Building a Cultural Powerhouse Must Adhere to Marxism as the Fundamental Guiding Ideology

When culture thrives, the nation thrives; when culture is strong, the nation is strong. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 17th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee that we must anchor the strategic goal of building China into a cultural powerhouse by 2035, adhere to Marxism as the fundamental guiding ideology, root ourselves in the broad and profound Chinese civilization, follow the trends of information technology development, continuously develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the New Era that possesses strong ideological guidance, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence, constantly strengthen the people’s spiritual strength, and solidify the cultural foundation for building a strong nation and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To deeply study and understand the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech and accelerate the construction of a socialist cultural powerhouse, our reporter conducted an exclusive interview with Professor Sun Laibin, a special supervisor of the National Commission of Supervision and the Party Secretary of the School of Marxism at Peking University.

文化兴国运兴，文化强民族强。习近平总书记在中共中央政治局第十七次集体学习时强调，要锚定2035年建成文化强国的战略目标，坚持马克思主义这一根本指导思想，植根博大精深的中华文明，顺应信息技术发展潮流，不断发展具有强大思想引领力、精神凝聚力、价值感召力、国际影响力的新时代中国特色社会主义文化，不断增强人民精神力量，筑牢强国建设、民族复兴的文化根基。为深入学习领会习近平总书记重要讲话精神，加快建设社会主义文化强国，本报记者对国家监委特约监察员、北京大学马克思主义学院党委书记孙来斌教授进行了专访。

Adhering to the Fundamental System of Marxism’s Guiding Position in the Ideological Domain

坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度

Reporter: How should we understand Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain?

记者：如何理解马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位？

Sun Laibin: The construction of mainstream ideology is an important component of modern state governance. In modern political societies, the level of ideological security serves as a barometer reflecting the stability of a state’s political power, and the dominant power and discursive power in the ideological domain have become tools for governing the country. Marx pointed out: “If we examine things from an ideological perspective, then the disintegration of a certain form of consciousness is enough to bring down an entire era.” [1]1 Karl Marx, “The Moralizing Critique and the Criticizing Morality,” 1847. The dissolution of the Soviet Union, the upheavals in Eastern Europe, and the “color revolutions” in some countries fully confirm Marx’s famous statement. History and reality show that the collapse of a political power often begins in the ideological sphere. Attaching great importance to and being adept at mastering the dominant power and discursive power of ideology is a major advantage of Marxist political parties. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “Ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party, a task that establishes the heart for the nation and the soul for the people.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to ideological work, elevating “building a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leadership” to the level of an important strategic task that the entire Party must undertake, making deployments on many directional and strategic issues, and promoting a comprehensive and fundamental transformation in the situation of the ideological domain.

孙来斌：主流意识形态建设，是现代国家治理的重要内容。在现代政治社会，意识形态安全水平是反映国家政权稳定程度的风向标，意识形态领域的主导权、话语权成为治国理政的利器。马克思指出：“如果从观念上来考察，那么一定的意识形式的解体足以使整个时代覆灭”。苏联解体、东欧剧变，以及一些国家发生的“颜色革命”，充分印证了马克思的这句名言。历史和现实表明，一个政权的瓦解往往是从思想领域开始的。高度重视并善于掌握意识形态主导权、话语权，是马克思主义政党的一大优势。习近平总书记深刻指出：“意识形态工作是党的一项极端重要的工作，是为国家立心、为民族立魂的工作。”党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视意识形态工作，把“建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态”上升到全党必须担负起的重要战略任务的高度，就许多方向性问题、战略性问题作出部署，推动意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变。

The “Decision” of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee proposed establishing the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain. [2]2 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee was held in October 2019; its “Decision” refers to the “Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Upholding and Improving the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing the Modernization of China’s System and Capacity for Governance.” This is the first time our Party has explicitly proposed Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain as a fundamental system, a major institutional innovation concerning the long-term development of the Party and the state, and concerning the direction and development path of our country’s culture. The “Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese-Path Modernization” proposed: “Focus on building a socialist cultural powerhouse, adhere to the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 17th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee that we must adhere to the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, fully implement the thought on socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the New Era, and develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific, and popular, oriented toward modernization, the world, and the future. This is a profound summary of the historical experience of building a socialist ideology, fully demonstrating that our Party’s understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialist culture has reached a new realm.

