A Profound Understanding of the Original Development of the Theory of Socialist Stages of Development in the New Era

One major distinction between scientific socialism and utopian socialism is that it is not an immutable dogma, but rather regards socialism as a practical process of continuous improvement and development. Developing socialism is not only a long-term historical process but also a process that needs to be divided into different historical stages. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, based on the historic transformation of the principal contradiction in society, General Secretary Xi Jinping has creatively put forward major judgments such as “socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, which is a new historical juncture for China’s development” and “China has entered a new stage of development,” scientifically elucidating the new temporal coordinates of the primary stage of socialism, and enriching and developing the theory of socialist stages of development. A profound understanding of the original development of the theory of socialist stages of development in the New Era has important practical significance and far-reaching historical significance for comprehensively grasping the new features and new trends of contemporary China’s development, and for enhancing the political consciousness, ideological consciousness, and action consciousness of implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

科学社会主义和空想社会主义的一大区别，就在于它不是一成不变的教条，而是把社会主义看作一个不断完善和发展的实践过程。发展社会主义不仅是一个长期历史过程，而且是需要划分为不同历史阶段的过程。党的十八大以来，基于社会主要矛盾历史性转化，习近平总书记创造性提出“中国特色社会主义进入了新时代，这是我国发展新的历史方位”“我国进入了一个新发展阶段”等重大论断，科学阐明了社会主义初级阶段新的时代坐标，丰富和发展了社会主义发展阶段理论。深刻理解社会主义发展阶段理论在新时代的原创性发展，对于全面把握当代中国发展的新特征、新走向，对于增强贯彻落实习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的政治自觉、思想自觉、行动自觉，具有重要现实意义和深远历史意义。

Achieving a “Revolution in Terminology” through the Condensation of Signature Concepts

以标识性概念的凝练实现“术语的革命”

In the preface to the English edition of the first volume of *Capital*, Engels pointed out: “Every new insight into a science implies a revolution in the terms of that science.” Terminology, as a product of rational thought, is a basic element of theoretical construction and an essential condition for theoretical creation. It originates from human production and interaction activities and inevitably undergoes corresponding revolutions with changes in these activities. Breakthrough progress in theory and original development in thought usually depend on and are largely concentrated in the “revolution in terminology.” Therefore, terminology, presented in the form of signature concepts, provides a new perspective, a new dimension, and a new entry point for understanding and grasping the original development of the theory of socialist stages of development in the New Era.

恩格斯在《资本论》第一卷英文版序言中指出：“一门科学提出的每一种新见解都包含这门科学的术语的革命。”术语作为理性思维的产物，是理论建构的基本要素、理论创造的必备要件，来源于人的生产与交往活动，也必然随着人的生产与交往活动的变革而发生相应的革命。理论的突破性进展、思想的原创性发展，通常依赖于并在很大程度上集中表现为“术语的革命”。因而，以标识性概念为呈现形态的术语，为理解和把握社会主义发展阶段理论在新时代的原创性发展提供了新视角、新向度、新切口。

The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a signature concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The category “New Era” was used by Marxist classical writers in different contexts. For example, when elucidating social progress from the dimension of technological change, they pointed out that the spinning jenny “opened up a New Era of the automatic system”; from the dimension of changes in social formations, they pointed out that the Italian poet Dante “was the last poet of the Middle Ages and at the same time the first poet of the New Era”; and so on. In 1883, the German Social Democratic Party founded the theoretical journal *Die Neue Zeit: Revue des geistigen und öffentlichen Lebens* (The New Era: Review of Intellectual and Public Life), in which Engels published many articles, often offering advice to help the journal’s editorial board correct its direction. However, explicitly linking the “New Era” with socialism, especially socialism with Chinese characteristics, is an original contribution of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “This New Era is the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, not some other New Era.” This indicates that the New Era is a New Era with the qualitative stipulation of socialism; the “socialism with Chinese characteristics” preceding “New Era” is not a dispensable modifier but a profound characterization and precise positioning of the “New Era.”

