值观、财富观，“形成劳动创造财富、实干创造业绩、奋斗创造幸福的正确导向，防止轻视劳动、不劳而获、一夜暴富、坐享其成、消极躺平等不良思想滋长蔓延，充分激发全社会创造活力”。

(II) Striving to Achieve the Balance, Promotion, and Unity of Efficiency and Fairness

（二）着力实现效率与公平相兼顾、相促进、相统一

Looking at the historical process of modernization in Western European countries, the impetus of industrialization brought about a great increase in production efficiency, but it also generally gave rise to the labor-capital contradiction where laborers did not receive and recipients did not labor, leading to interest barriers and social fragmentation between the few and the many. The British classical economist Ricardo paid early attention to this phenomenon, but he believed it conformed to the survival law of "the weak are prey to the strong," because the gains of the capitalists came precisely at the expense of the workers' interests. [8]8 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the 28th Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee," November 23, 2015. Marx, in his exposition of the history of the theory of surplus value, profoundly analyzed this phenomenon and provided a new explanation from the perspective of the law of capital accumulation. Contemporary capitalism, in order to escape the "Ricardian trap," has made certain self-adjustments to its system within limits, implementing a relatively high level of social welfare system. In recent years, the welfare state system has encountered difficulties in the West, sparking new discussions on how to view the relationship between fairness and efficiency.

从西欧国家现代化历史进程来看，这些国家由于工业化推动带来生产效率的极大提升，但也普遍出现了劳者不获、获者不劳的劳资矛盾，引发少数人与多数人的利益阻隔及社会断裂问题。英国古典经济学家李嘉图较早关注到这一现象，但他认为这符合“弱肉强食”的生存法则，因为资本家的获益正是以牺牲工人利益为代价的。马克思在论述剩余价值学说史时深刻剖析了这种现象，从资本积累规律的视角对之作出新的阐释。当代资本主义为了跳出“李嘉图陷阱”，在一定限度内进行了制度的自我调整，施行了较高水平的社会福利制度。近年来，福利国家制度在西方遇到困境,引发了如何看待公平与效率关系问题的新讨论。

Engels pointed out in *Anti-Dühring*: "The real content of the proletarian demand for equality is the abolition of classes." [9]9 A formulation from the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, referring to the need for a market economy that is both dynamic and orderly. After the victory of the October Revolution, Lenin emphasized: "Productivity of labor, in the final analysis, is the most important and principal thing for the victory of the new social system." [10]10 "Communiqué of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," July 18, 2024. It can be seen that eliminating exploitation and oppression to achieve social fairness, and liberating and developing productive forces to achieve higher social efficiency, are the essential pursuits of socialism. The history of the world economy shows that the market economy has advantages in the efficiency of resource allocation, but it faces problems of economic externalities and regulatory lag, and has the drawback of lacking fairness. In recent years, influenced by international neoliberalism, the view that "the market can handle everything" has also had followers domestically. After bidding farewell to the "worship of planning" complex, we must never fall into the quagmire of "market omnipotence." In this regard, Chinese Communists have profound theoretical understanding and high institutional resolve, emphasizing "focusing on building a high-level socialist market economy system, giving full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, and better playing the role of the government." [11]11 Quotation from the decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC (July 2024) on further deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. From the perspective of the theoretical goals and institutional design of the socialist market economy, the market economy emphasizes efficiency, while socialism emphasizes fairness; their combination will be conducive to achieving the unity of fairness and efficiency. From the perspective of actual operation, socialism and the market economy have not yet passed the "marriage adjustment period," and the coordination between market determination and government regulation still faces tests. "The market system is still not sound, market development is not yet fully mature, and the relationship between the government and the market has not yet been completely straightened out." [12]12 Quotation from the same Third Plenary Session decision. To build a high-level socialist market economy system, on the one hand, it is necessary to better leverage the market mechanism, create a fairer and more dynamic market environment, and achieve the optimization of resource allocation efficiency and maximization of benefits. On the other hand, it is necessary to better leverage the role of the government, and scientific macro-regulation and effective government governance are inherent requirements for leveraging the advantages of the socialist market economy system. In this regard, we must adhere to doing our best according to our capabilities, improve the basic public service system, and strengthen livelihood construction that is inclusive, basic, and provides a safety net. In short, "Chinese-path modernization must not only create higher efficiency than capitalism but also more effectively maintain social fairness, better achieving the balance, promotion, and unity of efficiency and fairness." [13]13 Quotation from Xi Jinping.

