Always Uphold and Hold High the Theoretical Banner of Historical Materialism

The path determines destiny, and the banner guides the direction. The historical transformations of human society since modern times show that the social system a country or nation implements and the path of social development it follows determine that country or nation’s mode of existence and future destiny. The choice of a path of social development and a social system never emerges from nowhere; it originates in people’s (mainly political parties’) theoretical design. This is what people often mean when they say: raise what banner, and you walk what path. The direction of the banner is the direction in which people deepen their practice. On the question of historical outlook, world outlook and methodology, whether one upholds historical materialism or historical idealism, or some other conception of history, is an important watershed for measuring whether a political party adheres to a scientific view of history, a correct view of society and a scientific method.

道路决定命运，旗帜引领方向。近代以来人类社会的历史变革表明，一个国家、一个民族实行什么样的社会制度，走在什么样的社会发展道路上，决定该国家该民族的生存样式和未来命运。社会发展道路、社会制度选择，绝不是凭空而来的，它源于人们（主要是政党）的理论设计，这也就是人们常说的，举什么旗，就走什么路。旗帜的指向，就是人们实践深化的方向。在历史观、世界观和方法论问题上，坚持唯物史观还是唯心史观，抑或是其他史观，是衡量一个政党是否坚持科学的历史观、正确的社会观和科学方法的重要分水岭。

Historical Materialism Is the CPC’s “Core Competence”

唯物史观是中国共产党的“看家本事”

When we look back on the CPC’s century-long journey and look ahead to the path along which the CPC continues to advance, we naturally discuss the CPC’s revolutionary experience, governing experience and construction experience. Throughout its century-long history, the CPC has always attached great importance to summing up its own practical experience and historical experience. In summing up experience, the CPC has continuously achieved theoretical consciousness and practical consciousness, and continuously opened up a broad path for advance. When scientifically summing up the Party’s experience during the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Mao Zedong pointed out that the united front, armed struggle and Party building are the CPC’s “three magic weapons.” [1]1 The “three magic weapons” (三大法宝) is Mao Zedong’s summary of the CPC’s three key experiences during the New Democratic Revolution (1919–1949): the united front, armed struggle, and Party building. When incisively analyzing the CPC’s experience in leading revolution, construction and reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping pointed out that whether in revolution or construction, one cannot copy or mechanically imitate the experience or models of other countries; one can only integrate the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of one’s own country, take one’s own road, and build socialism with Chinese characteristics.

当我们在回望中国共产党百年历程，展望中国共产党继续前进道路的时候，总会很自然地讨论中国共产党的革命经验、执政经验和建设经验。在中国共产党百年历程中，一直都很重视总结自己的实践经验和历史经验。中国共产党在总结经验中不断实现理论自觉和实践自觉，不断开辟前进的广阔道路。毛泽东在科学总结党在新民主主义革命时期的经验时指出，统一战线、武装斗争和党的建设，是中国共产党的“三大法宝”。邓小平在精辟分析中国共产党领导革命、建设和改革开放的经验时指出，无论是革命还是建设，都不能照抄照搬别国经验、别国模式，只能是把马克思主义的普遍真理同我国的具体实际结合起来，走自己的路，建设有中国特色的社会主义。

Whether it is the “three magic weapons,” the “basic conclusions,” or the “fundamental experience,” in the final analysis these experiences are the CPC’s “hard skills” and the “only way” to achieve success. They are the special abilities that Chinese Communists are particularly good at and the source of strength for overcoming difficulties. If we go deeper to the theoretical level and look through the experience itself at its essence, it is the crystallization of wisdom from the successful application of historical materialism and its method. Therefore, from the height of theoretical consciousness and theoretical confidence, historical materialism is the CPC’s “core competence.”

“三大法宝”也好，“基本结论”也好，“根本经验”也罢，说到底，这些经验就是中国共产党的“硬功夫”和取得成功的“不二法门”，它是中国共产党人特别擅长的本领和攻坚克难的力量源泉。如果深入到理论层面，透过经验本身从本质上讲，它是唯物史观与方法成功运用的智慧结晶。因此，从理论自觉和理论自信的高度而言，唯物史观是中国共产党的“看家本事”。

Over the past century, the CPC and historical materialism have formed an inseparable “century-long bond.” Historical materialism provides the CPC with theoretical guidance and methodology. On the one hand, this comes from the theoretical consciousness and theoretical confidence inherent in the CPC’s class nature and revolutionary nature; it knows how to use historical materialism to solve China’s problems, form China’s solutions, and demonstrate China’s strength. On the other hand, it comes from the scientific character and thoroughness of historical materialism. It is the world outlook, historical outlook and methodology not only of the proletariat but even more so of Communists; only it can provide the world proletariat and human society with the path and method for “thorough emancipation.”