中国特色社会主义新时代是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的一个标识性概念。“新时代”这个范畴，马克思主义经典作家曾在不同语境使用过。譬如，从科技变革的维度阐明社会进步时，指出自动走锭纺纱机“开辟了自动体系的新时代”；从社会形态变迁的维度，指出意大利诗人但丁“是中世纪的最后一位诗人，同时又是新时代的最初一位诗人”；等等。1883年，德国社会民主党创办理论杂志《新时代。精神生活和社会生活评论》，恩格斯在该杂志上发表过许多文章，经常提出忠告，帮助杂志编辑部端正办刊方向。但是，明确把“新时代”与社会主义特别是中国特色社会主义相联结，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的原创性贡献。习近平总书记深刻指出：“这个新时代是中国特色社会主义新时代，而不是别的什么新时代。”这表明，新时代是具有社会主义质的规定性的新时代，“新时代”前面的“中国特色社会主义”不是可有可无的修饰语，而是对“新时代”的深刻定性、准确定位。

Original theories are often formed and developed through the combination and deepening of concepts. The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an integrated and composite entity of the “New Era” and “socialism with Chinese characteristics,” an organic unity containing temporal scales and spatial stipulations. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the “matrix” of practical development in the New Era, defining the nature and orientation of the New Era; the New Era is a specific growth period of socialism with Chinese characteristics, stipulating the breadth and depth of its development and the new historical missions it bears. Discussing the New Era apart from socialism with Chinese characteristics would lose its “root” and “soul,” becoming a tree without roots or water without a source, and would lose the direction and driving force for moving forward; discussing socialism with Chinese characteristics apart from the New Era would lack the temporal dimension of development and easily become detached from reality. Therefore, the concept of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics both adheres to the basic principles of scientific socialism and clarifies the historical juncture of contemporary China’s development, providing a framework for action. The scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, composed of the “Ten Clarifications,” “Fourteen Perseverances,” “Achievements in Thirteen Aspects,” the “Two Integrations,” and the “Six Musts,” which are internally connected and organically unified, is fully unfolded and systematically constructed precisely on this basis.[1]1 Deng Xiaoping, “Draw on Historical Experience to Oppose Erroneous Ideological Trends,” *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, Vol. 3, p. 252.

原创性理论往往是在概念的结合和深化过程中形成和发展的。中国特色社会主义新时代是“新时代”和“中国特色社会主义”的集成体、复合体，是包含着时间尺度和空间规约性的有机统一体。中国特色社会主义是新时代实践发展的“母体”，规定了新时代的性质和取向；新时代是中国特色社会主义的特定成长时段，规约着中国特色社会主义发展的广度和深度以及所承载的新的历史使命。离开中国特色社会主义谈新时代，就会失去“根”和“魂”，成为无根之木、无源之水，就会迷失前行的方向和动力；离开新时代谈中国特色社会主义，就会欠缺发展的时间向度，容易脱离现实。因而，中国特色社会主义新时代这一概念，既坚守了科学社会主义基本原则，又对现实中国发展明晰历史方位、提供行动框架。由“十个明确”“十四个坚持”“十三个方面成就”“两个结合”“六个必须坚持”等内在贯通、有机统一所构成的习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的科学体系，正是在此基础上全面展开、系统建构起来的。

The signature concept of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics did not emerge out of thin air; it reflects the historic leap that occurs when economic and social development reaches a certain stage. It has rich and profound scientific connotations and clear, gradually advancing strategic arrangements, embodying the organic unity of abstraction and concreteness. Concepts are both highly abstract and highly realistic. In *The German Ideology*, Marx and Engels incisively pointed out: “Language is the immediate actuality of thought.” The revolutionary role of terminology is concentrated in its reflection of immediate actuality with ideological depth. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, building on the 19th National Congress of the CPC, further scientifically summarized the connotation of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, emphasizing: “The New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an era in which we build on past achievements, forge ahead into the future, and continue to win great victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics under new historical conditions; an era in which we secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and then build a modern socialist country in all respects; an era in which people of all ethnic groups in the country work together to create a better life and gradually achieve common prosperity for all; an era in which all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation strive with one heart to realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; and an era in which China makes greater contributions to humanity.” These “five are” statements, from the five perspectives of socialism with Chinese characteristics, socialist modernization, the Chinese people, the Chinese nation, and human development, based on the organic combination of history and reality, theory and practice, and domestic and international dimensions, precisely grasp the new historical juncture of China’s socialist development, deepening and expanding the understanding of “what is” the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics from an epistemological height. At the same time, in his report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly put forward the strategic arrangement for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, “from building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to basically realizing modernization, and then to building a modern socialist country in all respects,” scientifically outlining from the dimension of modernization development goals the development blueprint of “what it looks like” in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

