A Century-Long Review and Prospect of Chinese Marxist Political Economy

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. By reviewing the historical process of the CPC’s continuous exploration, innovation, and development of Marxist political economy over the past century, we can not only clearly see how our Party effectively enhanced its capacity and level of leading China’s economic development and how it created the “two miracles” of rapid economic growth and enduring social stability, but also understand how we will continue to create new and greater miracles in China’s economic development in the future and how we will constantly open up new horizons for Marxist political economy in the 21st century. This is of great significance as we stand at the new historical starting point of the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and stride forward toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

今年是中国共产党成立100周年。通过回顾中国共产党一百年来对马克思主义政治经济学持续探索、创新发展的历史进程，我们不仅可以看清楚过去我们党如何有效提升了领导我国经济发展的能力和水平，如何创造了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定的“两大奇迹”，而且可以弄明白未来我们怎样继续创造我国经济发展新的更大奇迹，如何不断开拓21世纪马克思主义政治经济学的新境界。这对于我们站在全面建成社会主义现代化强国的第二个百年奋斗目标的新的历史起点上，昂首阔步迈向中华民族伟大复兴具有重大意义。

The development of economic theory can both reflect the demands of practice and embody the characteristics of the times. Marxist political economy, grounded in constantly changing social relations of production and economic development realities, responds to the economic development needs of different eras, thereby continuously advancing theoretical innovation. It has been more than 150 years since the birth of Marxist political economy, and it itself presents a vivid historical picture. In particular, the innovative development of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in 21st-century China has injected vigorous vitality into Marxist political economy, revealing unprecedented bright prospects.

经济理论的发展，既能够反映出实践的要求，也能够体现出时代的特征。马克思主义政治经济学立足于不断变化的社会生产关系和经济发展实际，回应不同时代的经济发展需求，从而不断推进理论创新。马克思主义政治经济学从诞生至今已150余年，其本身就呈现了一幅生动的历史画卷。特别是马克思主义中国化在21世纪中国的创新发展，为马克思主义政治经济学注入了朝气蓬勃的生机活力，展现出前所未有的光明前景。

I. The Historical Process of Adapting Marxist Political Economy to the Chinese Context

一、马克思主义政治经济学中国化的历史进程

Ideas are the forerunners of action. The 100-year history of the CPC’s economic development is, to some extent, a history of promoting the innovative development of Marxist political economy. The CPC has always attached great importance to the study, research, and application of Marxist political economy, regarding it as an important theoretical basis for guiding China’s economic construction. As the complex and ever-changing domestic and international economic situations evolve, it continuously endows Marxist political economy with new contemporary connotations and steadily advances the adaptation of Marxist political economy to the Chinese context.

理念是行动的先导。一部中国共产党百年经济发展史，在某种程度上是一部推进马克思主义政治经济学创新发展的历史。中国共产党历来重视对马克思主义政治经济学的学习、研究、运用，并将其视为指导我国经济建设的重要理论依据，随着纷繁复杂的国内外经济形势的发展变化，不断赋予马克思主义政治经济学新的时代内涵，不断推动马克思主义政治经济学中国化向前发展。

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Comrade Mao Zedong creatively put forward the New Democratic economic program. After the founding of New China, in the process of exploring the path of socialist construction, Comrade Mao Zedong intensively studied *Capital* four times and presided over multiple special seminars on the Soviet *Textbook of Political Economy*, emphasizing that “studying issues of political economy has great theoretical and practical significance.” He put forward important views on developing China’s economy, including the theory of the basic contradiction in socialist society, the principles of overall consideration and attention to comprehensive balance, and the coordinated development of agriculture as the foundation, industry as the leading factor, and agriculture, light industry, and heavy industry in coordination. During this period, we also explored theories related to public ownership, socialist industrialization, the socialist planned economy, and distribution according to work, and conducted discussions on the research object of socialist political economy, productive forces and relations of production, the basic economic laws of socialism, and commodity production and the law of value under the socialist system, thereby promoting the continuous development of the adaptation of Marxist political economy to the Chinese context.

在新民主主义革命时期，毛泽东同志创造性地提出了新民主主义经济纲领。新中国成立后，在探索社会主义建设道路过程中，毛泽东同志先后4次集中研读《资本论》，多次主持专题研讨苏联《政治经济学教科书》，强调“研究政治经济学问题，有很大的理论意义和现实意义”。他对发展我国经济提出了社会主义社会的基本矛盾理论，统筹兼顾、注意综合平衡，以农业为基础、工业为主导、农轻重协调发展等重要观点。这一时期，我们还探索了关于公有制、社会主义工业化、社会主义计划经济和按劳分配的相关理论，开展了关于社会主义政治经济学的研究对象、生产力与生产关系、社会主义基本经济规律、社会主义制度下的商品生产和价值规律等问题的讨论，促进了马克思主义政治经济学中国化不断发展。