一百年来，中国共产党与唯物史观结成难解难分的“世纪情缘”，唯物史观为中国共产党提供理论指导和方法论。这一方面来自于中国共产党阶级性和革命性具有的理论自觉和理论自信，她懂得如何运用唯物史观解决中国问题、形成中国方案、彰显中国力量；另一方面来自于唯物史观的科学性和彻底性。它是无产阶级更是共产党人的世界观、历史观和方法论，只有它才能为世界无产阶级和人类社会提供“彻底解放”的道路和方法。

Over the past century, the CPC has led the Chinese people toward the world and toward modernization, moving steadily and with strong momentum. This stems from the fact that Chinese Communists greatly treasure and consciously apply the theory and method of historical materialism, and have accurately identified the problem-consciousness of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the practical gateway for transforming society. Chinese Communists have organically integrated Marxism with the more than five thousand years of Chinese culture, and organically integrated Marxism with the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, highlighting the power and value of Marxist truth and the enduring and distinctive features of Chinese civilization, continuously opening up and deepening the path of practice, and continuously broadening China’s path toward the future and toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

一百年来，中国共产党带领中国人民走向世界、走向现代化，行稳致远、势头正旺。这源于中国共产党人十分珍视、自觉运用唯物史观理论与方法，找准了马克思主义中国化的问题意识和改造社会的实践门径。中国共产党人将马克思主义与五千多年的中国文化有机结合起来，将马克思主义与中国特色社会主义实践有机结合起来，凸显了马克思主义真理的力量和价值，突出了中华文明源远流长的底色和特色，不断开拓并深化实践的道路，不断拓宽中国走向未来、实现中华民族伟大复兴的道路。

Over the past century, the ideological line, political line and Party-building principles that the CPC has adhered to “embody the world outlook and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism.” This is concentrated in the CPC’s century-long firm belief and practice of “emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts.” This has enabled the CPC to solve key and difficult problems in various historical periods, including the New Democratic Revolution, socialist construction, and reform and opening up, to avoid the path of “wholesale Westernization” or “closed-door and rigid” approaches, and to walk a new path of innovative development, thereby enabling the cause of the Party and the state to advance by breaking new ground.

一百年来，中国共产党坚持的思想路线、政治路线和建党原则，“凝结着辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的世界观、方法论”。它集中体现为中国共产党一百年来笃信笃行的“解放思想、实事求是”，由此解决了中国共产党在新民主主义革命、社会主义建设和改革开放等各个历史时期的重点难点问题，不走“全盘西化”或“封闭僵化”的道路，走在创新发展的新路上，从而使党和国家的事业得以开拓前进。

Historical Materialism Effectively Guided China’s Revolution, Construction and Reform and Opening Up

唯物史观有力指导了中国革命、建设和改革开放

The CPC has closely integrated historical materialism with the concrete practice of China’s revolution, construction and reform and opening up. This has not only formed the Party’s theoretical summaries, discursive expressions and discursive systems for each historical period and practical stage, but has also advanced with the times, profoundly and forcefully promoting the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context, and bringing historical materialism to new realms and new heights of theoretical development, thereby firmly standing at the commanding heights of theoretical innovation for the era. This is mainly reflected in several theoretical perspectives and dimensions of historical materialism.

中国共产党将唯物史观与中国革命、建设和改革开放的具体实践紧密结合起来，既形成了党在各个历史时期、实践时段的理论总结、话语表达和话语体系，又与时俱进、深刻有力地推进了马克思主义中国化，也将唯物史观带入理论发展的新境界、新高度，从而牢牢地站立在理论创新的时代制高点上。这主要体现在唯物史观的几个理论视域和维度上。

First, according to historical materialism, in choosing the path for leading China’s revolution, construction and reform and opening up, the Party has clarified its own historical position, historical stage and historical environment. Over the past century, at each important historical stage, the CPC has paid great attention to the relationship between goals and starting points, between ideals and reality, deeply analyzed the Party’s position and environment in specific historical stages, and organically combined revolutionary strategy and tactics. The Party has insisted on proceeding from the concrete historical environment, following the principle that “everything depends on the historical conditions in which it finds itself”; [2]2 This is a paraphrase of a principle from Marx and Engels, often cited in CPC texts to emphasize that historical analysis must be concrete, not abstract. insisted on proceeding from reality in everything and analyzing specific problems concretely; and organically integrated the historical development process with specific historical stages, universality with particularity, contingency with necessity, the principal contradiction with secondary contradictions, the principal aspect of a contradiction with the secondary aspect, etc., revealing and following the objective laws contained therein. Thus, the Party creatively put forward the general line and general objectives for the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the general line and general tasks for the period of the socialist transition, the basic line and focus of work for the primary stage of socialism, and the overall layout and strategic layout for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era; it chose the Chinese revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and finally seizing national victory; and it chose to take its own road and build socialism with Chinese characteristics.