中国特色社会主义新时代这一标识性概念不是凭空产生的，而是体现了经济社会发展到一定阶段发生的历史性跃迁，有丰富深厚的科学内涵和清晰明朗、渐次推进的战略安排，蕴含着抽象和具象的有机统一。概念既是高度抽象的，又是高度现实的。在《德意志意识形态》中，马克思、恩格斯精辟指出：“语言是思想的直接现实。”术语的革命性作用，集中体现为它是对直接现实具有思想深度的反映。党的十九届六中全会在党的十九大的基础上，对中国特色社会主义新时代的内涵作出进一步科学概括，强调：“中国特色社会主义新时代是承前启后、继往开来、在新的历史条件下继续夺取中国特色社会主义伟大胜利的时代，是决胜全面建成小康社会、进而全面建设社会主义现代化强国的时代，是全国各族人民团结奋斗、不断创造美好生活、逐步实现全体人民共同富裕的时代，是全体中华儿女勠力同心、奋力实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的时代，是我国不断为人类作出更大贡献的时代。”这“五个是”，从中国特色社会主义、社会主义现代化、中国人民、中华民族、人类发展五个视角，基于历史和现实、理论和实践、国内和国际有机结合的维度，对我国社会主义发展新的历史方位予以精准把握，从认识论高度深化和拓展了对中国特色社会主义新时代“是什么”的理解。同时，习近平总书记在党的十九大报告中明确提出“从全面建成小康社会到基本实现现代化，再到全面建成社会主义现代化强国”这一新时代中国特色社会主义发展的战略安排，从现代化发展目标的维度科学擘画了中国特色社会主义新时代“是什么样”的发展蓝图。

From the proposal of the signature concept to the condensation of its scientific connotation, and then to the planning of strategic arrangements, it fully demonstrates that the signature concept of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics has both abstract essential stipulations and concrete realistic content, and our understanding and grasp of it must also be continuously deepened with the development of practice.

从标识性概念的提出到科学内涵的凝练，再到战略安排的谋划，充分表明中国特色社会主义新时代这一标识性概念既有抽象的本质规定性，又有具象的现实内容，我们对其的认识和把握也要随着实践的发展而不断深化。

Marking the New Orientation of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Based on an Analysis of the Historical Dimension

基于历史维度的考析标注中国特色社会主义新的方位

“Distinguishing the orientation brings correctness.” Historical orientation is the direction of progress and the position of things in the historical process. Correctly understanding the historical orientation of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a fundamental issue concerning the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and an important basis for achieving the original development of the theory of socialist stages of development. The proposal of the signature concept of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a deepening of the understanding of the new historical orientation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. By lengthening the time scale and expanding the historical depth, from the dimensions of the profound history of socialist thought and the magnificent history of world socialist development, this understanding will be more comprehensive and profound.

“辨方位而正则”。历史方位，是事物在历史进程中的前行方向和所处位置。正确认识中国特色社会主义发展所处的历史方位，是关乎中国特色社会主义事业发展的根本性问题，也是实现社会主义发展阶段理论原创性发展的重要依据。中国特色社会主义新时代这一标识性概念的提出，是对中国特色社会主义新的历史方位的深化认识。拉长时间尺度和拓展历史纵深，从底蕴深厚的社会主义思想史和波澜壮阔的世界社会主义发展史的维度，会对此把握得更为全面和深刻。