恩格斯在《反杜林论》中指出：“无产阶级平等要求的实际内容都是消灭阶级的要求。”列宁在十月革命胜利后强调：“劳动生产率，归根到底是使新社会制度取得胜利的最重要最主要的东西。”可见，消灭剥削和压迫从而实现社会公平，解放和发展生产力从而实现更高的社会效率，是社会主义的本质追求。世界经济史表明，市场经济在资源配置的效率方面有优势，但面临经济外部性和调节滞后的问题，存在公平性缺失的弊端。近些年来，受国际新自由主义的影响，所谓“市场搞定一切”的观点在国内也不乏追随者。我们在告别“计划崇拜”情结以后，决不能陷入“市场万能论”的泥潭。对此，中国共产党人有深刻的理论认识和高度的制度定力，强调“聚焦构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用”。从社会主义市场经济的理论目标、制度设计角度看，市场经济强调效率，社会主义强调公平，两者的结合将有利于实现公平与效率的统一。从实际运行看，社会主义与市场经济之间仍未度过“婚姻磨合期”，市场决定与政府调控之间的协调仍然面临考验。“市场体系仍不健全，市场发育还不充分，政府和市场的关系尚未完全理顺”。构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，一方面必须更好发挥市场机制作用，创造更加公平、更有活力的市场环境，实现资源配置效率最优化和效益最大化。另一方面必须更好发挥政府作用，而科学的宏观调控、有效的政府治理是发挥社会主义市场经济体制优势的内在要求。在这方面，必须坚持尽力而为、量力而行，完善基本公共服务制度体系，加强普惠性、基础性、兜底性民生建设。总之，“中国式现代化既要创造比资本主义更高的效率，又要更有效地维护社会公平，更好实现效率与公平相兼顾、相促进、相统一”。

III. Important Guarantee for Chinese-Path Modernization

三、中国式现代化的重要保障

A high-level socialist market economy system is an important guarantee for Chinese-path modernization. Creating a fairer and more dynamic market environment, achieving the optimization of resource allocation efficiency and maximization of benefits, realizing the unity of an effective market and a competent government, and the unity of "being able to let go" and "being able to manage well," are inevitable requirements for advancing Chinese-path modernization and an urgent need for promoting high-quality development.

高水平社会主义市场经济体制是中国式现代化的重要保障。创造更加公平、更有活力的市场环境，实现资源配置效率最优化和效益最大化，实现有效市场与有为政府的统一、“放得活”与“管得住”的统一，是推进中国式现代化的必然要求，是推动高质量发展的迫切需要。

(I) Focusing on Leveraging the Leading Role of Economic System Reform

（一）注重发挥经济体制改革牵引作用

To further deepen reform comprehensively, it is necessary to highlight the focus on economic system reform, which embodies the conscious application of the basic principles of Marxism by the Chinese Communists. Historical materialism holds that the relations of production must conform to the state of development of the productive forces, and the superstructure must conform to the economic base; these are the basic laws of the development of human society. Since reform and opening up, China's economic and social development has achieved major successes. The fundamental reason is that we have stimulated the developmental vitality of the social productive forces through continuously adjusting the relations of production, and we have adapted to the developmental requirements of the economic base through continuously perfecting the superstructure. Dialectical materialism emphasizes the need to be adept at grasping the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of a contradiction, "leading an ox by the nose." [1]1 A Chinese idiom meaning to grasp the key link or the most crucial aspect of a matter. From the perspective of social structure, the economy is the foundation; the economic structure determines the structures of politics, culture, and other spheres. From the perspective of the superstructure, the economic system is the "ox's nose," and economic system reform drives reforms of other systems and mechanisms in many areas. In May 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium of enterprises and experts and delivered an important speech, emphasizing that to further deepen reform comprehensively, it is necessary to grasp the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction. Specifically, this means grasping economic system reform and highlighting this focus, thereby using the focus to drive the whole. At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The decision draft, centering on the core issue of properly handling the relationship between the government and the market, places the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system in a prominent position and makes deployments for key areas and crucial links of economic system reform." [2]2 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization'," July 21, 2024. The main tasks therein are: perfecting the systems and mechanisms conducive to promoting high-quality development, shaping new drivers and new advantages for development, adhering to and implementing the "two unswervinglies," [3]3 The "two unswervinglies" refer to the policy of unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy, and unswervingly encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector of the economy. constructing a unified national market, and perfecting the basic systems of the market economy. Through a series of measures, the ultimate goal is to better stimulate the endogenous dynamism and innovation vitality of the whole society.