During the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Comrade Deng Xiaoping integrated the basic principles of Marxist political economy with the great practice of reform and opening up and socialist modernization. In this process, we adopted the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Economic System Reform,” which “produced a first draft of political economy, a political economy combining the basic principles of Marxism with the practice of Chinese socialism.” This clarified the essence of socialism, established the theory of the socialist market economy, elucidated the main characteristics of the mode of production and relations of production under socialism with Chinese characteristics, and put forward theoretical viewpoints such as the primary stage of socialism, the new-type industrialization path, the ownership structure of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and forms of public ownership, thereby promoting the in-depth development of the adaptation of Marxist political economy to the Chinese context.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设时期，邓小平同志将马克思主义政治经济学基本原理同改革开放与社会主义现代化建设的伟大实践结合起来。在此过程中，我们通过了《中共中央关于经济体制改革的决定》，“写出了一个政治经济学的初稿，是马克思主义基本原理和中国社会主义实践相结合的政治经济学”，明确了社会主义的本质，确立了社会主义市场经济理论，阐明了中国特色社会主义生产方式与生产关系的主要特征，提出了社会主义初级阶段、新型工业化道路、中国特色社会主义所有制结构和公有制形式等理论观点，推动了马克思主义政治经济学中国化深入发展。

II. The Outstanding Contributions of Socialist Political Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

二、新时代中国特色社会主义政治经济学的突出贡献

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed greater emphasis on promoting the continued development of the adaptation of Marxist political economy to the Chinese context. We have established the new development concept, put forward the judgment that China’s economic development has entered a New Normal, promoted the theory of coordinated development of new-type industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, and clarified the requirements for promoting social fairness and justice and gradually achieving common prosperity. Among these, the more representative theoretical contributions include: proposing “adherence to the major principles of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics,” forming “Xi Jinping’s economic thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era,” and emphasizing “developing socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics.” These achievements have not only opened up a new situation for China’s economic development in the New Era but also opened up new horizons for the development of Marxist political economy. In this process, we have not only mastered more scientific economic theories and methods, deepened our understanding of complex economic movements under new circumstances, grasped the ever-changing laws of socioeconomic development, and enhanced our ability to respond to various risks and challenges in the socialist market economy, but also made outstanding contributions to the development of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics for a New Era. These are mainly reflected in the following seven aspects.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央更加注重促进马克思主义政治经济学中国化继续发展。我们树立了新发展理念，提出了我国经济发展进入新常态的论断，推动了新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化协调发展理论，阐明了促进社会公平正义、逐步实现共同富裕的要求等。其中，较有代表性的理论贡献包括：提出了“坚持中国特色社会主义政治经济学的重大原则”，形成了“习近平新时代中国特色社会主义经济思想”，强调了“发展中国特色社会主义政治经济学”。这些成果不仅开辟了新时代我国经济发展的新局面，而且开拓了马克思主义政治经济学发展的新境界。在此过程中，我们不仅掌握了更加科学的经济理论和方法，深化了对新形势下复杂经济运动过程的认识，把握了不断发展变化的社会经济发展规律，提高了应对社会主义市场经济中各种风险挑战的能力，而且为新时代中国特色社会主义政治经济学发展作出了突出贡献，这主要体现为以下七个方面。

First, upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Strengthening the Party’s leadership over economic work and comprehensively improving the Party’s level of leading economic work is an inevitable requirement for upholding democratic centralism and an advantage of our political system. The Party exercises overall leadership and coordinates all parties; economic work is the central task, so Party leadership must naturally be fully reflected in the central task. By grasping this key link of the central task, other work can be better carried out.” Only by upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over economic work can we ensure that China’s economic construction always advances in the correct direction.

第一，坚持和加强中国共产党对经济工作的全面领导。习近平总书记强调：“加强党对经济工作的领导，全面提高党领导经济工作水平，是坚持民主集中制的必然要求，也是我们政治制度的优势。党是总揽全局、协调各方的，经济工作是中心工作，党的领导当然要在中心工作中得到充分体现，抓住了中心工作这个牛鼻子，其他工作就可以更好展开。”只有坚持和加强党对经济工作的全面领导，才能确保我国经济建设始终沿着正确方向前进。

Second, adhering to the people-centered development philosophy. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: “The people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle”; “Always take the people’s standpoint as the fundamental standpoint”; “We must strive to improve the quality and efficiency of development, better meet the people’s growing needs in various aspects, and better promote people’s all-round development and common prosperity for all.” This is a vivid interpretation of the people’s standpoint of Marxist political economy in the New Era. Adhering to the people-centered development philosophy is an important manifestation of the CPC members’ practice of their original aspiration and founding mission.

