The Low-Cost Development Path of Chinese-Path Modernization

As Chinese-path modernization advances comprehensively and substantively, research on Chinese-path modernization has become a notable "prominent discipline." However, it must be pointed out that among the substantial body of research results on Chinese-path modernization, the important perspective of cost studies is still lacking. As is well known, Chinese-path modernization bears the major missions of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and creating a new form of human civilization, but if it were a high-cost model of modernization development, it would undoubtedly lose such qualities and functions. Therefore, paying close attention to the issue of costs in the process of modernization, and proposing countermeasures and ideas to prevent and overcome the costs of modernization, should become an unavoidable important perspective in current research on Chinese-path modernization, and is also a fundamental pursuit in the process of Chinese-path modernization.

随着中国式现代化全面而切实地推进，中国式现代化研究业已成为一门引人注目的“显学”。但必须指出的是，在关于中国式现代化研究的大量成果中尚缺少代价学这一重要视角。众所周知，中国式现代化担负着实现中华民族伟大复兴、创造人类文明新形态等重大使命，但如果是一种高代价的现代化发展模式，无疑会失去这样的品质和功能。因此，高度关注现代化进程中的代价问题，提出预防并克服现代化代价的对策与思路，这应该成为当下中国式现代化研究中绕不过去的重要视角，也是中国式现代化进程中的基本追求。

I. Cost and the Cost of Modernization

一、代价和现代化代价

An important quality highlighted by Chinese-path modernization lies in its possession of dialectical attributes—at the very least, we must excavate and sort out this dialectical nature in theoretical terms. The "dialectical picture" of Chinese-path modernization is mainly manifested as follows: in terms of the basic dimensions of its advancement, it is the unity of theory and practice; in terms of the content it realizes, it is the unity of the modernization of things and the modernization of people; in terms of the contradictory attributes it possesses, it is the unity of commonality and individuality; in terms of the state of its advancement, it is the unity of what is and what ought to be; in terms of the historical process of its realization, it is the unity of stages and long-term nature; in terms of the mechanism of its realization, it is the unity of inheritance and innovation. These many unities tell us that only by adhering to dialectical thinking to grasp Chinese-path modernization can we obtain a comprehensive and accurate understanding of it. Dialectically grasping Chinese-path modernization also includes a perspective from cost studies, namely, in terms of the possible results of Chinese-path modernization, it is the unity of progress and cost.

中国式现代化凸显的一个重要品质就在于其拥有辩证属性——至少我们要在学理上挖掘和梳理这种辩证性。中国式现代化的“辩证图景”主要表现为，就其推进的基本维度来看是理论与实践的统一，就其实现的内容来看是物的现代化与人的现代化的统一，就其拥有的矛盾属性来看是共性与个性的统一，就其推进的状态来看是实然与应然的统一，就其实现的历史进程来看是阶段性与长期性的统一，就其实现的机制来看是继承与创新的统一。这诸多的统一告诉我们，只有坚持以辩证思维来把握中国式现代化，才能获得关于中国式现代化全面而准确的认识。辩证把握中国式现代化还有一个代价学的视角，即就中国式现代化可能导致的结果来看，是进步与代价的统一。

(1) Cost and Cost Studies

（一）代价及代价学

Throughout the long river of human development, the phenomenon of cost has always existed. Human history, in a certain sense, is a process of continuously paying and overcoming costs to achieve progress. Marx profoundly pointed out: "When civilization first began, production was founded on the antagonism of ranks, estates, and classes, and finally on the antagonism between accumulated labor and direct labor. Without antagonism there is no progress. This is the law that civilization has followed up to the present day." [1]1 Karl Marx, "The Poverty of Philosophy," in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 4 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 93. The translation follows the standard English edition; the Chinese text cites a slightly different rendering. Feng Ziyi also pointed out: "To seek social development and progress without paying costs can only be an illusion." [2]2 Feng Ziyi (丰子义, b. 1955) is a prominent Chinese Marxist philosopher at Peking University, specializing in the philosophy of development and historical materialism. In Han Qingxiang's view, "The process of social development always presents itself as a state of contradictory development, where progress is always accompanied by regression, affirmation is always accompanied by negation, advance is always accompanied by crisis, and development is always accompanied by cost." [3]3 Han Qingxiang (韩庆祥, b. 1957) is a leading Chinese Marxist theorist and former deputy director of the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee, known for his work on development philosophy and human studies. The so-called "cost studies" is a discipline that takes the issue of development costs as its main research object. The objective existence of the cost phenomenon in the process of human social development is both the object of our understanding and research, and the object of our prevention and overcoming. Thus, cost studies at least includes components and content such as the ontology of cost and the management of cost. The ontology of cost refers to theoretical views obtained through analysis and research on issues such as the essence, manifestations, and evolution of cost existence, as well as the relationship between cost and development, including modernization; the management of cost refers to theoretical views obtained through exploring issues such as why cost management is necessary and how to carry out cost management, including theories of cost prevention management, cost regulation management, cost recovery management, and so on. Within the perspective of cost studies, we can undoubtedly gain a profound understanding of cost and its relationship with social development, especially with modernization.

在人类发展的历史长河中始终存在着代价现象。人类的历史，从某种意义上说，就是一个不断付出并不断克服代价以实现进步的过程。马克思深刻指出：“当文明一开始的时候，生产就开始建立在级别、等级和阶级的对抗上，最后建立在积累的劳动和直接的劳动的对抗上。没有对抗就没有进步。这是文明直到今天所遵循的规律。”丰子义也指出：“要想不付出代价来求得社会发展与进步，这只能是幻想。”在韩庆祥看来，“社会发展进程总是呈现为矛盾发展的状态，进步总是伴随着退步，肯定总是伴随着否定，前进总是伴随着危机，发展总是伴随着代价”。所谓“代价学”，就是以发展的代价问题作为主要研究对象的一门学问。在人类社会发展进程中客观存在的代价现象既是我们认识和研究的对象，也是我们防范和克服的对象。这样，代价学至少包括代价存在论、代价管理论等板块和内容。代价存在论是对代价存在的本质、表现、演变以及代价与发展包括与现代化的关系等问题进行分析研究所得出的理论观点；代价管理论则是对为什么要进行代价管理、如何进行代价管理等问题进行探讨所得出的理论观点，包括代价的防范管理理论、代价的调控管理理论 、代价的恢复管理理论等内容。在代价学视域内，我们无疑能对代价及其与社会发展的关系尤其是与现代化的关系等问题获得深刻的认知。

"Cost" as a scientific concept first appeared in the field of economics. Of course, the cost discussed here is clearly a philosophical category, an "overflow" of the concept of "cost" from the field of economics. From the perspective of Marxist philosophy of development, cost refers to the efforts people make, the sacrifices they encounter, and the series of negative consequences they cause in the process of pursuing social progress and the development of civilization. This means that, in a broad sense, cost can be divided into three types: cost-type cost, sacrifice-type cost, and negative-consequence-type cost.

“代价”作为一个科学概念，最早出现于经济学领域。当然，这里所谈论的代价显然是一个哲学范畴，是“代价”概念从经济学领域的外溢。在马克思主义发展哲学看来，代价是指人们在追求社会进步与文明发展的进程中所付出的努力、遭遇的牺牲及造成的一系列消极后果。这意味着，在广义上，代价可划分为三种：成本性代价、牺牲性代价和消极后果性代价。

From the perspective of nature, cost can be divided into two categories: necessary cost and man-made cost. As the name implies, necessary cost refers to costs that have an inevitable connection with modernization construction and must be paid, including necessary inputs in modernization construction or losses and sacrifices that are inevitably caused. Necessary cost can be further divided into two types: positive necessary cost and negative necessary cost. Positive necessary cost mainly refers to the costs that must be paid for construction and development, which are unavoidable or indispensable, such as "if you want the horse to run, you have to feed it grass" and "to strive, there must be sacrifice"; negative necessary cost refers to costs that, although unavoidable, are costs people are unwilling to see, which are the "by-products" or negative effects of construction and development, such as bearing the consequences of ecological environment destruction when promoting urbanization and industrialization, or bearing the consequences of the spread of money worship when engaging in a market economy. As for man-made cost, it mainly refers to costs caused by human factors, including costs caused by people's own limitations, such as limitations in understanding or practice, as well as costs caused by people's extreme or malicious pursuit of their own interests. If "illness enters through the mouth" belongs to a kind of necessary cost, then "the proud army will be defeated" and "disaster comes from the mouth" belong to man-made cost.