党的十九届四中全会《决定》提出，坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度。这是我们党第一次把马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位作为一项根本制度明确提出来，是关系党和国家事业长远发展、关系我国文化前进方向和发展道路的重大制度创新。《中共中央关于进一步全面深化改革、推进中国式现代化的决定》提出：“聚焦建设社会主义文化强国，坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度”。习近平总书记在中共中央政治局第十七次集体学习时强调，坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，全面贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义文化思想，发展面向现代化、面向世界、面向未来的，民族的科学的大众的社会主义文化。这是对社会主义意识形态建设历史经验的深刻总结，充分表明我们党对社会主义文化建设规律的认识升华到新境界。

Currently, the “two overall situations” [3]3 “Two overall situations” (两个大局) refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century in the world. are accelerating their evolution and deeply interacting, and many young people are experiencing collisions and conflicts between a series of ideas and concepts, such as East and West, China and foreign countries, tradition and modernity, and the individual and the collective. The diversified patterns emerging in ownership relations, distribution methods, and employment forms have given rise to diversified ideas and value orientations. From a philosophical perspective, the emergence of this situation is inevitable and unavoidable. An ancient Chinese saying goes, “If there is only one sound, there is nothing to listen to; if there is only one color, there is no pattern; if there is only one taste, there is no satisfaction; if there is only one thing, there is no comparison.” [4]4 From the “Discourse on Music” (乐论) chapter of the *Xunzi* (荀子), attributed to the Confucian philosopher Xun Kuang (c. 310–235 BCE). Marx pointed out: “Upon the different forms of property, upon the social conditions of existence, rises an entire superstructure of distinct and peculiarly formed sentiments, illusions, modes of thought, and views of life.” [5]5 Karl Marx, *The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte*, 1852. It can be said that the diversity of social ideology and social value concepts is already an objective reality. However, the diversification of ideas does not equate to the diversification of the guiding ideology. As is well known, the economic base determines the superstructure—this is an important principle of historical materialism. But the mainstream ideology of a society does not depend on the multiple forms of ownership relations, but rather on the dominant form of ownership relations. Our country is a socialist state; the dominant position of public ownership, the nature of the people’s democratic dictatorship as a state power, and the ruling position of the Communist Party determine Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain. Under the new circumstances, how can we effectively guide social ideological public opinion, establish dominance amidst plurality, seek consensus amidst diversity, and set direction amidst change? The primary point is to adhere to Marxism, the fundamental guiding ideology for building the Party and the country, for rejuvenating the Party and the country, and to integrate it into all aspects of cultural construction.

当前，“两个大局”加速演进并深度互动，许多青年人正在遭遇东方与西方、中国与外国、传统与现代、个体与集体等一系列思想观念的碰撞与冲突。在所有制关系、分配方式、就业方式等方面出现的多样化格局，催生出多样化的思想观念、价值取向。从哲学的角度来看，这种情况的出现是必然的、不可避免的。中国古话说，“声一无听，色一无文，味一无果，物一不讲”。马克思指出：“在不同的财产形式上，在社会生存条件上，耸立着由各种不同的，表现独特的情感、幻想、思想方式和人生观构成的整个上层建筑。”可以说，社会意识形态、社会价值观念的多样性，已是一种客观存在。但是，思想观念的多样化并不等同于指导思想的多样化。众所周知，经济基础决定上层建筑，这是唯物史观的重要原理。但是，一个社会的主流意识形态并不取决于所有制关系的多种形式，而是取决于占统治地位的所有制关系。我国是社会主义国家，公有制的主体地位、人民民主专政的政权性质、共产党的执政地位，决定了马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位。在新形势下，如何有效引导社会思想舆论，在多元中立主导、在多样中谋共识、在多变中定方向？首要之点在于，坚持马克思主义这一立党立国、兴党兴国的根本指导思想，并将之贯穿到文化建设各个方面。

