“21st Century Marxism Lecture Hall” Fifth Lecture Successfully Held – Director Chen Xiwen Discusses “Socialist Agricultural Modernization with Chinese Characteristics”

On 27 April 2022, the “21st Century Marxism Lecture Hall”, sponsored by the Academic Division of Marxist Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and hosted by the Academy of Marxism, held its fifth lecture. Chen Xiwen, member of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress and Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, was specially invited to deliver a lecture entitled “Socialist Agricultural Modernization with Chinese Characteristics”. The lecture was chaired by Xin Xiangyang, Party Secretary of the Academy of Marxism.

2022年4月27日，由中国社会科学院马克思主义研究学部主办、马克思主义研究院承办的“21世纪马克思主义大讲堂”举办第五讲，特邀第十三届全国人大常委、农业与农村委员会主任委员陈锡文作题为“中国特色社会主义农业现代化”的讲座。马克思主义研究院党委书记辛向阳主持。

Director Chen Xiwen focused his in-depth exposition on two aspects: the basic connotation and the institutional foundation of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics.

陈锡文主任着重从中国特色社会主义农业现代化的基本内涵与制度基础两方面作了深入讲解。

Regarding the concept and basic connotation of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics, Chen Xiwen pointed out that understanding this requires grasping three key words: agricultural modernization, Chinese characteristics, and path. First, agricultural modernization, or modern agriculture, is relative to traditional agriculture and is a description of the current state of agriculture against the background of industrialization. Modern agriculture is an industry in which the social division of labour is continuously refined, agricultural production and management organizations are constantly innovated, state support and protection are steadily strengthened, agricultural facilities are continuously updated, and the industrial chain and value chain are constantly extended. Unlike traditional agriculture, modern agriculture benefits from advances in science and technology, with the contribution rate of scientific and technological progress rising steadily. In addition, certain social and institutional factors also influence the process of agricultural modernization, which is closely related to the stage of economic and social development. Second, differences in resource endowments such as land, resources and population, as well as in historical traditions and stages of development, determine the Chinese characteristics of agricultural modernization. The historical and current reality of “more people, less land” and a high proportion of agricultural population dictates that we must forge a unique path of agricultural modernization to succeed. From the perspective of the social attributes and institutional stipulations of agricultural modernization, the basic premise of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the features of Chinese-path modernization, and the social nature and social system determine that we must take the path of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics. China’s agricultural modernization needs to draw on the experience of other countries, but it cannot be copied. Third, the path defines the direction and approach of agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics. The process of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics cannot be accomplished overnight; it requires overall consideration and coordination of the relationship between agricultural development and common prosperity for farmers, while also paying attention to issues such as food security, protection of the ecological environment, and the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. In practice, a one-size-fits-all approach must be avoided; it should be promoted in accordance with local conditions, with each locality exploring concrete forms of realization based on its actual situation.

关于中国特色社会主义农业现代化的概念和基本内涵，陈锡文指出，理解中国特色社会主义农业现代化，需要把握农业现代化、中国特色和道路三个关键词。第一，农业现代化或现代农业，是相对于传统农业而言，是工业化背景下对农业现状的描述。现代农业是社会化分工不断细化、农业生产经营组织不断创新、国家支持保护力度不断加大、农业设施不断更新、产业链与价值链不断延伸的产业。不同于传统农业，现代农业得益于科学技术的进步，科技进步贡献率不断提升。除此之外，一些社会性、制度性的因素也影响农业现代化的进程，农业现代化进程与经济社会发展的阶段性密切相关。第二，国土、资源、人口等资源禀赋以及历史传统、发展阶段等方面的不同，决定了农业现代化的中国特色。“人多地少”、农业人口比重高的历史和现实，决定我们必须走出一条独特的农业现代化道路才能成功。从农业现代化的社会属性、制度规定性来看，中国特色社会主义这样一个基本前提，中国式现代化的特征，社会性质、社会制度决定我们必须走中国特色社会主义农业现代化道路。我国的农业现代化需要借鉴他国经验，但不能照搬。第三，道路，规定了中国特色农业现代化的方向和途径。中国特色社会主义农业现代化的过程不能一蹴而就，需要统筹兼顾，协调好农业发展与农民共同富裕的问题，同时注重粮食安全、生态环境保护、中华优秀传统文化的传承等问题。在实践中，不能一刀切，要因地制宜推进，各地根据实际探索具体的实现形式。