从性质的角度来看，代价可划分为必然性代价和人为性代价两类。顾名思义，必然性代价是指与现代化建设有着必然联系且必须付出的代价，包括现代化建设中必要的投入或必然导致的损失、牺牲等。必然性代价可进一步划分为两种：积极的必然性代价和消极的必然性代价。积极的必然性代价主要是指建设和发展所必需付出的成本，这是不可免除或不可或缺的，如“要让马儿跑就得给马儿吃草”“要奋斗就会有牺牲”等等；消极的必然性代价是指虽不可免除却是人们不愿看到的代价，这是建设和发展所带来的“副产品”或负效应，如推动城镇化、工业化要承受生态环境被破坏的后果，搞市场经济要承受拜金主义泛滥的后果，等等。至于人为性代价，主要是因人为原因而导致的代价，包括人们由于自身的局限性如认识或实践方面的局限性而导致的代价，以及人们极端或恶意追求自身利益而导致的代价。如果说“病从口入”属于一种必然性代价的话，那么“骄兵必败”“祸从口出”等等则属于人为性代价了。

From the perspective of development philosophy, social development and modernization have an inherent unity; development is the foundation and purpose of modernization, and modernization is the manifestation and form of development. Social development includes modernization; conversely, modernization itself is a concrete form of social development, a very important historical stage in the entire process of human development. The essence, laws, and attributes of modernization do not discard the essence, laws, and attributes of social development, but rather incorporate the essence, laws, and attributes of social development within themselves. Thus, according to the principle of the inherent unity of social development and modernization, the existence of costs in social development actually indicates that various costs also exist in modernization construction. Since the beginning of the world modernization movement in the mid-18th century, the costs encountered by humanity in the historical process have basically been costs of modernization; behind the modernization movement, there has always been a lingering "shadow" of cost. Therefore, when we study the costs of social development, we must combine it with the historical background of the modernization movement, deepen the exploration of costs to the level of modernization, and thus propose the concept of "cost of modernization."

在发展哲学看来，社会发展和现代化具有内在的统一性，发展是现代化的基础和目的，现代化是发展的表现和形式。社会发展包含着现代化，反言之，现代化本身就是社会发展的现实样态，是整个人类发展进程中一个十分重要的历史阶段。现代化的本质、规律和属性，并没有抛弃社会发展的本质、规律和属性，而是把社会发展的本质、规律和属性包含于自身当中。这样，根据社会发展和现代化的内在统一性原理，在社会发展中存在着代价，实则表明在现代化建设中也存在着种种代价。自18世纪中叶世界现代化运动肇始以来，人类在历史进程中所遭遇的代价，基本上都属于现代化的代价，在现代化运动的背后始终存在着挥之不去的代价“阴影”。因此，我们对社会发展代价进行研究，必须结合现代化运动这一历史大背景，将对代价的探讨深入到现代化的层次，从而提出“现代化代价”的概念。

(2) Xi Jinping's Important Discourses on the Cost of Modernization

（二）习近平关于现代化代价的重要论述

The cost incurred in the process of modernization is undoubtedly a universal phenomenon. In Xi Jinping’s important expositions on modernization, there is a profound revelation and critique of the various cost phenomena existing in the modernization processes of the West and other countries. Xi Jinping first points out that the greatest drawback of Western modernization “is that it is capital-centered rather than people-centered, pursuing the maximization of capital interests rather than serving the interests of the vast majority, leading to a large wealth gap and severe polarization.” At the same time, “some developing countries, having once approached the threshold of developed countries during their modernization, fell into the ‘middle-income trap,’ remaining stagnant for a long period or even experiencing serious regression. An important reason for this is that they failed to resolve issues such as polarization and class solidification.” Xi Jinping reveals, from different perspectives, the costs caused by the West and other countries in advancing modernization. From the perspective of people-centeredness, he points out: “The Soviet Union was the world’s first socialist country and achieved brilliant successes, but it later failed and disintegrated. One important reason was that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union became detached from the people, turning into a privileged bureaucratic group that only safeguarded its own interests. Even in countries that have achieved modernization, if the ruling party turns its back on the people, it will damage the fruits of modernization.” From the perspective of the relationship between material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, Xi Jinping points out: “In the early stages of Western modernization, there was an accumulation of wealth on one side and a loss of faith and rampant materialism on the other. Today, Western countries are increasingly falling into difficulties. An important reason is their inability to curb the greedy nature of capital and to solve chronic ills such as materialistic expansion and spiritual impoverishment.” From the perspective of the relationship between humans and nature, Xi Jinping points out: “Since modern times, the modernization of Western countries has mostly gone through a stage of plundering natural resources wantonly and severely damaging the ecological environment. While creating enormous material wealth, it has often caused serious problems such as environmental pollution and resource depletion.” Xi Jinping also reveals, from the perspective of international relations, the violent and predatory nature of Western modernization: “Some old capitalist countries followed a path of violently plundering colonies, a modernization achieved at the cost of the backwardness of other countries.” He particularly emphasizes the costs or drawbacks that may arise from copying the Western modernization model: “From the end of World War II to the early 1990s, some developing countries, disregarding their national conditions and historical circumstances, completely copied the Western model. As a result, they suffered from maladaptation, and the vast majority fell into the predicament of long-term economic stagnation and social and political turmoil.”

现代化进程中的代价无疑是一种普遍现象。在习近平关于现代化的重要论述中，就有深刻揭示和批判西方及其他一些国家在现代化进程中所存在的诸种代价现象的重要内容。习近平首先指出，西方现代化的最大弊端，“就是以资本为中心而不是以人民为中心，追求资本利益最大化而不是服务绝大多数人的利益，导致贫富差距大、两极分化严重”。与此同时，“一些发展中国家在现代化过程中曾接近发达国家的门槛，却掉进了‘中等收入陷阱’，长期陷于停滞状态，甚至严重倒退，一个重要原因就是没有解决好两极分化、阶层固化等问题”。习近平从不同角度揭示了西方及其他一些国家在推进现代化过程中所造成的代价。从人民性的角度看，他指出：“苏联是世界上第一个社会主义国家，取得过辉煌成就，但后来失败了、解体了，其中一个重要原因是苏联共产党脱离了人民，成为一个只维护自身利益的特权官僚集团。即使是实现了现代化的国家，如果执政党背离人民，也会损害现代化成果。”从物质文明与精神文明关系的角度看，习近平指出：“西方早期的现代化，一边是财富的积累，一边是信仰缺失、物欲横流。今天，西方国家日渐陷入困境，一个重要原因就是无法遏制资本贪婪的本性，无法解决物质主义膨胀、精神贫乏等痼疾。”从人与自然关系的角度看，习近平指出：“近代以来，西方国家的现代化大都经历了对自然资源肆意掠夺和生态环境恶性破坏的阶段，在创造巨大物质财富的同时，往往造成环境污染、资源枯竭等严重问题。”习近平还基于国际关系视角揭示了西方现代化的暴力掠夺性，“一些老牌资本主义国家走的是暴力掠夺殖民地的道路，是以其他国家落后为代价的现代化”。他特别强调了照搬西方现代化模式可能带来的代价或弊端：“第二次世界大战结束后到上世纪九十年代初期，一些发展中国家不顾国情和历史条件，全盘照搬西方模式，结果水土不服，绝大多数陷入经济长期停滞、社会政治动荡的困境。”习近平关于西方及其他一些国家现代化代价的重要论述，为我们把握现代化进程中的代价现象提供了直接而主要的理论依据。

(3) The Revelation and Study of the Costs of Modernization by Chinese and Foreign Scholars

（三）中外学者对于现代化代价的揭示与研究

In fact, many Chinese and foreign scholars have extensively revealed and studied the costs of modernization. Globally, since the 1960s and 1970s, some Western scholars or organizations have exposed the severe ecological crises or ecological costs caused in the process of modernization, including Carson’s exposure in *Silent Spring* of the hazards of widespread pesticide use, and a series of research reports written by members of the Club of Rome, such as *The Limits to Growth*, which exposed global environmental problems existing in the process of industrialization, and so on. In 1972, Meadows and others submitted a research report titled *The Limits to Growth* to the Club of Rome, which criticized the old development concept of “exponential growth” that had ignored ecological costs in the process of modernization since industrialization, especially since the Second World War. Meadows and others argued: “If the present trends in world population, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years. The most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity.” In 1981, the Club of Rome published its 11th research report, *The Future of the World: One Hundred Pages on the Future*. The author believed that “modern humanity has fallen into a trap set by its own ever more brilliant achievements. These achievements conceal quicksand; the more people advance, the deeper they sink,” and thus, “those who advocate growth at any cost are in a difficult position in all respects.” The renowned American biologist Edward O. Wilson offered a brilliant analysis of the achievements of humanity in the 20th century in modernization construction, as well as the problems caused, including environmental issues: “The 20th century was an era of rapid scientific and technological development, the liberation of rich realist art, and the widespread dissemination of democracy and human rights; yet, in a sense, this century was also an era of darkness and barbarism, because world wars, genocidal policies, and authoritarian ideologies almost enveloped the globe. Accompanied by these upheavals, humanity also destroyed a large amount of natural environment, plundered the Earth’s non-renewable resources wantonly, thereby accelerating the destruction of the entire ecosystem and the extinction of thousands of species that had existed for millions of years.” The American historian Leften Stavrianos, in *The World Since 1500: A Global History*, also discussed the various cost issues faced by contemporary humanity in modernization construction. In analyzing the causes of these costs or crises, he pointed out: “What are the causes of these sufferings that devastate all societies across the globe? Many forces are at work, but perhaps the most fundamental force is the Second Industrial Revolution that began during the Second World War.” And the Industrial Revolution is precisely the dominant force driving modernization.