The Advanced Nature of a Marxist Political Party Is First and Foremost Reflected in the Advanced Nature of Its Ideology and Theory

马克思主义政党的先进性首先体现为思想理论上的先进性

Reporter: In the context of the New Era, in what aspects is the advanced nature of the ideology and theory of the Communist Party of China reflected?

记者：在新时代语境下，中国共产党思想理论的先进性体现在哪些方面？

Sun Laibin: French philosopher Jacques Derrida, American scholar Robert L. Heilbroner, and British scholar Eric Hobsbawm, among others, have emphasized in their writings that our era “cannot do without Marx,” “must seek advice from Marx,” and “must raise the questions Marx raised.” [6]6 References to Jacques Derrida, *Specters of Marx* (1993); Robert L. Heilbroner, *Marxism: For and Against* (1980); and Eric Hobsbawm, *How to Change the World: Marx and Marxism, 1840–2011* (2011). This indicates that we are still in the historical era pointed out by Marxism, still living under the laws of development elucidated by Marx. At the same time, the era we live in has, after all, undergone great changes compared to the era Marx lived in. Therefore, “the Marx of the 21st century is almost necessarily different from the Marx of the 20th century,” and also necessarily different from the Marx of the 19th century.

孙来斌：法国哲学家德里达、美国学者海尔布隆纳、英国学者霍布斯鲍姆等人在其著述中分别强调，我们这个时代“不能没有马克思”，“必须向马克思求教”，“必须提出马克思所提出的问题”。这说明，我们依然处在马克思主义所指明的历史时代，依然生活在马克思所阐明的发展规律之中。同时，我们所处的这个时代与马克思生活的那个时代相比，毕竟发生了很大变化，因而，“21世纪的马克思几乎必然不同于20世纪的马克思”，也必然不同于19世纪的马克思。

The advanced nature of a Marxist political party is first and foremost reflected in the advanced nature of its ideology and theory. Lenin pointed out: “Only a party guided by an advanced theory can fulfill the role of an advanced fighter.” [7]7 V. I. Lenin, *What Is to Be Done?* (1902). Contemporary China is undergoing the most extensive and profound social transformation in its history, and is also carrying out the most grand and unique practical innovation in human history. This is an era that needs ideology and theory, and also an era that produces ideology and theory. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the Marxism of contemporary China and the Marxism of the 21st century, the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit, achieving a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It must be upheld and continuously developed over the long term. In contemporary China, upholding and developing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is truly upholding and developing Marxism.

马克思主义政党的先进性，首先体现为思想理论上的先进性。列宁指出：“只有以先进理论为指南的党，才能实现先进战士的作用。”当代中国正经历着我国历史上最为广泛而深刻的社会变革，也正在进行着人类历史上最为宏大而独特的实践创新。这是一个需要思想理论的时代，也是一个产生思想理论的时代。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，是当代中国马克思主义、二十一世纪马克思主义，是中华文化和中国精神的时代精华，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃，必须长期坚持并不断发展。在当代中国，坚持和发展习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，就是真正坚持和发展马克思主义。