Since its founding over 170 years ago, scientific socialism, as a "living theory of action," has always maintained vigorous vitality in rich and varied practice. One important reason for this is that it always, based on the advancement and expansion of practice, makes innovative responses imbued with the significance of the times to the fundamental issues it concerns. Among these, the division and depiction of stages of social development is a fundamental issue in the history of socialist thought. In the history of socialist thought, it was utopian socialism that earlier explored the issue of stages of future social development. For example, the French utopian socialist Saint-Simon viewed the process of human historical development as a mathematical "sequence," regarding each historical stage as an "item" constituting a progression; the French utopian socialist Fourier divided the development of human society into 4 stages and 32 periods. Unlike utopian socialism, Marx and Engels did not rely on "the accidental discovery of some genius mind" to "conceive an as perfect as possible social system" out of thin air, but proceeded from "the most solid facts." In the *Critique of the Gotha Programme*, Marx divided the transition from capitalist society to communist society into three stages that both have certain differences and are interconnected: the transitional period between capitalist society and communist society, the first stage of communist society, and the higher stage of communist society. Marx and Engels provided important epistemological guidance and methodological reference for scientifically grasping the stages of socialist development. However, because they had not experienced the practice of comprehensively governing a socialist state, their division of stages for future society was mainly predictive. The issue of the stages of development of socialist society was more a brand-new subject raised by socialist practice. Today, the breadth and depth of the changes of the times and China's development far exceed what the classical Marxist writers could have imagined at the time. Real practice is the source of the original development of scientific theory. Based on the development of the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping, for the first time at the 19

创立170多年来，科学社会主义作为“活的行动理论”，在丰富多彩的实践中始终保持蓬勃生机活力，一个重要原因在于它总是基于实践的推进和拓展，对其所关注的基本问题作出富有时代意蕴的创新性回应。其中，关于社会发展阶段的划分及描绘，是社会主义思想史的一个基本问题。在社会主义思想史上，较早探讨未来社会发展阶段问题的是空想社会主义。比如，法国空想社会主义者圣西门把人类历史的发展过程视为数学上的“数列”，把各个历史阶段视为构成级数的“项”；法国空想社会主义者傅立叶把人类社会发展划分为4个阶段、32个时期。与空想社会主义不同，马克思、恩格斯不是依靠“某个天才头脑的偶然发现”去凭空“构想出一个尽可能完善的社会制度”，而是从“最过硬的事实出发”。在《哥达纲领批判》中，马克思把从资本主义社会到共产主义社会划分为3个既具有一定差别又相互衔接的发展阶段：在资本主义社会和共产主义社会之间的过渡时期、共产主义社会第一阶段、共产主义社会高级阶段。马克思、恩格斯为科学把握社会主义发展阶段提供了重要的认识论指引和方法论参照，但由于没有经历全面治理社会主义国家的实践，他们关于未来社会的阶段划分主要是预测性的。社会主义社会的发展阶段问题，更多是社会主义实践提出的一个崭新课题。今天，时代变化和我国发展的广度和深度远远超出了马克思主义经典作家当时的想象。现实实践是科学理论原创性发展的源泉。基于中国特色社会主义实践的发展，习近平总书记在党的十九大上首次作出“中国特色社会主义进入了新时代”的重大政治论断，对中国特色社会主义发展的新方位作出客观明晰的判断，对社会主义发展阶段这一社会主义思想史的基本问题给出时代回答。

From the perspective of the historical evolution of world socialism, one can gain a deeper understanding of the historical orientation of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and its theoretical and practical significance. In January 2013, at the opening ceremony of a seminar for newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee on studying and implementing the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech analyzing the historical process of socialist thought from its emergence to the present across six time periods, including the emergence and development of utopian socialism, Marx and Engels’ establishment of the theoretical system of scientific socialism, Lenin’s leadership of the October Revolution’s victory and the practice of socialism, the gradual formation of the Soviet model, our Party’s exploration and practice of socialism after the founding of New China, and our Party’s historic decision to carry out reform and opening up and to initiate and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. On this basis, in January 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted a profound exposition of the development process of socialism from utopia to science, from theory to practice, and from one country to multiple countries, which not only deepened the understanding of the historical inevitability of socialism but also expanded the rational cognition of the evolutionary trends of socialism. The great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics in China demonstrates that socialism has not perished, nor will it perish, and that it is instead bursting with vigorous vitality. The historical evolution and contestation between the two ideologies and two social systems worldwide have undergone a profound shift favorable to Marxism and socialism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has composed a magnificent chapter in the historical development of world socialism and has become the banner for the development of scientific socialism in the 21st century. It is in this sense that General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “The success of scientific socialism in China is of great significance to Marxism and scientific socialism, and to world socialism.”