事实上，中外不少学者对现代化代价进行了大量揭示与研究。在世界范围内，20世纪六七十年代以来，西方一些学者或组织就揭露了现代化进程中所造成的严重的生态危机或生态代价，包括卡逊在《寂静的春天》里对广泛使用农药危害性的揭露，以及罗马俱乐部一些成员所写的一系列研究报告如《增长的极限》等对工业化进程中所存在的全球性环境问题的揭露，等等。1972年，米都斯等人向罗马俱乐部提交了题为《增长的极限》的研究报告，该报告对工业化以来尤其是第二次世界大战以来人类在现代化进程中无视生态代价的“指数式增长”的旧式发展观念提出了批判。米都斯等认为：“如果在世界人口、工业化、污染、粮食生产和资源消耗方面现在的趋势继续下去，这个行星上增长的极限有朝一日将在今后一百年中发生。最可能的结果将是人口和工业生产能力双方有相当突然的和不可遏止的衰退。”1981年，罗马俱乐部发表了第11份研究报告《世界的未来——关于未来问题一百页》。作者认为，“现代人类掉进了自己不断取得的更加光辉灿烂的成就所设下的陷阱。这些成就掩盖着流沙，人越是向前迈进，就陷得越深”，因而，“宣扬不惜任何代价只求增长的人们，在各方面都处于困难境地”。美国著名生物学家爱德华·威尔逊对20世纪人类在现代化建设中所取得的成就以及造成的问题包括环境问题作了精彩的分析：“20世纪是科学技术飞速发展，丰富的现实派艺术得到解放，民主与人权广泛传播的时代；然而，这个世纪从某种意义上讲又是一个黑暗与野蛮的时代，因为世界战争、种族灭绝政策和专制意识形态几乎笼罩全球。伴随着这些动荡局面，人类同时也破坏了大量的自然环境，大肆攫取地球上不可更新资源，从而加快了整个生态系统的毁坏和成千上万已存在数百万年的物种的灭绝。”美国历史学家斯塔夫里阿诺斯在《全球通史——1500年以后的世界》中也论及当代人类在现代化建设中所面临的种种代价问题，在分析造成这些代价或危机的原因时指出：“造成这些毁坏全球各地所有社会的苦难的原因是什么呢？有许多力量在起作用，但可能最根本的力量便是始于第二次世界大战期间的第二次工业革命。”而工业革命恰恰是推进现代化的主导性力量。

Chinese scholars have also paid attention to the various cost issues triggered by modernization, believing that “the analysis and exploration of these issues have also become an important part of modernization research.” Some scholars have clearly pointed out: “In the world process of modernization, failures outnumber successes, and setbacks outnumber smooth progress. At the same time, successful modernization also contains many unsuccessful factors. Therefore, research on the setbacks and lessons in the process of modernization has attracted the attention of some scholars at the turn of the century. The book *A Global Perspective: The Labyrinths of Modernization*, co-authored by Qian Chengdan and Liu Jinyuan, provides a detailed analysis of many errors in the modernization process of countries around the world. Its starting point is: ‘We hope that the mistakes of predecessors can provide lessons for later generations, and the mistakes of others can provide lessons for ourselves.’ Yin Baoyun’s book *Common Maladies of Modernization* has also done work in this regard.” Regarding the causes of the costs of modernization, Chinese scholars have analyzed from the perspective of the expansionary nature of modernization: “Modernization has an expansionary nature, because modernization embodies a new industrial civilization, which makes the old civilization unable to resist and forces it to undergo a transformation of civilization.” The reason modernization is global is that it inherently possesses a powerful expansionary mechanism or function. “When modernization was advancing in European countries, colonial expansion drew more and more non-European regions into a ‘world system’; therefore, from the very beginning, modernization was a world phenomenon.” The process of advancing modernization is accompanied by industrialization and globalization, and these “two -izations” provide a powerful impetus for modernization, especially the role of capital in promoting modernization, which gives it the momentum to expand globally, thereby also magnifying and bringing the costs or drawbacks of modernization to the whole world. “On the one hand, colonialism destroyed local societies, triggering immense disasters; on the other hand, it brought the newly emerging Western industrial production and lifestyle to the regions it conquered, enabling them to obtain the means to pursue modernization and forcing them onto the path of modernization.” In short, “the problems of modern society are extensive and severe; modernization is not an ideal paradise, and it is unrealistic to regard modernization as a panacea for solving all social problems. Among the existing problems, some may be caused by errors in the process of modernization, while others may be inevitable attributes of modernization itself.”

中国学者也关注到了现代化所引发的种种代价问题，认为“对这些问题的分析和探讨也成为现代化研究的一项重要内容”。有学者明确指出：“在世界现代化进程中，失败多于成功，挫折也多于顺利，同时成功的现代化也包含着许多不成功的因素。因此，对现代化进程中挫折与教训的研究，在世纪之交引起了一些学者的关注。钱乘旦、刘金源合著的《寰球透视：现代化的迷途》一书，对世界各国现代化进程中的诸多失误现象进行了详尽的分析，其出发点是：‘我们希望前人的失误能为后人提供借鉴，别人的失误能为自己提供借鉴’。尹保云的《现代化通病》一书也在这个方面做了工作。”关于现代化代价产生的原因，中国学者从现代化所具有的扩张性角度给予了分析：“现代化具有扩张性，因为现代化体现的是一种新的工业文明，它使旧的文明无可招架，迫使它发生文明的转换。”现代化之所以具有全球性，是由于它自身具有强大的扩张机制或功能。“当现代化正在欧洲国家推进时，殖民扩张把越来越多的非欧洲地区卷进一个‘世界体系’，因此从一开始，现代化就是一个世界现象。”在现代化推进的过程中同时伴随着工业化和全球化，而这“两化”又为现代化提供了强大动力，尤其是资本对于现代化的促进作用，使其获得了向世界扩张的动能，从而也把现代化的代价或弊端放大并带到了全世界。“殖民主义一方面破坏了当地的社会，引发巨大的灾难；另一方面又把西方新出现的工业生产和生活方式带进它所征服的地区，使其取得谋求现代化的手段，被迫走上现代化的道路。”总之，“现代社会的问题是广泛而严峻的，现代化并不是理想的天国，把现代化看作是解决一切社会问题的灵丹妙药是不现实的。在现存种种问题中，有些可能是由现代化过程中的失误造成的，有些则可能是现代化不可避免的必然属性”。

The above discussion gives us a sober and profound understanding of modernization and its relationship with cost. The revelation and exploration of the costs of modernization are the result of our reflective understanding of modernization. In this reflective understanding of modernization, two important judgments can be obtained. First, the thesis of the limits of modernization. Modernization is not omnipotent or all-powerful; not only can it not solve all problems, but many problems are actually caused by the impropriety of modernization itself. Second, the thesis of the cost of modernization. Previously, people seemed to hold a concept of the "natural legitimacy" of modernization, believing that as long as it was modernization, it was always good, and that modernization could bring people everything they needed. However, the serious negative effects or adverse consequences caused in the process of advancing modernization warn us that modernization and cost go hand in hand. Along with modernization, a series of "problems of modernity" have emerged. Western Marxists have profoundly criticized the problems of modernity; of course, this criticism "does not hope that modern people will give up the pursuit of the goals of modernity, but rather calls on people to 'treat' modernity." [7]7 The source of this quotation is not provided in the original text. In a certain sense, the process of modernization in human society up to now has itself manifested a trend of high cost. It can be seen that the perspective of costology is an important perspective for us to comprehensively and accurately grasp the movement of modernization, including the practice of Chinese-path modernization. It enables us to obtain a more realistic understanding of the movement of modernization and helps promote Chinese-path modernization to achieve more ideal results.