进一步全面深化改革要突出经济体制改革这个重点，体现了中国共产党人对马克思主义基本原理的自觉运用。历史唯物主义认为，生产关系一定要适合生产力发展状况、上层建筑一定要适合经济基础发展状况，是人类社会发展的基本规律。改革开放以来，我国经济社会发展取得重大成就，根本原因是我们通过不断调整生产关系激发了社会生产力的发展活力，通过不断完善上层建筑适应了经济基础发展要求。唯物辩证法强调，要善于抓住事物的主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，“牵牛要牵牛鼻子”。从社会结构看，经济是基础，经济结构决定政治、文化等方面的结构；从上层建筑看，经济体制是“牛鼻子”，经济体制改革牵引其他多方面的体制机制改革。2024年5月，习近平总书记主持召开企业和专家座谈会并发表重要讲话，强调进一步全面深化改革，要抓住主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面。具体而言，就是要抓住经济体制改革，突出经济体制改革这个重点，从而以重点带动全面。习近平总书记在党的二十届三中全会上指出：“决定稿围绕处理好政府和市场关系这个核心问题，把构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制摆在突出位置，对经济体制改革重点领域和关键环节作出部署。”其中的主要任务在于，完善有利于推动高质量发展的体制机制，塑造发展新动能新优势，坚持和落实“两个毫不动摇”，构建全国统一大市场，完善市场经济基础制度。通过一系列举措，最终达到更好激发全社会内生动力和创新活力的目的。

(2) Adhere to a problem-oriented approach to enhance the directivity of economic system reform

（二）坚持问题导向以增强经济体制改革的指向性

"Reform is generated by problems being forced upon it, and it is deepened in the continuous process of solving problems." [4]4 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform'," November 9, 2013. Practice is the basis of cognition, and problems play an important role within it. Problems are both the logical starting point for the generation of cognition and an important driving force for the development of cognition. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: "Reform measures must have a clear directivity, heading straight for solving the most prominent problems." [5]5 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Symposium of Enterprises and Experts," May 23, 2024. In terms of economic system reform, what are the main manifestations of the problems? The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC proposed that the market's decisive role in resource allocation is the general law of a market economy, and that perfecting the socialist market economy system must follow this law, focusing on solving the problems of an imperfect market system, excessive government intervention, and inadequate supervision. In May 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "China's socialist market economy system is continuously developing, but there are still many problems; there are still many drawbacks that bind the vitality of market entities and hinder the full play of the market and the law of value." [6]6 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the 13th Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee," May 26, 2014. At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping summarized the problems in this area as "the market system is still not sound, market development is still insufficient, and the relationship between the government and the market has not yet been fully straightened out." [7]7 Xi Jinping, "Explanation on the 'Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization'," July 21, 2024. This fully reflects the directivity of economic system reform. First, further allowing the market to play the decisive role in resource allocation is undoubtedly a very clear direction for reform. Second, focusing on scientific macro-regulation and effective government governance is an inherent requirement for leveraging the advantages of the socialist market economy system. In this regard, it is necessary to perfect the macro-regulation system, coordinate and advance reforms in key areas such as fiscal and taxation systems and finance, and enhance the consistency of macro-policy orientation. Third, constructing a unified national market is an important prerequisite for fully allowing the market to play the decisive role in resource allocation and for better playing the role of the government; it is an inherent requirement for leveraging the leading role of China's super-large-scale market; and it is the basic support for constructing a new development pattern.