从世界社会主义历史演进的视角，可以更深入理解中国特色社会主义新时代的历史方位及其理论和现实意义。2013年1月，习近平总书记在新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员学习贯彻党的十八大精神研讨班开班式上的重要讲话，从6个时间段分析了社会主义思想从提出到现在的历史过程，包括空想社会主义产生和发展，马克思、恩格斯创立科学社会主义理论体系，列宁领导十月革命胜利并实践社会主义，苏联模式逐步形成，新中国成立后我们党对社会主义的探索和实践，我们党作出进行改革开放的历史性决策、开创和发展中国特色社会主义。在此基础上，2018年1月，习近平总书记对社会主义从空想到科学、从理论到实践、从一国到多国的发展历程进行深刻论述，不仅深化了对社会主义历史必然性的理解，而且拓展了对社会主义演进趋向的理性认知。中国特色社会主义在中国取得巨大成功表明，社会主义没有灭亡，也不会灭亡，而且焕发出蓬勃生机活力。世界范围内两种意识形态、两种社会制度的历史演进及其较量发生了有利于马克思主义、社会主义的深刻转变。中国特色社会主义谱写了世界社会主义历史发展的壮丽篇章，成为21世纪科学社会主义发展的旗帜。正是在这个意义上，习近平总书记深刻指出：“科学社会主义在中国的成功，对马克思主义、科学社会主义的意义，对世界社会主义的意义，是十分重大的。”

Only by understanding the question of “where socialism comes from” can one clearly grasp and orient where it stands and where it is headed. The initiation and unfolding of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics mark the developmental form of scientific socialism under new spatiotemporal structures and new historical conditions, and designate a new stage in the development of world socialism.

只有明白社会主义“从何处来”这个问题，才能对其位处何方、向何处去的演进有清晰的把握和定向。中国特色社会主义新时代的开启及其展开，标示科学社会主义在新的时空结构、新的历史条件下的发展形态，标注世界社会主义发展的新阶段。

Deepening the Understanding of the Laws of Internal Movement in the Primary Stage of Socialism

深化了对社会主义初级阶段内在运动规律的认识

The primary stage of socialism is the basic national condition and the greatest reality for contemporary China’s development. On the basis of previous understanding, the 13th National Congress of the CPC systematically expounded the theory of the primary stage of socialism and comprehensively summarized the Party’s basic line for the primary stage. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, grounded in new historical conditions and practical developments, has engaged in profound contemplation and thorough summarization of the theory and practice of the primary stage of socialism. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s enrichment and development of the theory of the primary stage of socialism have deepened the understanding of the laws of internal movement in the primary stage of socialism.

社会主义初级阶段是当代中国发展的基本国情和最大实际。党的十三大在以往认识的基础上，系统论述了社会主义初级阶段理论，完整概括了党在社会主义初级阶段的基本路线。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记立足新的历史条件和实践发展，对社会主义初级阶段理论与实践进行深邃思考、深刻总结。习近平总书记对社会主义初级阶段理论的丰富和发展，深化了对社会主义初级阶段内在运动规律的认识。