Chen Xiwen emphasized that understanding socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics also requires an in-depth understanding of China’s four basic rural systems, namely the land system, the organizational system, the management system, and the social governance system. First, regarding the rural collective land ownership system. He pointed out that China’s land is under state ownership and collective ownership by farmers; there is no private land ownership. Upholding the rural collective land ownership system is of great significance for China’s adherence to the basic economic system with public ownership as the mainstay. The rural collective land ownership system is not an abstract concept but a basic system of specific villages, and the boundaries of this ownership are very clear. Upholding the rural collective land ownership system respects both history and the collective ownership rights of farmers, ensuring the equal rights of every member within the collective economic organization. Second, regarding the rural collective economic organization system. Due to historical continuity, some villagers’ committees and villagers’ groups exercise ownership and carry out land contracting. Villagers’ committees and villagers’ groups may perform the functions of rural collective economic organizations on their behalf, but they cannot completely replace them. Rural collective economic organizations have specific meanings; here, collective assets are indivisible, which is fundamentally different from co-ownership economies based on private ownership. In carrying out the reform of the rural collective property rights system and establishing share cooperatives, this “share” refers to each collective economic organization member’s right to distribute income; what is called “confirming rights to shares, confirming rights to individuals” also confirms this right to distribute income. Moreover, the transfer of these “shares” within the collective economic organization is also subject to significant restrictions. Third, the two-tier management system combining centralized and decentralized operations based on the household contract management system is China’s basic rural management system. This system has not changed the rural collective land ownership system; moreover, it has found an effective form of realization for the rural collective land ownership system, granting farming households fuller autonomy. Another point is that only members of the collective economic organization are eligible to contract land. The basic rural management system is the cornerstone of our Party’s rural policy and must be unwaveringly upheld. Upholding the basic rural management system requires grasping three major principles: first, respecting the will of farmers; second, properly managing the degree of transfer operations and scale operations, and not pursuing scale for its own sake; third, not neglecting ordinary farming households. He emphasized that the rural collective land ownership system, the rural collective economic organization, and the basic rural management system – the “three-in-one” – guarantee the three basic rights of farmers, namely that every collective member has the right to contract land, to have a homestead, and to participate in the distribution of collective operational income. The three basic systems and the three major rights of farmers are integrated.

陈锡文强调，理解中国特色社会主义农业现代化，还需要深入认识我国农村的四项基本制度，即土地制度、组织制度、经营制度、社会治理制度。第一，关于农村土地集体所有制。他指出，我国土地实行国家所有和农民集体所有，不存在土地私有制。坚持农村土地集体所有制对于我国坚持以公有制为主体的基本经济制度意义重大。农村土地集体所有制不是抽象的概念，而是具体的一个个村庄的基本制度，而且这个所有权边界非常清楚。坚持农村土地集体所有制既尊重了历史，又尊重了农民集体所有权，保证了集体经济组织内部每个成员的平等权利。第二，关于农村集体经济组织制度。由于历史的沿承，一些村民委员会、村民小组行使所有权，进行土地发包。村民委员会、村民小组可以代行农村集体经济组织职能，但不能完全取代农村集体经济组织。农村集体经济组织有特定的含义，在这里，集体资产是不可分割的，这一点根本不同于以私有制为基础的共有制经济。进行农村集体产权制度改革，成立股份合作社，这个“股”是每个集体经济组织成员的收益分配权；所谓确权到股、确权到人，“确”的也是这个收益分配权。而且，集体经济组织内部这个“股”的流转也受到很大限制。第三，以家庭承包经营为基础、统分结合的双层经营体制是我国农村基本经营制度。这项制度没有改变农村土地集体所有制，而且找到了农村土地集体所有制的有效实现形式，给了农户更充分的自主权。另外一点，只有集体经济组织成员才有资格承包土地。农村的基本经营制度是我们党在农村的政策基石，必须毫不动摇地坚持。坚持农村基本经营制度需要把握三大原则：一是尊重农民意愿；二是掌握好流转经营、规模经营的度，不能单纯为规模化而规模化；三是不能忽视普通农户。他强调，农村土地集体所有制，农村集体经济组织，农村基本经营制度，“三位一体”，保证了农民的三大基本权利，即每个集体成员都有权承包土地、宅基地以及参与集体经营性收益的分配。三项基本制度与农民三大权利是一体的。