“改革是由问题倒逼而产生，又在不断解决问题中得以深化。”实践是认识的基础，问题在其中发挥着重要作用。问题既是认识产生的逻辑起点，也是认识发展的重要动力。习近平总书记强调：“改革举措要有鲜明指向性，奔着解决最突出的问题去”。在经济体制改革方面，问题主要有哪些表现呢？党的十八届三中全会提出，市场决定资源配置是市场经济的一般规律，健全社会主义市场经济体制必须遵循这条规律，着力解决市场体系不完善、政府干预过多和监管不到位问题。2014年5月，习近平总书记指出：“我国社会主义市场经济体制不断发展，但仍然存在不少问题，仍然存在不少束缚市场主体活力、阻碍市场和价值规律充分发挥作用的弊端。”在党的二十届三中全会上，习近平总书记将这方面的问题概括为“市场体系仍不健全，市场发育还不充分，政府和市场的关系尚未完全理顺”。这就充分体现了经济体制改革的指向性。首先，进一步发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，无疑是非常明确的改革方向。其次，注重科学的宏观调控、有效的政府治理，这是发挥社会主义市场经济体制优势的内在要求。在这方面，必须完善宏观调控制度体系，统筹推进财税、金融等重点领域改革，增强宏观政策取向一致性。再次，建设全国统一大市场，是充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用、更好发挥政府作用的重要前提，是发挥我国超大规模市场引领作用的内在要求，是构建新发展格局的基础支撑。

(3) Clarify the goal of comprehensively building a high-level socialist market economy system

（三）明确全面建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制的目标

A market economy is not an independent economic form; when combined with different basic social systems, it will inevitably manifest different characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: "We are developing a market economy under the great premise of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system. At no time can we forget the attributive 'socialist.' The reason it is called a socialist market economy is that we must uphold our system's superiority and effectively prevent the drawbacks of a capitalist market economy. We must adhere to dialectics and the 'two points of view,' continue to work hard on the integration of the basic socialist system and the market economy, and give full play to the advantages of both aspects." [8]8 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the 28th Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee," November 23, 2015. Constructing a high-level socialist market economy system, in terms of the integration surface, is a manifestation of the high-level integration of the basic socialist system and the market economy, and is the unity of an effective market and a competent government. In terms of effectiveness, it is a high-level balance between order and vitality, efficiency and fairness; it is a manifestation of being both fairer and more efficient, and of being both "able to let go and enliven" and "able to manage and control." [9]9 A formulation from the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, referring to the need for a market economy that is both dynamic and orderly. In terms of serving the central task, it is an inevitable requirement for adapting to the development of Chinese-path modernization; it is an inevitable requirement for promoting high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, promoting high-level opening up, and promoting high-quality development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC proposed "by 2035, to comprehensively build a high-level socialist market economy system, to further perfect the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, to basically realize the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, to basically realize socialist modernization, and to lay a solid foundation for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century." [10]10 "Communiqué of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China," July 18, 2024. This clarifies our goal of struggle and strengthens our confidence and determination to further deepen reform comprehensively and advance Chinese-path modernization.

市场经济并不是一种独立的经济形态，它与不同的社会基本制度相结合，必然会表现出不同的色泽。习近平总书记强调：“我们是在中国共产党领导和社会主义制度的大前提下发展市场经济，什么时候都不能忘了‘社会主义’这个定语。之所以说是社会主义市场经济，就是要坚持我们的制度优越性，有效防范资本主义市场经济的弊端。我们要坚持辩证法、两点论，继续在社会主义基本制度与市场经济的结合上下功夫，把两方面优势都发挥好”。构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，就结合面而言，是社会主义基本制度与市场经济高水平结合的体现，是有效市场与有为政府的统一；就成效而言，是秩序与活力、效率与公平高水平的兼顾，是更加公平又更有效率、既“放得活”又“管得住”的体现；就服务中心任务而言，是适应中国式现代化发展的必然要求，是推进高水平科技自立自强、推进高水平对外开放、推动高质量发展的必然要求。党的二十届三中全会提出“到二〇三五年，全面建成高水平社会主义市场经济体制，中国特色社会主义制度更加完善，基本实现国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，基本实现社会主义现代化，为到本世纪中叶全面建成社会主义现代化强国奠定坚实基础”，这就明确了我们的奋斗目标，坚定了我们进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的信心和决心。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