以上论述，使我们对于现代化及其与代价的关系有了清醒而深刻的体认。对现代化代价的揭示与探讨，是我们对现代化进行反思性认识的结果。在关于现代化的反思性认识中，可获得如下两个方面的重要判断：其一，现代化有限论。现代化并非万能的或无所不能的，它非但不能解决一切问题，反而许多问题都是由于现代化本身的不当性造成的。其二，现代化代价论。以前，人们对现代化似乎抱有一种“天然合理论”的理念，认为只要是现代化就总是好的，现代化能给人们带来所需要的一切。然而，现代化在推进过程中所造成的严重负面效应或不良后果在警示我们，现代化与代价如影随形。伴随着现代化，滋生了一系列“现代性问题”。西方马克思主义者对现代性问题进行了深刻批判，当然，这种批判“并不希望现代人放弃对现代性目标的追求,而是要人们对现代性加以 ‘治疗’”。在某种意义上说，迄今人类社会的现代化进程本身呈现出高代价的态势。可见，代价学视角是我们全面、准确把握现代化运动包括中国式现代化实践的重要视角，它能使我们对现代化运动获得更加切合实际的认识，助推中国式现代化取得更为理想的效果。

II. Chinese-Path Modernization Is Advanced in the Process of Overcoming Costs

二、中国式现代化是在对代价的克服中推进的

Modernization has been the dream pursued unremittingly by the Chinese nation since modern times, because only by achieving modernization could it change its situation of poverty, backwardness, bullying, and defeat, thereby catching up with the pace of the times. The founding of New China and the completion of the socialist transformation formally opened a new journey for China to achieve modernization. During the socialist transition period, the Communist Party of China put forward the development goal of realizing industrialization. In December 1964, Zhou Enlai proposed at the First Session of the Third National People's Congress the strategic goal of building China into a strong socialist country with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern national defense, and modern science and technology; this was the proposal of the "Four Modernizations." [8]8 The "Four Modernizations" (四个现代化) were the strategic goals of modernizing agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology, first proposed by Zhou Enlai in 1964 and reiterated by Deng Xiaoping after 1978. In the new period of reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping explicitly put forward the concept of "Chinese-style modernization." After more than 40 years of sustained and rapid development, "Chinese-style modernization" achieved great success against the historical backdrop of reform and opening up. Since entering the New Era, [9]9 The "New Era" (新时代) refers to the period since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, marked by Xi Jinping's leadership and the official designation of a new historical stage for socialism with Chinese characteristics. the Chinese Communists represented by Xi Jinping, on the basis of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, have further deepened their understanding of the connotation and essence of Chinese-path modernization. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC systematically expounded the theory of Chinese-path modernization, providing a fundamental guideline for us to promote Chinese-path modernization with high quality in the New Era.

现代化是自近代以来中华民族孜孜以求的梦想，因为只有实现现代化，才能改变自身贫穷落后、受欺挨打的局面，从而赶上时代前进的步伐。新中国的成立和社会主义改造的完成，正式开启了中国实现现代化的新历程。在社会主义过渡时期，中国共产党提出了实现工业化的发展目标。1964年12月，周恩来在三届全国人大一次会议上提出了要把我国建设成为具有现代农业、现代工业、现代国防和现代科学技术的社会主义强国的战略目标，这就是“四个现代化”的提出。在改革开放新时期，邓小平明确提出了“中国式的现代化”概念。历经40多年的持续快速发展，“中国式的现代化”在改革开放的历史背景下取得了巨大成功。进入新时代以来，以习近平为代表的中国共产党人在守正创新的基础上，进一步深化了对中国式现代化内涵和本质的认识，中共二十大报告系统阐述了中国式现代化理论，为我们在新时代高质量推进中国式现代化提供了根本遵循。

In the process of Chinese-path modernization, two basic objective facts need to be squarely faced. First, China's modernization construction has achieved brilliant successes and has written two miracles: rapid economic development and long-term social stability. "The Chinese nation, which has endured so much for so long, has achieved a great leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, and has ushered in a bright prospect for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." [10]10 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping's report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017. Second, China's modernization construction still has a series of serious costs. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement obtained by our Party leading the people of all ethnic groups across the country through long-term exploration and practice, enduring untold hardships and paying huge costs. We must cherish it all the more, adhere to it unswervingly, and constantly expand and deepen it." [11]11 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping's speech at the opening ceremony of a study session for leading cadres at the central and provincial levels in February 2023. From the perspective of "social relations," the "huge costs" paid by Chinese-path modernization involve all aspects, including costs in the domain of human-human relations, such as the problem of polarization between rich and poor, the problem of regional disparities, and the problem of disharmony in Party-mass and cadre-mass relations; costs in the domain of human-nature relations, such as causing environmental problems; and costs in the domain of human material-spiritual relations, such as causing a deformed, materialized mode of human existence, and so on. It can be seen that since the founding of New China, the advancement of Chinese-path modernization has not been smooth sailing, but has been full of hardships and twists and turns, including man-made serious mistakes or setbacks—these mistakes or setbacks constitute the cost phenomena in the process of advancing modernization since the founding of New China. We "successively made mistakes such as the 'Great Leap Forward' movement and the people's commune movement," [12]12 The "Great Leap Forward" (大跃进, 1958–1961) was a campaign for rapid industrialization and collectivization that led to widespread famine; the "people's commune" (人民公社) was the basic rural administrative unit during that period, abolished in the early 1980s. and especially "caused the ten years of internal turmoil, which brought the most serious setbacks and losses to the Party, the country, and the people since the founding of New China, with extremely painful lessons." [13]13 The "ten years of internal turmoil" (十年内乱) is the official e It is precisely in the contest between the progress and costs of Chinese-path modernization that a basic main line running through it is revealed, namely, that Chinese-path modernization is advanced in the process of constantly overcoming or sublating costs. In other words, the practical process of Chinese-path modernization is a process of constantly overcoming costs, thereby achieving achievements and realizing development.

在中国式现代化进程中，需要正视两个基本的客观事实：其一，中国的现代化建设取得了辉煌成就，并书写了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定两大奇迹，“久经磨难的中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，迎来了实现中华民族伟大复兴的光明前景”。其二，中国的现代化建设还存在着一系列严重的代价。习近平指出：“中国式现代化是我们党领导全国各族人民在长期探索和实践中历经千辛万苦、付出巨大代价取得的重大成果，我们必须倍加珍惜、始终坚持、不断拓展和深化。”从“社会关系”的角度看，中国式现代化所付出的“巨大代价”涉及方方面面，包括人与人关系域的代价如造成了贫富分化问题、地区差距问题、党群干群关系的失和问题，人与自然关系域的代价如造成了环境问题，人的物质和精神关系域的代价如造成了人的畸形的物质化的生存样态，等等。可见，新中国成立以来，中国式现代化的推进并非一帆风顺，而是充满了艰辛和曲折，其中包括人为的严重失误或挫折——这些失误或挫折构成了新中国成立以来在推进现代化进程中的代价现象。我们“先后出现‘大跃进’运动、人民公社化运动等错误”，尤其是“酿成十年内乱，使党、国家、人民遭到新中国成立以来最严重的挫折和损失，教训极其惨痛”。正是在中国式现代化的进步与代价的较量中，展现了贯穿于其中的一个基本主线，即中国式现代化是在对代价的不断克服或扬弃中向前推进的。换言之，中国式现代化的实践进程就是一个不断克服代价进而取得成就、实现发展的过程。

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC held in 1978 was of epoch-making significance. [14]14 Reference to the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centenary Struggle, adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee in 2021. Since then, we "resolutely ended 'taking class struggle as the key link,' realized the strategic shift of the work focus of the Party and the state, opened a new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and achieved a great turning point of far-reaching significance in the history of the Party since the founding of New China." [15]15 Ibid. This "great turning point" clearly embodies that the Communist Party of China overcomes costs and achieves development through correcting mistakes and innovating. On the one hand, we corrected the mistakes in modernization construction in the past, such as "resolutely ending 'taking class struggle as the key link'"; on the other hand, we opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, founded Deng Xiaoping Theory, established the socialist market economy system, and so on. In the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, China's modernization construction also had various cost phenomena, many of which were man-made costs. The Chinese Communists in the New Era dared to face these costs or problems squarely and actively overcome them, thereby enabling Chinese-path modernization to enter a new stage of comprehensive construction and overall advancement.