Chen Xiwen also discussed some problems existing in the process of China’s rural reform and development, such as the lagging development of agriculture and rural areas; the practical and institutional difficulties faced by the transfer of agricultural population and the urbanization of farmers, including housing, social security, and the education of accompanying children; the issue of the insufficient prominent role of farmers as subjects; and the issue of unclear institutional norms, among others.

陈锡文还谈了我国农村改革与发展过程中存在的一些问题，如农业农村发展滞后的问题；农业人口转移和农民市民化面临的住房、社会保障、随迁子女教育等现实和制度上的难题；农民主体性作用不突出的问题；制度规范不清晰的问题，等等。

Finally, Chen Xiwen introduced the progress of legislation on rural collective economic organizations and the corresponding expectations.

最后，陈锡文介绍了农村集体经济组织立法进展情况及相应预期。

In his summary, Secretary Xin Xiangyang gave a high evaluation of the lecture, stating that it was of high quality, with brilliant content, rich connotations, and profound theoretical depth and practical significance. He said that Director Chen’s explanation was profound yet easy to understand, demonstrating a very thorough understanding of the path of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics. Director Chen’s research on the basic connotation and characteristics of the path of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics, and his analysis of China’s four basic rural systems, reveal the historical continuity, institutional innovativeness, and strong vitality of socialist agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics, and also allow us to understand the complexity and arduousness of this path. Xin Xiangyang emphasized that the Academy of Marxism has always attached importance to research on major theoretical and practical issues and encourages researchers to devote themselves to the integrated development of basic theoretical research and applied countermeasure research. Many of the issues Director Chen raised in the lecture, such as the basic rural system, the modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and common prosperity for farmers and rural areas, are also major theoretical and practical issues that scholars at the Academy of Marxism need to study in depth.

辛向阳书记在总结中对讲座给予高度评价，认为讲座质量高，内容精彩、内涵丰富，富于理论深度与现实意义。他说，陈主任的讲解深入浅出，对中国特色社会主义农业现代化道路有着非常透彻的认识。陈主任关于中国特色社会主义农业现代化道路基本内涵与特征的研究、关于我国农村四项基本制度的分析，展现了中国特色社会主义农业现代化的历史传承性、制度创新性以及强大生命力，也让我们了解中国特色社会主义农业现代化道路的复杂性、艰巨性。辛向阳强调，马克思主义研究院历来重视重大理论与现实问题研究，鼓励科研人员致力于基础理论研究与应用对策研究融合发展。陈主任在讲座中提到的很多问题，例如农村基本制度问题、农业农村现代化问题、农民农村共同富裕问题等等，也是马克思主义研究院学者需要深入研究的重大理论与实践问题。

This lecture strictly implemented all requirements for epidemic prevention and control. Gong Yun, Vice President of the Academy of Marxism, and some researchers attended the lecture on site.

此次讲座严格落实疫情防控各项要求。马研院副院长龚云及部分研究人员现场聆听了讲座。

Text by Long Mengyao and Peng Haihong / Photo by Wang Yi

龙萌瑶、彭海红/文 王屹/图