Deepening the understanding of the dialectical unity of “change” and “constancy” in the primary stage of socialism. On the one hand, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that “we must firmly grasp the basic national condition of the primary stage of socialism and firmly base ourselves on this greatest reality of the primary stage of socialism”; on the other hand, he explicitly states that “we must more accurately grasp the constantly changing characteristics of our country’s primary stage of socialism.” Understanding the principal contradiction in society is the “key” to grasping the stage of social development. The 19th National Congress of the CPC made a new summary of the change in the principal contradiction in Chinese society, requiring that, on the basis of continuing to promote development, we focus on resolving the problems of unbalanced and inadequate development, and better promote the well-rounded development of people and the overall progress of society. At the same time, we must clearly recognize that the primary stage of socialism is a long historical process; the change in the principal contradiction is merely a change occurring within this historical stage of the primary stage of socialism. It does not alter our judgment of the historical stage of socialism in which our country is situated: the basic national condition that China is still in and will long remain in the primary stage of socialism has not changed, and China’s international status as the world’s largest developing country has not changed. In grasping the basic national condition of the primary stage of socialism, we must also fully understand the historical inevitability and developmental stages of the primary stage. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The primary stage of socialism is not a static, unchanging, or stagnant stage, nor is it a stage that can be crossed spontaneously, passively, or effortlessly. Rather, it is a dynamic, proactive process always brimming with vigorous vitality, a process of stepwise progression, continuous development and progress, and the quantitative accumulation and developmental change increasingly approaching a qualitative leap.” This important thesis profoundly elaborates on the dialectical unity of the long-term nature and stage-specificity, quantitative change and qualitative change, and conformity with laws and purposes in the primary stage of socialism, indicating that the primary stage of socialism is a real movement and process, and that within “constancy” there is also an inherent “change.” Not only is socialism in the primary stage different from socialism in other stages, but it also exhibits different characteristics and features at different stages of its development, revealing that through the accumulation of quantitative change, the development of socialism in the primary stage can also undergo stage-specific qualitative leaps and transitions.

深化了对社会主义初级阶段之“变”与“不变”辩证统一的认识。习近平总书记一方面强调“要牢牢把握社会主义初级阶段这个基本国情，牢牢立足社会主义初级阶段这个最大实际”，一方面明确提出“更准确地把握我国社会主义初级阶段不断变化的特点”。认识社会主要矛盾是把握社会发展阶段的“钥匙”。党的十九大对我国社会主要矛盾的变化作出了新的概括，要求我们在继续推动发展的基础上，着力解决好发展不平衡不充分问题，更好推动人的全面发展、社会全面进步。同时要清醒认识到，社会主义初级阶段是一个长历史过程，社会主要矛盾的变化只是在社会主义初级阶段这个历史阶段中发生的变化，没有改变我们对我国社会主义所处历史阶段的判断，我国仍处于并将长期处于社会主义初级阶段的基本国情没有变，我国是世界最大发展中国家的国际地位没有变。把握社会主义初级阶段这一基本国情，还要充分认识初级阶段发展的历史必然性和发展阶段性。习近平总书记指出：“社会主义初级阶段不是一个静态、一成不变、停滞不前的阶段，也不是一个自发、被动、不用费多大气力自然而然就可以跨过的阶段，而是一个动态、积极有为、始终洋溢着蓬勃生机活力的过程，是一个阶梯式递进、不断发展进步、日益接近质的飞跃的量的积累和发展变化的过程。”这一重要论断，对社会主义初级阶段长期性与阶段性、量变与质变、合规律性与合目的性的辩证统一特点作出深刻阐述，表明社会主义初级阶段是现实的运动和过程，在“不变”中也蕴含着“变”，不仅初级阶段的社会主义与其他阶段的社会主义有差别，而且在其发展的不同阶段也会呈现不同的特点和特征，揭示出初级阶段的社会主义发展通过量变积累，也会有阶段性的质变跃迁。

It has deepened the concrete understanding of the specific development stages within the primary stage of socialism. From the end of 1959 to the beginning of 1960, Comrade Mao Zedong, while reading the Soviet *Political Economy Textbook*, divided socialist society into two successive stages of development: “underdeveloped” and “relatively developed.” As for the structural characteristics of “underdeveloped” and “relatively developed” and the boundary between them, these were not elaborated upon in detail due to the constraints of objective conditions. In 1987, Comrade Deng Xiaoping stated: “Socialism itself is the primary stage of communism, and China is in the primary stage of socialism, which is the underdeveloped stage. Everything must proceed from this reality and be planned according to this reality.” [1]1 Deng Xiaoping, “Draw on Historical Experience to Oppose Erroneous Ideological Trends,” *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, Vol. 3, p. 252. The construction and development of the primary stage of socialism is an evolutionary process that gradually unfolds and matures. Within this process, different development stages and different development landscapes also emerge. However, how to delineate the different development stages within the primary stage of socialism is difficult to clearly distinguish when the practical process has not fully unfolded. With the advancement and expansion of practice, the understanding and grasp of it have also gradually deepened. The major judgment that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era carries profound meaning and deep implication, giving the primary stage of socialism a clearer historical orientation and a more focused strategic direction. At the same time, the understanding of the characteristics of the new changes in the primary stage of socialism has become more profound. The entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into the New Era means that the Chinese nation, which has endured so much hardship since modern times, has ushered in a great leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong, and has ushered in the bright prospect of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it means that scientific socialism is full of vitality in 21st-century China and has held high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the world; it means that the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics have continuously developed, expanding the path for developing countries to achieve modernization, providing a new choice for those countries and nations that both hope to accelerate development and maintain their independence, and contributing Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach to solving the problems of mankind.