1978年召开的中共十一届三中全会具有划时代的意义，自此，我们“果断结束‘以阶级斗争为纲’，实现党和国家工作中心战略转移，开启了改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，实现了新中国成立以来党的历史上具有深远意义的伟大转折”。这一“伟大转折”鲜明地体现着中国共产党是在纠错和创新中克服代价、实现发展的。一方面，我们纠正了过去在现代化建设中的错误如“果断结束‘以阶级斗争为纲’”；另一方面，我们开辟了中国特色社会主义道路，创立了邓小平理论，创建了社会主义市场经济体制，等等。在进行改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的新时期，中国的现代化建设同样存在着种种代价现象，其中不少还属于人为性代价，而新时代的中国共产党人敢于正视这些代价或问题，并积极地加以克服，从而使中国式现代化步入了一个全面建设、整体推进的新阶段。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out: "Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China." [16]16 Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 2022. As a modernization of a socialist nature, Party leadership is the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization. However, since reform and opening up, for a period of time, "lax and soft governance of the Party and the state once led to the spread of negative and corrupt phenomena within the Party, serious problems in the political ecosystem, damage to Party-mass and cadre-mass relations, weakening of the Party's creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, and a major test for the Party in governing and administering the country." [17]17 Reference to the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centenary Struggle. Within the Party, serious problems such as the "seven evils" emerged. [18]18 Ibid. These problems were effectively overcome in the New Era: "Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, through resolute struggle, the political guidance and political guarantee role of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party has been fully exerted, the Party's capacity for self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement has been significantly strengthened, the lax and soft governance situation has been fundamentally reversed, the fight against corruption has achieved an overwhelming victory and been comprehensively consolidated, serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military have been eliminated, and the Party has become stronger through revolutionary tempering." [19]19 Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC. This positive change ensures the strong and powerful leadership of the Communist Party of China over Chinese-path modernization on the new journey of the New Era.

中共二十大报告指出，“中国式现代化，是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化”。作为社会主义性质的现代化，党的领导是中国式现代化的本质要求，但改革开放以来，在一段时期内，“管党治党一度宽松软带来党内消极腐败现象蔓延、政治生态出现严重问题，党群干群关系受到损害，党的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力受到削弱，党治国理政面临重大考验”，在党内出现了“七个有之”等严重问题。这些问题在新时代得到了有效克服：“党的十八大以来，经过坚决斗争，全面从严治党的政治引领和政治保障作用充分发挥，党的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高能力显著增强，管党治党宽松软状况得到根本扭转，反腐败斗争取得压倒性胜利并全面巩固，消除了党、国家、军队内部存在的严重隐患，党在革命性锻造中更加坚强。”这种积极变化，确保了中国共产党在新时代新征程中对中国式现代化的坚强有力领导。

The foundation and main content of Chinese-path modernization is economic construction, especially the development of productive forces. This means that to advance modernization, we must do a good job in economic construction. Without the development of productive forces, especially new quality productive forces, it is obviously difficult for Chinese-path modernization to succeed. Since reform and opening up, we have followed the general line of taking economic construction as the central task and vigorously liberating and developing productive forces, creating a miracle of rapid economic development. However, in a past period, “because some localities and departments had problems such as one-sided pursuit of speed and scale and an extensive development model, coupled with the persistent downturn of the world economy after the international financial crisis, economic structural and institutional contradictions accumulated continuously, and the problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development became very prominent.”[14]14 Reference to the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centenary Struggle, adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee in 2021. Thus, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have carried out targeted work and actively overcome the cost problems in economic construction, so that “the balance, coordination, and sustainability of China’s economic development have been significantly enhanced. GDP has exceeded the 100 trillion yuan mark, and per capita GDP has exceeded US$10,000. The country’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, and comprehensive national power have reached a new level. China’s economy has embarked on a path of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer development.”[15]15 Ibid.

中国式现代化的基础和主干内容是经济建设特别是生产力发展，这意味着，我们要推进现代化建设必须搞好经济建设，没有生产力尤其是新质生产力的发展，中国式现代化建设显然难以成功。改革开放以来，我们遵循以经济建设为中心、大力解放和发展生产力的总路线，创造了经济快速发展的奇迹。但过去一段时期，“由于一些地方和部门存在片面追求速度规模、发展方式粗放等问题，加上国际金融危机后世界经济持续低迷影响，经济结构性体制性矛盾不断积累，发展不平衡、不协调、不可持续问题十分突出”。因而，中共十八大以来，我们有针对性地开展工作，积极克服经济建设中的代价问题，使得“我国经济发展平衡性、协调性、可持续性明显增强，国内生产总值突破百万亿大关，人均国内生产总值超过一万美元，国家经济实力、科技实力、综合国力跃上新台阶，我国经济迈上更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展之路”。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC points out: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical progress. Material abundance and cultural-ethical enrichment are the fundamental requirements of socialist modernization.”[16]16 Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 2022. However, in a past period, “erroneous trends of thought such as money worship, hedonism, extreme individualism, and historical nihilism emerged from time to time, online public opinion was chaotic, and some leading cadres had vague political stances and lacked fighting spirit, seriously affecting people’s thinking and the social public opinion environment.”[17]17 Reference to the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centenary Struggle. And “since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the situation in the ideological domain has undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation. The cultural confidence of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country has been significantly enhanced, and the cohesion and centripetal force of the whole society have been greatly improved, providing a strong ideological guarantee and powerful spiritual force for the Party and the country to create a new situation in their undertakings in the New Era.”[18]18 Ibid.

中共二十大报告指出：“中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化。物质富足、精神富有是社会主义现代化的根本要求。”但过去一段时期，“拜金主义、享乐主义、极端个人主义和历史虚无主义等错误思潮不时出现，网络舆论乱象丛生，一些领导干部政治立场模糊、缺乏斗争精神，严重影响人们思想和社会舆论环境”。而“党的十八大以来，我国意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变，全党全国各族人民文化自信明显增强，全社会凝聚力和向心力极大提升，为新时代开创党和国家事业新局面提供了坚强思想保证和强大精神力量”。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC points out: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.”[19]19 Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC. However, in a past period, “ecological progress was still an obvious shortcoming. Problems such as tightening resource and environmental constraints and ecosystem degradation became increasingly prominent. In particular, various types of environmental pollution and ecological damage occurred frequently, becoming a wound on the country’s land and a pain in the people’s livelihood. If the trend of ecological and environmental deterioration was not reversed urgently, an extremely heavy price would have to be paid.”[20]20 A classical Chinese maxim from the *Book of Documents* (《尚书》), expressing the principle of choosing the greater benefit and the lesser harm in decision-making. And “since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has promoted ecological progress with unprecedented intensity. The consciousness and initiative of the entire Party and the whole country in pursuing green development have been significantly enhanced. Major steps have been taken in building a beautiful China, and China’s ecological and environmental protection has undergone historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes.”[21]21 A Chinese idiom meaning that one gains wisdom from a setback or mistake.

中共二十大报告指出：“中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化。”但过去一段时期，“生态文明建设仍然是一个明显短板，资源环境约束趋紧、生态系统退化等问题越来越突出，特别是各类环境污染、生态破坏呈高发态势，成为国土之伤、民生之痛。如果不抓紧扭转生态环境恶化趋势，必将付出极其沉重的代价”。而“党的十八大以来，党中央以前所未有的力度抓生态文明建设，全党全国推动绿色发展的自觉性和主动性显著增强，美丽中国建设迈出重大步伐，我国生态环境保护发生历史性、转折性、全局性变化”。

In short, entering the new period of reform and opening up, on the basis of learning from past bitter experiences and bringing order out of chaos, a major transformation of the central work of the Party and the country was completed—the modernization process centered on economic construction was initiated, and China’s modernization cause achieved major accomplishments. Entering the New Era, “the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with great historical initiative, tremendous political courage, and a strong sense of responsibility, has coordinated the domestic and international situations, implemented the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic strategy, and taken a holistic approach to the great struggle, the great project, the great cause, and the great dream. Adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, it has introduced a series of major policies, launched a series of major measures, advanced a series of major tasks, and overcome a series of major risks and challenges. It has solved many long-standing problems that were difficult to solve and accomplished many major tasks that were previously desired but not accomplished, promoting historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the country.”[22]22 The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022, which set the direction for the Party and the country in the New Era. It can be seen that it is precisely in the new period, especially in the New Era, through a series of forceful and profound innovations and corrections, that we have striven to overcome the various cost phenomena that appeared in past modernization, thereby pushing Chinese-path modernization to a new stage of high-quality, comprehensive, and coordinated development under new historical conditions.