The era is the mother of thought, and practice is the source of theory. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “For our Party, the world’s largest Marxist governing party, only when theory is strong can the direction be clear, the people united, and confidence sufficient. Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental basis for our Party to firmly believe in its faith and ideals and to grasp the historical initiative.” Emphasizing ideological Party building and theoretical Party building is a distinctive feature and glorious tradition of the Communist Party of China, and the advanced nature of our Party’s ideology and theory has been carried forward in the New Era. Since the New Era, we have withstood tests and challenges from political, economic, ideological, natural, and other aspects. The cause of the Party and the state has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations, propelling our country onto a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. The great achievements of the New Era have been fought for, worked for, and striven for by the Party and the people together. The key lies in the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On the new journey of the New Era, facing complex and severe international and domestic situations, arduous and heavy tasks of reform, development, and maintaining stability, and various uncertain and unpredictable risks and challenges, to realize the strategic goals set by the 20th National Congress of the CPC, there is an urgent need for the vast number of Party members and cadres to strengthen theoretical armament and improve theoretical thinking. The vast number of Party members and cadres must further deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, take the lead in doing a good job of deepening, internalizing, and transforming the study and implementation of this important thought, rectify the source and consolidate the foundation from an ideological perspective, continuously enhance political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identification with the Party’s innovative theory, build a solid foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of the spirit, and steady the helm of thought.

时代是思想之母，实践是理论之源。习近平总书记指出：“对于我们这样一个世界上最大的马克思主义执政党来说，理论强，才能方向明、人心齐、底气足。拥有马克思主义科学理论指导是我们党坚定信仰信念、把握历史主动的根本所在。”注重思想建党、理论强党，是中国共产党的鲜明特色和光荣传统，我们党思想理论的先进性在新时代发扬光大。新时代以来，我们经受住了来自政治、经济、意识形态、自然界等方面的风险挑战考验，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，推动我国迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程。新时代的伟大成就是党和人民一道拼出来、干出来、奋斗出来的，关键在于有以习近平同志为核心的党中央的坚强领导，在于有习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的科学指导。新时代新征程，面对错综复杂的国际国内形势、艰巨繁重的改革发展稳定任务、各种不确定难预料的风险挑战，要实现党的二十大确定的战略目标，迫切需要广大党员干部加强理论武装、提高理论思维。广大党员干部要进一步深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，带头做好学习贯彻这一重要思想的深化、内化、转化工作，从思想上正本清源、固本培元，不断增强对党的创新理论的政治认同、思想认同、理论认同、情感认同，筑牢信仰之基、补足精神之钙、把稳思想之舵。

Promote the Implementation of the Ideological Responsibility System with a High Degree of Institutional Awareness

以高度的制度意识推进意识形态责任制贯彻落实

Reporter: In terms of implementing the ideological responsibility system, what new and higher requirements does the new journey of the New Era place on us?

记者：在落实意识形态责任制方面，新时代新征程对我们提出了哪些新的更高要求？

Sun Laibin: The vitality of an institution lies in its implementation. Consciously respecting institutions, strictly implementing institutions, and resolutely upholding institutions—these are the clear requirements set by the Party Central Committee. The ideological work responsibility system is an important manifestation of strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over ideological work, and it is also an important manifestation of adhering to the fundamental system of upholding Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain. It must be resolutely implemented and carried out well.

孙来斌：制度的生命力在于执行。自觉尊崇制度、严格执行制度、坚决维护制度，这是党中央明确提出的要求。意识形态工作责任制是加强党对意识形态工作全面领导的重要体现，也是坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位这一根本制度的重要体现，必须坚决贯彻好、落实好。

Strengthen responsibility for positions. Positions are the basic foundation for ideological work. Universities and colleges are the front-line positions of the Party and the state’s ideological work. Young people are susceptible groups to various social trends of thought, and university campuses often become the bridgeheads of ideological struggle. In the ideological domain of universities and colleges, if mainstream values do not take root and grow, non-mainstream values will spread wantonly. Ideological and political theory workers in universities and colleges must be responsible for guarding their positions, responsible for managing them, and responsible for doing their utmost. Any contempt in attitude, any poverty in one’s own theory, is a failure of responsibility. At the same time, it must be noted that the widespread use of network information technology is a major practical situation currently facing ideological work. The internet has become an indispensable way of life and space for growth for young people, and it has also become the main battlefield for various ideological struggles at present. Managing and making good use of the internet is the key to seizing the high ground of ideological struggle under the new situation. Competent authorities must adhere to the principle that positive energy is the general requirement and that being able to manage is the hard truth, scientifically understand the laws of network communication, and improve the ability to use and govern the internet. Ideological and political theory workers must find ways to understand the ideological conditions, cognitive psychology, and reception habits of young people, in order to better meet their theoretical needs.