第一，根据唯物史观，党在领导中国革命、建设和改革开放的道路选择上，明确了自己所处的历史方位、历史阶段和历史环境。一百年来，中国共产党在各个重要历史阶段上，十分注重目标和起点、理想与现实的关系，深刻分析党在具体历史阶段的方位、环境，将革命的战略和策略有机结合起来。党坚持从具体的历史环境出发，遵循“一切都取决于它所处的历史环境”原则；坚持一切从实际出发，具体问题具体分析；将历史发展过程与具体历史阶段、普遍性与特殊性、偶然性与必然性、主要矛盾与次要矛盾、矛盾的主要方面与次要方面等有机结合起来，揭示并遵循蕴藏其中的客观规律。由此，党创造性地提出了新民主主义革命时期的总路线和总目标、社会主义过渡时期的总路线和总任务、社会主义初级阶段的基本路线和工作重心、新时代中国特色社会主义的总体布局和战略布局，选择了农村包围城市，最后夺取全国胜利的中国革命道路；走自己的路，建设有中国特色的社会主义。

Second, according to historical materialism, over the past century, in the process of leading China’s revolution, construction and reform and opening up, the Party has closely linked itself to China’s national conditions, followed the universal laws in the social mode of production that the relations of production must correspond to the condition of the productive forces and the superstructure must correspond to the economic base, deeply analyzed and scientifically revealed the nature of modern Chinese society and the revolutionary objectives, the nature of Chinese society after the founding of New China and the development objectives, the forms of existence and changing characteristics of the principal contradiction in Chinese society since the new period, and the development objectives of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party has proposed that different focuses of work, policies, strategies and methods should be determined according to changes in the nature of society, holding that “policy and strategy are the life of the Party,” [3]3 This is a famous statement by Mao Zedong, emphasizing the decisive importance of correct policy and strategy for the Party’s survival and success. and that one should not “grab at the beard and the eyebrows all at once.” [4]4 “Grab at the beard and the eyebrows all at once” (胡子眉毛一把抓) is a Chinese idiom meaning to try to handle everything at once without prioritizing, which the CPC criticizes as an unscientific method. It has proposed that “revolution means the emancipation of the productive forces, and reform also means the emancipation of the productive forces,” and that “the essence of socialism is the emancipation and development of the productive forces, the elimination of exploitation and the polarization between rich and poor, and the ultimate achievement of common prosperity.”

第二，根据唯物史观，一百年来，党在领导中国革命、建设和改革开放的过程中，密切联系中国国情，遵循在社会生产方式中生产关系一定要适应生产力状况、上层建筑一定要适应经济基础的普遍规律，深刻分析并科学揭示了中国近代社会的性质和革命目标、新中国成立以后中国社会的性质和发展目标、新时期以来中国社会主要矛盾的存在形式及其变化特征和中国特色社会主义的发展目标。党提出要依照社会性质的变化确定不同的工作重点、政策、策略和方式方法，认为“政策和策略是党的生命”，不能胡子眉毛一把抓，提出“革命是解放生产力，改革也是解放生产力”“社会主义的本质，是解放生产力，发展生产力，消灭剥削，消除两极分化，最终达到共同富裕”。

Third, according to historical materialism, over the past century, in the course of leading China’s revolution, construction, and reform and opening up, the Party has always focused on and carried out all its work around the masses of the people, the most fundamental social subject. The Party has paid attention to organizing the masses, mobilizing the masses, relying on the masses, and respecting the masses’ initiative in practical work, taking the fundamental interests of the masses as the starting point and goal of the Party’s policy formulation, combining the masses’ long-term interests with their immediate interests, their fundamental interests with their practical interests, and their material interests with their spiritual needs. The Party established the founding principle of “serving the people wholeheartedly,” clarified the historical dynamic view that “the people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history,” set up the social values and social development view of “the people first, life first,” and proposed and implemented the mass line and working method of “everything for the masses, everything relying on the masses, from the masses, to the masses.” The Party places all its work and leading Party cadres under the supervision of the masses, “always trusting the people, relying on the people, and always taking whether the people support, whether the people approve, whether the people are happy, whether the people agree, as the starting point and destination for formulating policies and making decisions.”