总之，进入改革开放新时期，在痛定思痛、拨乱反正的基础上，完成了党和国家中心工作的重大转换——开启了以经济建设为中心的现代化进程，我国的现代化事业取得了重大成就。进入新时代，“以习近平同志为核心的党中央，以伟大的历史主动精神、巨大的政治勇气、强烈的责任担当，统筹国内国际两个大局，贯彻党的基本理论、基本路线、基本方略，统揽伟大斗争、伟大工程、伟大事业、伟大梦想，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，出台一系列重大方针政策，推出一系列重大举措，推进一系列重大工作，战胜一系列重大风险挑战，解决了许多长期想解决而没有解决的难题，办成了许多过去想办而没有办成的大事，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革”。可见，正是在新时期特别是新时代一系列有力度、有深度的创新和纠错中，我们努力克服以往现代化建设中出现的种种代价现象，从而在新的历史条件下把中国式现代化推向了高质量、全面协调发展的新阶段。

III. Advancing Chinese-Path Modernization Requires Establishing a Cost Consciousness

三、推进中国式现代化需要确立一种代价意识

On the issue of modernization costs, it is necessary to always adhere to the viewpoint of dialectical materialism. On the one hand, we must acknowledge that costs exist in the process of Chinese-path modernization—this is the manifestation of adhering to materialism on the issue of modernization costs. On the other hand, we must also see that Chinese-path modernization actually advances through the overcoming of costs or problems—this is the manifestation of adhering to dialectics on the issue of modernization costs: it is a “practical dialectics” embodied through the exertion of the essential strength of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Party. In other words, we must not only see the inevitability of modernization costs but also see the controllability of modernization costs. Liang Yanshun points out: “Costs in growth are indeed not easily avoidable. On the other hand, the magnitude of costs is also controllable.”[23]23 A reference to the comprehensive deepening of reforms initiated after the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC in 2013, covering economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological areas. Feng Ziyi also emphasizes: “How much cost is paid is entirely controllable. Costs that are not controlled are by no means necessary costs.”[24]

在现代化代价问题上，需要始终坚持唯物辩证法的观点，一方面要承认在中国式现代化进程中存在着代价，这是在现代化代价问题上坚持唯物主义的表现；另一方面还要看到中国式现代化其实是在对代价或问题的克服中前进的，这是在现代化代价问题上坚持辩证法的表现——是在党的领导下通过中国人民本质力量的发挥而体现出来的“实践辩证法”。易言之，我们既要看到现代化代价的不可避免性，更要看到现代化代价的可控性。梁言顺指出：“增长中的代价确实不容易避免。另一方面，代价的大小又是可以控制的。”丰子义也强调：“代价付出多少，这是完全可以控制的，不加控制的代价绝非必要的代价。”

Viewing modernization from the perspective of cost studies, modernization can be divided into three types: high-cost modernization, low-cost modernization, and cost-free modernization. Due to the objective inevitability of the existence of costs, there is no cost-free modernization in practice. Thus, in practice, only two forms of modernization exist: high-cost modernization and low-cost modernization. High-cost modernization refers to a pattern where the costs of modernization are too high and the negative consequences are severe, or it expresses a situation where the cost paid equals or even exceeds the gains from modernization. Low-cost modernization refers to a modernization model that obtains the greatest development benefits with the least input and expenditure, the smallest risks and harms.

从代价学的角度看现代化，可将现代化划分为三种：高代价的现代化、低代价的现代化和无代价的现代化。由于代价存在的客观必然性，在实践中根本不存在无代价的现代化，这样，实践中就只存在两种形态的现代化，即高代价的现代化和低代价的现代化。高代价的现代化是指现代化的成本过高、消极后果严重的样态，或者表达的是代价的付出等于甚至大于现代化之所得。低代价的现代化是指以最少的投入和付出、最小的风险和危害而获得最大发展收益的现代化模式。

Taking a path of low-cost modernization should be the basic strategy of Chinese-path modernization, the basic direction pursued by Chinese-path modernization, and also an important feature of Chinese-path modernization. In other words, only the quality of low cost can provide rationality and legitimacy for Chinese-path modernization and enable Chinese-path modernization to play a leading role in the world modernization movement.

走一条低代价的现代化之路，这应当是中国式现代化的基本方略，是中国式现代化追求的基本方向，也是中国式现代化的重要特色。换言之，只有低代价的品质才能为中国式现代化提供合理性、合法性，才能使中国式现代化具有对于世界现代化运动的引领作用。

In the process of Chinese-path modernization, to take a path of low-cost development, a cost consciousness should be established, forming a kind of spiritual and conceptual consciousness regarding modernization costs. Cost consciousness is a grasp and reflection of the objective laws of costs in the process of modernization. The so-called law of costs refers to the essential, necessary, and stable connection between social development and costs, especially between modernization and costs. It is the objective trend in which humanity inevitably pays costs and sublates costs in modernization construction, thereby achieving social progress. Since objective laws of costs exist, cost consciousness arises correspondingly. The sum total of people’s overall concepts, attitudes, principles, and methods held on the issue of costs constitutes cost consciousness. Regarding the interdependent relationship between cost studies and cost consciousness, cost studies is the theoretical foundation of cost consciousness, while cost consciousness is the conceptual manifestation of cost studies. For cost studies to play its role in guiding practice theoretically, it must be realized through the construction of a certain cost consciousness. The consciousness of the relationship between modernization and costs, as well as people’s consciousness of preventing and overcoming costs in the process of modernization, constitute the main content of cost consciousness. In a certain sense, cost consciousness is the comparison of gains and losses, analysis of advantages and disadvantages, and rational thinking conducted by the modernization subject on the issue of the relationship between costs and benefits. Thus, establishing cost consciousness is not only a spiritual quality that the modernization subject should possess but also a conceptual prerequisite for overcoming and preventing costs in Chinese-path modernization construction. Cost consciousness enables us to have the following important understandings regarding the relationship between modernization and costs and our attitude toward costs in Chinese-path modernization construction.

在中国式现代化进程中，要走低代价发展之路，应当确立一种代价意识，形成一种关于现代化代价的精神观念自觉。代价意识是对现代化进程中客观存在的代价规律的一种把握和反映。所谓代价规律，是指社会发展与代价之间特别是现代化与代价之间本质的、必然的、稳定的联系，是人类在现代化建设中肯定要付出代价、扬弃代价从而实现社会进步的客观趋势。既然存在着客观的代价规律，相应地就有代价意识的产生。人们在代价问题上所持有的总体观念、态度以及原则、方法之总和就构成了代价意识。就代价意识与代价学的相互依存关系来看，代价学是代价意识的理论基础，代价意识则是代价学的观念表现，代价学要发挥其对于实践的理论指导作用，必须通过建构一定的代价意识才能实现。现代化与代价的关系意识以及人们在现代化进程中对代价的防范与克服意识构成了代价意识的主要内容。在一定意义上，代价意识就是现代化主体在代价与收益关系问题上所进行的得失对比、利害分析及理性思考。这样，确立代价意识，既是现代化主体应当具备的一种精神素质，也是在中国式现代化建设中克服和防范代价的观念性的前提条件。代价意识能使我们对现代化与代价的关系、我们在中国式现代化建设中对待代价的态度等问题有如下一些重要认识。

(1) Cost Consciousness Deeply Reveals the Unified Relationship between Modernization and Costs

（一）代价意识深刻揭示了现代化与代价之间的统一关系

Modernization and costs have both opposition—modernization, at least in subjective intention, is not meant to create costs—but they also have unity. This unity is mainly manifested in the following aspects:

现代化与代价既具有对立性——现代化至少在主观意图上不是为了制造代价，但它们还具有统一性，这种统一性主要表现在以下几个方面：

First, the interdependence of progress and cost in the process of modernization. From the perspective of values, progress and cost constitute the two basic dimensions of modernization construction, two inseparable “fundamental aspects” of the modernization process. The interdependence of progress and cost is manifested in two respects: first, each takes the other as its own prerequisite and condition; without progress there is no cost, and without cost there is no realization of modernization progress; second, there is no clear-cut boundary between them that is unrelated; rather, they present a state of mutual inclusion.