深化了对社会主义初级阶段内具体发展阶段的具象化认识。1959年底至1960年初，毛泽东同志在读苏联《政治经济学教科书》时，把社会主义社会分为“不发达”和“比较发达”两个前后相继的发展阶段。至于“不发达”和“比较发达”有何结构性表征、两者之间的边界在哪等问题，囿于客观条件的制约没有具体展开阐述。1987年，邓小平同志讲：“社会主义本身是共产主义的初级阶段，而我们中国又处在社会主义的初级阶段，就是不发达的阶段。一切都要从这个实际出发，根据这个实际来制订规划。”社会主义初级阶段的建设与发展，是一个逐步展开、日益成熟的演进过程。在这一过程中，也会呈现不同的发展阶段、展现不同的发展景象。然而，如何划分社会主义初级阶段的不同发展阶段，在实践进程没有充分展开的条件下难以明晰界分。随着实践的推进和拓展，对其认识和把握也逐步深化。作出中国特色社会主义进入新时代的重大论断，意涵深刻、意蕴深厚，社会主义初级阶段有了更为明晰的历史定位和更为聚焦的战略方向。同时，对社会主义初级阶段新的变化的特点把握更为深刻。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，意味着近代以来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；意味着科学社会主义在21世纪的中国焕发出强大生机活力，在世界上高高举起了中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜；意味着中国特色社会主义道路、理论、制度、文化不断发展，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径，给世界上那些既希望加快发展又希望保持自身独立性的国家和民族提供了全新选择，为解决人类问题贡献了中国智慧和中国方案。

The new understanding of the inherent laws of motion of the primary stage of socialism is also reflected in the analysis and judgment of the basic characteristics, main basis, essential essence, great significance, historical mission, time span, roadmap, etc., of the new stage of development. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC proposed that after building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the First Centenary Goal, we should build on the momentum to embark on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and march towards the Second Centenary Goal, which marks that China has entered a new stage of development. [2]2 The First Centenary Goal is to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC in 2021; the Second Centenary Goal is to build a great modern socialist country in all respects by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049. This important judgment defines the historical orientation and goal orientation of the new stage of development from the dimension of the modernization development stage. At the same time, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The new stage of development we are in today is a stage within the primary stage of socialism, and at the same time, it is a stage that, after decades of accumulation, has stood at a new starting point.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Correctly Understand and Grasp the Major Issues of the New Stage of Development,” *Qiushi*, 2021, No. 16. This clarifies the relationship between the new stage of development and the primary stage of socialism, indicating that the new stage of development still belongs to the category of the primary stage of socialism and is not a stage outside the primary stage of socialism.

对社会主义初级阶段内在运动规律的新认识，还体现在对新发展阶段的基本特征、主要依据、精髓要义、重大意义、历史使命、时段时长、路线图等的分析和研判。党的十九届五中全会提出，全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后，我们要乘势而上开启全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程、向第二个百年奋斗目标进军，这标志着我国进入了一个新发展阶段。这一重要论断，从现代化发展阶段的维度对新发展阶段的历史方位、目标取向进行界定。同时，习近平总书记指出：“今天我们所处的新发展阶段，就是社会主义初级阶段中的一个阶段，同时是其中经过几十年积累、站到了新的起点上的一个阶段。”这厘清了新发展阶段与社会主义初级阶段之间的关系，表明新发展阶段仍属于社会主义初级阶段的范畴之中，并非社会主义初级阶段之外的阶段。