第三，根据唯物史观，一百年来，党在领导中国革命、建设和改革开放的过程中，始终关注并围绕人民群众这个最根本的社会主体开展一切工作。党注重在实际工作中组织群众、发动群众、依靠群众、尊重群众的首创精神，以人民群众的根本利益作为党制定政策的出发点和落脚点，将群众的长远利益与眼前利益结合起来、将群众的根本利益与现实利益结合起来、将群众的物质利益与精神需求结合起来。党确立了“全心全意为人民服务”的立党宗旨，明确“人民，只有人民，才是创造世界历史的动力”的历史动力观，树立“人民至上，生命至上”的社会价值观和社会发展观，提出并践行“一切为了群众，一切依靠群众，从群众中来，到群众中去”的群众路线和工作方法。党把全部工作和党员领导干部置于群众监督之下，“始终相信人民、依靠人民，总是把人民拥护不拥护、人民赞成不赞成、人民高兴不高兴、人民答应不答应，作为制定方针政策和作出决断的出发点和归宿”。

Communists fully recognize that the Party’s cause is, in the final analysis, “the cause of the masses of the people,” and that they must “forever preserve the fighting spirit of the Chinese Communists at the time of the Party’s founding, forever preserve a pure heart for the people. No matter how far we go forward, we cannot forget the road we have traveled; no matter how far we go, no matter how glorious the future we reach, we cannot forget the past we have passed through, and cannot forget why we set out.” Everything for the masses, always for the masses, development for the masses, development results shared by the masses, adhering to a “people-centered” approach—this is both the original aspiration and founding mission of the Communists and the noble soul of the Communists.

共产党人充分认识到党的事业归根到底“是人民群众的事业”，要“永远保持建党时中国共产党人的奋斗精神，永远保持对人民的赤子之心。一切向前走，都不能忘记走过的路；走得再远、走到再光辉的未来，也不能忘记走过的过去，不能忘记为什么出发”。一切为了群众，始终为了群众，发展为了群众，发展成果为群众共享，坚持“以人民为中心”，这既是共产党人的初心使命，也是共产党人的高贵灵魂。

Furthermore, with regard to the forms and methods of social class struggle, the forms of social contradictions and methods for resolving them, social consciousness, social ideology, cultural inheritance and innovation, and cultural-ethical progress, over the past century the Chinese Communist Party has consistently applied the theory and method of historical materialism to analyze and solve practical problems, and has achieved innovative development results. These results are not only important content in the theoretical knowledge system of the Sinicization and innovation of Marxism, but also embody ideological vitality in both theory and practice. Therefore, the Chinese Communist Party’s unique “household skill” of historical materialism is a precious treasure of the Chinese Communists. Communists should always uphold and hold high the theoretical banner of historical materialism, combine the theory and method of historical materialism with the development of the times, with the trends of the world, and with the wisdom of the masses of the people, making it a “hard skill” and “good skill” that Communists constantly use and constantly renew. By always using the theory and method of historical materialism to understand history, observe reality, and deepen practice, we can draw on the wisdom of history, enhance our ability to steer practice, and “further grasp the laws and general trends of historical development, and always master the historical initiative in the cause of the Party and the state.”

此外，关于社会阶级斗争形式及其方法、社会矛盾存在形式及其解决方法、社会意识、社会意识形态、文化传承创新与精神文明建设等，一百年来，中国共产党都坚持运用唯物史观理论和方法对其进行分析、解决实际问题，都有创新发展成果。这些成果既是马克思主义中国化创新理论知识体系中的重要内容，更在理论上、实践上体现了思想活力。因此，中国共产党特有的唯物史观“看家本事”，是中国共产党人的宝贵财富。共产党人应始终坚持和高扬唯物史观理论旗帜，将唯物史观理论与方法同时代发展结合起来，与世界潮流结合起来，与人民群众的智慧结合起来，使之成为共产党人常用常新的“硬功夫”和“好本事”。始终坚持用唯物史观理论与方法来认识历史、观察现实、深化实践，我们就能汲取历史的智慧，增强驾驭实践的能力，“进一步把握历史发展规律和大势，始终掌握党和国家事业发展的历史主动”。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