首先，现代化进程中进步与代价的相互依存性。在价值观的视域内，进步与代价是构成现代化建设的两个基本维度，是现代化进程中不可分割的两个“基本面”。进步与代价的相互依存性表现在两个方面：其一，它们彼此各以对方为自己存在的前提和条件，没有进步就没有代价，没有代价也不会实现现代化的进步；其二，它们之间并不存在互不相干的泾渭界线，而是呈现出相互包含的状态。

Second, the mutual constraint of progress and cost in the process of modernization. In the movement of modernization, there exists a situation of mutual constraint between progress and cost. This mutual constraint is expressed as the overcoming and suppression of cost by the progressiveness of modernization, and the generative, reflective, constraining, and motivating effects of cost on modernization and its development. Although modernization and cost are inseparable and closely linked, in a certain sense one of the basic pursuits of modernization practice is the overcoming and sublation of cost. This overcoming is specifically manifested in two situations: first, the minimization or least possible reduction of necessary costs in modernization practice, that is, reducing to the lowest degree those necessary costs that must be paid, especially negative necessary costs; second, the avoidance of artificial costs—the fewer the occurrences of artificial costs, especially malicious artificial costs, the better. The constraining effect of cost on modernization is mainly expressed as: first, the generativity of cost for modernization and its development—modernization cannot occur out of nothing; only by paying certain costs, especially cost-type costs, can it obtain initiation and development. Second, the reflectiveness of cost on modernization—modernization construction includes the spiritual activity of modernization subjects reflecting on and summarizing modernization practice; the root of this reflection lies mainly in the existence of costs or problems; people use the costs that have already emerged to review past modernization activities, summarize gains and losses, and ensure the smooth progress of subsequent modernization construction. Third, the constraint of cost on modernization—the objective existence of cost makes modernization subjects, in modernization practice, from formulating modernization goals and plans to selecting modernization plans and means, as well as specific implementation, become cautious, scientific, and rational. Fourth, the motivation of cost on modernization—the objective existence of cost always motivates modernization subjects to find ways to overcome it; it is an important factor in stimulating and mobilizing the practical enthusiasm and subjective initiative of modernization subjects.

其次，现代化进程中进步与代价的相互制约性。在现代化运动中，进步与代价之间存在着相互制约的情形。这种相互制约表现为现代化的进步性对代价的克服与抑制以及代价对现代化及其发展的生成、反省、约束与激励等作用。尽管现代化与代价如影随形、密不可分，但在某种意义上说，现代化实践的基本追求之一就是对代价的克服与扬弃。这种克服具体表现为两种情况：一是现代化实践中必然性代价的最小化或最少化，即要将那些不得不付出的必然性代价特别是消极的必然性代价减少到最低程度；二是人为性代价的避免化，那些人为性代价特别是恶意的人为性代价，其出现的几率越少越好。而代价对现代化的制约作用主要表现为：第一，代价对现代化及其发展的生成性——现代化不可能凭空发生，只有付出一定的代价特别是成本性代价才能获得启动和发展。第二，代价对现代化的反省性——在现代化建设中包含着现代化主体对现代化实践的反思和总结的精神活动，这种反思的根源主要在于代价或问题的存在，人们通过业已出现的代价来检讨以往的现代化活动，总结利弊，确保后续的现代化建设顺利进行。第三，代价对现代化的约束性——代价的客观存在使得现代化主体在现代化实践中，从制定现代化目标和计划，到选择现代化方案和手段以及具体落实等，都变得小心谨慎、科学理性。第四，代价对现代化的激励性——代价的客观存在，总是激励着现代化主体想方设法予以克服，它是激发和调动现代化主体的实践热情和主观能动性的重要因素。

Finally, the mutual penetration of progress and cost in the process of modernization. Based on a horizontal spatial-structural perspective, in the process of modernization, people pay costs in order to exchange for the development of modernization as a whole or in a certain aspect; thus, the payment of costs can be said to be a means or intermediary for promoting the advance of modernization. Although in a certain sense, modernization costs represent a loss of the fruits of modernization development within a certain spatiotemporal scope, the sustained development of modernization also has the function of sublating such costs; therefore, overcoming costs becomes an important goal for the further development of modernization. It is precisely in this spiral contradictory movement of mutual transformation and continuous sublation between modernization and cost that humanity’s path of modernization becomes ever broader.

最后，现代化进程中进步与代价的彼此贯通性。基于横向的空间结构视角，在现代化进程中，人们付出代价是为了换取现代化在整体上或某一方面的发展，因而代价的付出可以说是推动现代化前进的手段或中介。虽然在一定意义上，现代化代价是对一定时空范围内的现代化发展成果的折损，但现代化的持续发展又具有对这种代价的扬弃性功能，于是，对代价的克服就成为现代化进一步发展的重要目标。正是在现代化与代价的相互转化、不断扬弃的螺旋式矛盾运动中，人类的现代化之路才越走越宽广。

(II) Cost consciousness indicates that preventing and overcoming costs directly increases the benefits of modernization

（二）代价意识指明了防范和克服代价会直接提高现代化的收益

In modernization construction, people’s overcoming and suppression of costs can itself also increase or enhance the benefits of modernization. This is because there exists a reverse interactive relationship between modernization benefits and modernization costs. Cost consciousness requires us to propose the categories of “modernization benefits” or “modernization effectiveness.” Proposing the category of “modernization benefits” in fact provides a basic observational perspective for deeply grasping the contradictory relationship between the progressiveness and costliness of modernization. What are modernization benefits? In short, they refer to the positive modernization effects obtained or manifested when the results of modernization are compared with the inputs of modernization, especially with the negative consequences of modernization. From the perspective of values, based on the interactive relationship between the progressiveness and costliness of modernization, we can discover the following situations: the first type is a form of two-way interaction and synchronous operation between them, namely, the case of low cost, low development, and thus low modernization benefits, and the case of high cost, high development, but equally low modernization benefits; the second type is a form of reverse interaction and opposite change between them, namely, the case of high cost, low development, which results only in the decline or even failure of modernization, and the case of low cost, high development, which results inevitably in good modernization benefits.

在现代化建设中，人们对代价的克服与抑制本身也能提高或增强现代化的收益。这是因为，在现代化收益与现代化代价之间存在着逆向互动性。代价意识要求我们提出“现代化收益”或“现代化效益”范畴。提出“现代化收益”这一范畴，实则为我们深入把握现代化的进步性与代价性之间的矛盾关系提供了基本的观察视角。何谓现代化收益？简言之，是指现代化之结果与现代化之投入尤其是与现代化之消极后果相比而获得或显现的积极的现代化效果。在价值观的视域内，根据现代化的进步性与代价性之间的互动关系，我们会发现这样的情形：第一种类型，是它们之间双向互动、同步运行的作用形式，即低代价、低发展、进而是低下的现代化收益的情况和高代价、高发展、但同样是低下的现代化收益的情况；第二种类型，是它们之间逆向互动、反向变化的作用形式，即高代价、低发展、结果只会导致现代化的衰退甚至失败的情况和低代价、高发展、结果一定会导致现代化获得良好收益的情况。

“When weighing two benefits, choose the greater; when weighing two harms, choose the lesser.” [20]20 A classical Chinese maxim from the *Book of Documents* (《尚书》), expressing the principle of choosing the greater benefit and the lesser harm in decision-making. According to the optimization principle of social movement, in the process of modernization, we can only follow the principle of maximizing benefits and minimizing costs. That is, among the modes of interaction between the progressiveness and costliness of modernization, we can only choose the benign reverse movement mode of low cost, high development, and high modernization benefits—this is precisely a low-cost path of modernization. This benign reverse movement mode of modernization enlightens us: in modernization practice, the greater the costs paid, the smaller the modernization benefits obtained; conversely, to obtain more or greater modernization benefits, it means that the costs paid in practice should be fewer. The above analysis indicates that, from a statistical perspective, there exists a ratio between modernization construction and modernization costs. If the amount of modernization cost input remains unchanged and the amount of negative consequences remains unchanged, then the greater the modernization effectiveness and the more obvious the benefits, the lower the overall modernization costs; similarly, if modernization effectiveness remains unchanged, then the smaller the amount of modernization cost input and the fewer the negative consequences, the lower the modernization costs. Another situation is: if modernization effectiveness remains unchanged, the higher the modernization costs and the more severe the negative consequences, the greater the modernization costs; similarly, if the amount of modernization costs remains unchanged and the amount of negative consequences remains unchanged, then the smaller the modernization effectiveness, the greater the costs of modernization construction. This shows that the level of modernization benefits or effectiveness is an important indicator for measuring whether modernization construction in a country or a period is reasonable and whether the quality of modernization is high.