It is worth pointing out that the New Era and the new stage of development are both historical stages prefixed with “new,” and they have inherent consistency. Their principal social contradictions and goals of struggle have commonalities, and their development periods overlap. However, the two are not completely equivalent. To sum up, this difference is mainly reflected in the following two aspects: First, the historical starting point of the New Era is earlier than that of the new stage of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Starting from the 18th National Congress of the CPC, socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a New Era.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party,” July 1, 2021. This clarifies that the historical starting point of the New Era is the 18th National Congress of the CPC. In January 2021, at the opening ceremony of a study session for major leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial levels on studying and implementing the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The next 30 years will be the new stage of development in which we will fulfill this great historical aspiration.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of a Study Session for Major Leading Cadres at the Provincial and Ministerial Levels on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC,” January 11, 2021. The new stage of development begins after building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the First Centenary Goal. Therefore, in terms of the time interval, the New Era encompasses the new stage of development. Figuratively speaking, if the New Era is a large “staircase,” then the new stage of development is a small “staircase” within it. Second, from the perspective of the historical mission they bear, the New Era is to accomplish the goals of struggle such as building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and building a great modern socialist country in all respects, while the new stage of development focuses on the goal of struggle of building a great modern socialist country in all respects.

值得指出的是，新时代与新发展阶段都是冠以“新”的历史阶段，具有内在一致性，其社会主要矛盾、奋斗目标有共通之处，发展时段有交叉重叠，但两者并非完全等同。归纳起来，这种差别主要体现在以下两个方面：其一，新时代的历史起点早于新发展阶段。习近平总书记指出：“从党的十八大开始，中国特色社会主义进入新时代。”这明确了新时代的历史起点是党的十八大。2021年1月，习近平总书记在省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻党的十九届五中全会精神专题研讨班开班式上指出：“未来30年将是我们完成这个历史宏愿的新发展阶段。”新发展阶段始于全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标之后。因此，在时间区间上，新时代囊括了新发展阶段。形象地说，如果说新时代是个大“阶梯”，那么新发展阶段则是其中的小“阶梯”。其二，从承载的历史使命来看，新时代要完成全面建成小康社会和全面建成社会主义现代化强国等奋斗目标，而新发展阶段则聚焦全面建成社会主义现代化强国这个奋斗目标。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Any tendency to transcend reality and stages and seek quick results must be resolutely avoided, and any concept and practice that lags behind reality, ignores the profoundly changing objective facts, and follows the beaten track or is complacent must be resolutely corrected.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party,” July 1, 2016. Accurately grasping and precisely judging the stages of socialist development and their historical orientation is the basic prerequisite and realistic foundation for effectively carrying out socialist construction. Whenever the judgment of the stage of socialist development conforms to objective reality, the socialist cause tends to flourish and be full of vitality; whenever the judgment of the stage of socialist development transcends or lags behind objective reality, the socialist cause will suffer setbacks and take more detours. Entering the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on China’s new historical orientation, based on a profound summary of historical experience and a scientific analysis of China’s national conditions, has put forward many innovative judgments on the theory of stages of socialist development. These judgments neither lag behind reality nor transcend stages, realizing the original development of the theory of stages of socialist development in the New Era, providing a fundamental basis for clarifying the central task of the Party in the new journey of the New Era, and opening up a broader space for the development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

习近平总书记指出：“任何超越现实、超越阶段而急于求成的倾向都要努力避免，任何落后于实际、无视深刻变化着的客观事实而因循守旧、固步自封的观念和做法都要坚决纠正。”准确把握和精准研判社会主义发展阶段及其历史方位，是有效开展社会主义建设的基本前提和现实基础。什么时候对社会主义发展阶段的研判契合客观实际，社会主义事业就会趋向勃兴、富有活力；什么时候对社会主义发展阶段的判断超越或滞后客观实际，社会主义事业就会遭受挫折、多走弯路。进入中国特色社会主义新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足我国发展新的历史方位，基于对历史经验的深刻总结和我国国情的科学分析，在社会主义发展阶段方面提出了诸多创新性论断。这些论断，既不落后于实际，也不超越阶段，实现了社会主义发展阶段理论在新时代的原创性发展，为我们明确新时代新征程党的中心任务提供了根本依据，为中国特色社会主义事业发展打开了更为广阔的空间。

(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance])

（作者为中央党校（国家行政学院）习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心