强化阵地责任。阵地是意识形态工作的基本依托。高校是党和国家意识形态工作的前沿阵地，青年是各种社会思潮的易感人群，大学校园往往成为意识形态争夺的桥头堡。在高校意识形态领域，主流价值观念不去扎根生根，非主流价值观念就会肆意蔓延。高校思想政治理论工作者要做到守土有责、守土负责、守土尽责。任何态度上的轻视，自身理论上的贫困，都是责任上的失守。同时，要注意到，网络信息技术的广泛运用，是当前意识形态工作面临的一大现实境遇。互联网已经成为青少年不可或缺的生活方式、成长空间，也成为当前各种意识形态争夺的主战场。管好用好互联网，是新形势下抢占意识形态斗争高地的关键。主管部门要坚持正能量是总要求，管得住是硬道理，科学认识网络传播规律，提高用网治网水平。思想政治理论工作者要想方设法了解青少年的思想状况、认知心理、接受习惯，以便更好地对接他们的理论需求。

Adhere to the simultaneous establishment and refutation. To continuously enhance the cohesion and leading power of socialist ideology, we must adhere to taking establishment as the foundation and simultaneously carrying out establishment and refutation. What is called “establishment” means raising the banner. As early as 1920, Comrade Mao Zedong profoundly recognized that “a doctrine is like a flag; once the flag is raised, people have something to look to and know where to go.” In the New Era, it means holding high the great banner of Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, and unremittingly using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to arm the entire Party, educate the people, and guide practice. What is called “refutation” means eliminating the influence of various erroneous trends of thought. The various social trends of thought and ideological viewpoints that appear in society today have different causes and different natures. Attention must be paid to distinguishing issues of political principle, issues of ideological understanding, and issues of academic viewpoint, adhering to specific analysis of specific problems, and solving whatever problem arises. For issues of ideological understanding, they should be resolved through persuasion and guidance, using ideological methods; for issues of academic viewpoint, theoretical principles should be thoroughly explained, and academic contention should be allowed and encouraged; for issues of political principle, there must be no ambiguity, and various erroneous viewpoints must be clearly opposed and resisted. As ideological and political theory workers, on these issues we must not only speak well, striving to educate people through culture and convince people through reason; we must also dare to speak up, not being ambiguous at critical moments, and not being unprincipled “good old guys.” For erroneous remarks that challenge the political bottom line, we must dare to draw the sword, effectively safeguarding national political security, cultural security, and ideological security.

坚持立破并举。不断增强社会主义意识形态的凝聚力和引领力，必须坚持以立为本、立破并举。所谓“立”，就是要举旗帜。早在1920年，毛泽东同志就深刻认识到“主义譬如一面旗子，旗子立起了，大家才有所指望，才知所趋赴”。在新时代，就是要高举马克思主义、中国特色社会主义的伟大旗帜，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装全党、教育人民、指导实践。所谓“破”，就是要破除各种错误思潮的影响。当前社会上出现的各种社会思潮、思想观点，成因各异、性质不一。要注意区分政治原则问题、思想认识问题、学术观点问题，坚持具体问题具体分析，是什么问题就解决什么问题。对于思想认识问题，要通过说服引导，用思想的办法解决；对于学术观点问题，要深入阐释学理，允许和提倡学术争鸣；对于政治原则问题，必须毫不含糊，旗帜鲜明反对和抵制各种错误观点。作为思想政治理论工作者，我们在这些问题上既要有话好好说，力求以文化人、以理服人；也要有话敢于说，关键时刻不含糊，不做无原则的好好先生。对于挑战政治底线的错误言论要敢于亮剑，切实维护国家政治安全、文化安全、意识形态安全。

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心