“两利相权取其重，两害相权取其轻。”根据社会运动的最优化原理，在现代化进程中，我们只能遵循收益最大化、代价最小化原则。亦即在现代化的进步性与代价性之间的作用情形中，我们只能选择低代价、高发展、高现代化收益这一良性的逆向运动的运行模式——这恰恰就是一种低代价的现代化之路。这一良性的逆向运行的现代化模式启示我们：在现代化实践中，如果付出的代价越大，则取得的现代化收益就越小；反之，要想获得更多或更大的现代化收益，则意味着我们在实践中所付出的代价就应越少。上述分析表明，在统计学视域内，在现代化建设与现代化代价之间存在着一个比率问题。如果现代化成本投入量不变，消极后果多少不变，那么现代化成效越大、效益越明显，在总体上现代化的代价就越低；同样，如果现代化的成效不变，那么现代化的成本投入量越小、消极后果越少，则现代化的代价也越低。还有一种情况是，如果现代化的成效不变，现代化的成本越高、消极后果越严重，则现代化的代价就越大；同样，如果现代化的成本量不变，其消极后果的多少不变，那么现代化的成效越小，则现代化建设的代价也就越大。这表明，现代化收益或效益的高低是衡量一个国家或一个时期现代化建设是否合理以及现代化质量高低的重要标志。

(III) Cost consciousness enables us to obtain a more objective and comprehensive understanding of Chinese-path modernization

（三）代价意识使我们获得了对中国式现代化更加客观而全面的认识

Since modernization and cost are dialectically unified, when grasping modernization, especially Chinese-path modernization, as a profound and comprehensive “social transformation movement,” we cannot idealize modernization and thereby overlook the objective existence of costs. Scientific cost consciousness is opposed to that idealistic view of modernization which sees only progressiveness and ignores costliness. On the one hand, cost consciousness does not allow people to subjectivize or idealize modernization, including Chinese-path modernization, viewing modernization as merely a process embodying progress and upward movement, thereby neglecting the costs or problems that modernization itself may bring. On the other hand, cost consciousness also opposes people seeing only costs while ignoring the purposiveness, i.e., progressiveness, of modernization, thereby adopting a pessimistic attitude toward modernization. Cost consciousness fully respects the law of costs in modernization, advocates paying necessary and reasonable costs to achieve modernization progress, and such payment or “tuition fees” is by no means a “wasteful” act but rather a positive internal link promoting modernization progress.

既然现代化与代价是辩证统一的，那么，我们在把握现代化特别是中国式现代化这一深刻而全面的“社会转型运动”时，不能把现代化理想化从而忽视了代价的客观存在。科学的代价意识是同那种只见进步性而无视代价性的理想主义的现代化观相对立的。一方面，代价意识不允许人们把现代化包括中国式现代化主观化、理想化，认为现代化只是体现着进步、向上的过程，从而忽视了现代化本身可能带来的代价或问题。另一方面，代价意识也反对人们只看到代价而忽视了现代化的合目的性即进步性，从而对现代化持一种悲观主义的态度。代价意识充分尊重现代化的代价规律，主张付出必要、合理的代价以实现现代化的进步，而这种付出或“交学费”绝不是一种“浪费性”行为，而是促进现代化进步的积极的内在环节。

(IV) Cost consciousness requires people to exert subjective initiative and earnestly prevent and regulate modernization costs

（四）代价意识要求人们发挥主观能动性，认真防范和调控现代化代价

In the practice of social development, regulating the costs of modernization requires that, on the basis of fully grasping the laws of modernization, including the laws of modernization costs, people earnestly follow the principle of low cost, high development, and high modernization returns, actively employ a series of institutional forces such as the low-cost modernization model, and conscientiously keep the payment of costs within a reasonable threshold that can be borne by the subjects of modernization and the ecosystem. Regarding the regulation of modernization costs, there are two main aspects or requirements: first, in terms of subjective attitude and practice, costs must be absolutely suppressed or overcome—that is, for those inevitable costs that must be paid, efforts should be made to “reduce” them, and for those unnecessary man-made costs, efforts should be made to “eliminate” them; second, in terms of the subject’s capacity to bear costs, costs must be relatively suppressed or overcome—that is, the capacity of modernization subjects to bear costs must be continuously enhanced, and their “resilience” in resisting risks must be strengthened.

在社会发展实践中调控现代化代价，要求人们在充分把握现代化规律包括现代化代价规律的基础上，认真遵循低代价、高发展、高现代化收益的原则，积极运用低代价的现代化模式等一系列机制性力量要素，认真将代价的付出控制在能为现代化主体及生态系统所承受的合理的阈值之内。关于现代化代价的调控，主要有两个方面的表现或要求：其一，在主观态度和做法上，要绝对性地抑制或克服代价，即对于那些必须付出的必然性代价要设法做到“减”，对于那些不必要的人为性代价要设法做到“杜”；其二，在主体的承受能力上，要相对性地抑制或克服代价，即要不断提高现代化主体对于代价的承受能力，增强现代化主体对抗风险的“韧性”。

Regulating modernization costs also requires considering the issue of how costs are paid and how much is paid from the perspective of “degree.” In this regard, the following “four grasps” must be achieved: First, the degree of tolerance of modernization subjects for costs must be scientifically grasped. That is, in the payment and evaluation of modernization costs, the feelings of the broad masses must be taken into account, because the modernization movement is a grand undertaking involving broad participation by the people and directly concerns their vital interests. Therefore, their degree of tolerance and feeling must be fully considered. If costs are controlled within a limit that the broad masses can bear, this will not only fail to provoke strong reactions but will instead help mobilize the people’s enthusiasm and initiative to participate in modernization construction; conversely, if the payment of costs exceeds the acceptable limit for the people, they will resist or oppose modernization. Second, the degree of realization of modernization must be scientifically grasped. In the process of modernization, the purpose of paying costs is to achieve development and progress in society or a certain aspect of the social system—that is, paying costs is meant to continuously raise the level of modernization and enhance the returns of modernization, just as “a fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.” [21]21 A Chinese idiom meaning that one gains wisdom from a setback or mistake. But if costs are paid without achieving progress in modernization, or even lead to anti-modernization, such costs are clearly not worth paying. Third, the degree of inclusiveness or sharing of modernization must be scientifically grasped. Whether modernization is successful depends on a fundamental value indicator: whether the vast majority of people participating in the modernization process can benefit from it. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [22]22 The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022, which set the direction for the Party and the country in the New Era. clearly states: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all.” This indicates that Chinese-path modernization pursues the common prosperity of all people and the comprehensive development of individuals. Therefore, the fundamental value pursuit of our regulation of modernization costs is to maintain and continuously enhance the degree of inclusiveness or sharing of modernization, because this “degree” affects the depth and breadth of modernization. Fourth, the degree of compensation and articulation of modernization costs must be scientifically grasped. When modernization costs can be absorbed, compensated, and dissipated by society, the orderly advancement of modernization has a basic guarantee. Thus, against the backdrop of comprehensively deepening reform, [23]23 A reference to the comprehensive deepening of reforms initiated after the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC in 2013, covering economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological areas. the state should promptly provide effective cost compensation to subjects who have made greater sacrifices for the overall interests of the country or society in modernization construction, mainly including compensation in terms of interests, opportunities, and spirit, so as to minimize the negative impact of modernization costs on social members and promptly resolve unstable or uncertain factors in the modernization process.

调控现代化代价，还要设法从“度”的角度考量代价的付出以及如何付出等问题，对此，要做到以下“四种把握”：第一，须科学把握现代化主体对代价的承受度。亦即在对现代化代价的付出及其评价上，必须考虑到广大民众的感受，因为现代化运动是一项民众广泛参与的宏大事业，它直接关联人们的切身利益，因而要充分考虑人们的承受度、感受度。如果代价被控制在广大民众能承受的限度之内，这非但不会激起他们的强烈反应，反而有利于调动起人民群众参与现代化建设的热情和积极性；反之，如果代价的付出超出了民众尚可接受的限度，人们就会抵制或反对现代化。第二，须科学把握现代化的实现程度。在现代化进程中，人们付出代价的目的是为了实现社会或社会系统某一方面的发展与进步，即付出代价是为了使现代化水平不断提高、现代化收益不断增强，正所谓“吃一堑”的目的是为了“长一智”。但如果付出了代价而没有实现现代化的进步甚至导致了反现代化的情况，这样的代价显然是不值得付出的。第三，须科学把握现代化的普惠度或共享度。现代化是否成功，一个根本的价值标识就是要看参与现代化进程的绝大多数人能否从中受益。中共二十大报告明确指出：“中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化。”这表明，中国式现代化追求的是全体人民的共同富裕和人的全面发展。因而，我们调控现代化代价的根本价值追求就是要维护并不断提高现代化的普惠度或共享度，因为这种“度”影响着现代化的深度和广度。第四，须科学把握现代化代价的补偿和衔接度。当现代化代价可以被社会所吸收、补偿和消解时，现代化的有序推进就有了基础性保障。因而，在全面深化改革的大背景下，国家应适时对在现代化建设中为了国家或社会的整体利益作出较大牺牲的主体提供有效的代价补偿，主要包括利益、机会、精神等方面的补偿，以便最大限度地减少现代化代价对社会成员的消极影响，及时化解现代化进程中的不稳定或不确定因素。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