第二，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想。习近平总书记多次强调：“人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标”；“始终把人民立场作为根本立场”；“要着力提升发展质量和效益，更好满足人民多方面日益增长的需要，更好促进人的全面发展、全体人民共同富裕”。这是对马克思主义政治经济学的人民立场在新时代的生动诠释。坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，是中国共产党人践行初心使命的重要表现。

Third, adhering to the “two unswervinglys.” [1]1 The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, held in October 2020, adopted proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and long-range objectives through 2035. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that we must uphold and improve the basic socialist economic system, unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector of the economy, unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy, and promote all forms of ownership to learn from each other’s strengths, complement each other, and develop together. At the same time, the dominant position of public ownership must not be shaken, and the leading role of the state-owned economy must not be shaken. This is an institutional guarantee for ensuring that people of all ethnic groups in China share the fruits of development, and it is also an important guarantee for consolidating the Party’s ruling position and upholding China’s socialist system. This has important practical significance and far-reaching historical significance for improving the socialist market economy system and promoting the healthy and sustained development of the economy and society.

第三，坚持“两个毫不动摇”。习近平总书记强调，要坚持和完善社会主义基本经济制度，毫不动摇巩固和发展公有制经济，毫不动摇鼓励、支持、引导非公有制经济发展，推动各种所有制取长补短、相互促进、共同发展，同时公有制主体地位不能动摇，国有经济主导作用不能动摇，这是保证我国各族人民共享发展成果的制度性保证，也是巩固党的执政地位、坚持我国社会主义制度的重要保证。这对于完善社会主义市场经济体制、促进经济社会健康持续发展，具有重要的现实意义和深远的历史意义。

Fourth, adhering to adapting to, grasping, and leading the New Normal of economic development. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “China’s economic development has entered a New Normal. This has not changed the judgment that China’s development is still in an important period of strategic opportunity where much can be accomplished; what has changed is the connotation and conditions of this important period of strategic opportunity. It has not changed the overall positive fundamentals of China’s economic development; what has changed is the mode of economic development and the economic structure.” This not only clarifies the new characteristics and new requirements of China’s economic development in the New Era but also strengthens people’s confidence in the steady growth of China’s economy under the New Normal.

第四，坚持适应把握引领经济发展新常态。习近平总书记指出，“我国经济发展进入新常态，没有改变我国发展仍处于可以大有作为的重要战略机遇期的判断，改变的是重要战略机遇期的内涵和条件；没有改变我国经济发展总体向好的基本面，改变的是经济发展方式和经济结构”。这不仅明确了新时代我国经济发展的新特征新要求，而且增强了经济发展新常态下人们对我国经济稳步增长的信心。

Fifth, adhering to letting the market play the decisive role in resource allocation and better playing the role of the government. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Let

第五，坚持使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用。习近平总书记指出：“使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用、更好发挥政府作用，既是一个重大理论命题，又是一个重大实践命题。”这是新时代更好处理市场与政府在资源配置中相互关系的重要原则，从而为经济社会高质量发展提供了有力保障。

Sixth, persist in taking the advancement of supply-side structural reform as the main line of economic work. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “While appropriately expanding aggregate demand, we must focus on strengthening supply-side structural reform, on improving the quality and efficiency of the supply system, on enhancing the momentum for sustained economic growth, and on promoting an overall leap in the level of our country’s social productive forces.” This is an active choice to adapt to the new situation of competition in comprehensive national power after the international financial crisis, and a major innovation to adapt to, grasp, and lead the new normal of economic development.

第六，坚持把推进供给侧结构性改革作为经济工作的主线。习近平总书记指出，“在适度扩大总需求的同时，着力加强供给侧结构性改革，着力提高供给体系质量和效率，增强经济持续增长动力，推动我国社会生产力水平实现整体跃升”。这是适应国际金融危机发生后综合国力竞争新形势的主动选择，是适应把握引领经济发展新常态的重大创新。

Seventh, correctly understand and scientifically grasp the new stage of development, the new development philosophy, and the new pattern of development. After the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, held in October 2020, adopted proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and long-range objectives through 2035., General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important thesis on “grasping the new stage of development, implementing the new development philosophy, and building the new pattern of development.” He points out that entering the new stage of development, implementing the new development philosophy, and building the new pattern of development are determined by the theoretical logic, historical logic, and practical logic of our country’s economic and social development; we must accurately grasp the new stage of development, deeply implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the building of the new pattern of development, promote high-quality development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and ensure a good start for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country. This thesis elucidates the concepts, orientation, driving forces, goals, and principles of the CPC in economic development, and represents our Party’s scientific grasp of the laws of economic and social development in the new stage of development.

第七，正确认识和科学把握新发展阶段、新发展理念、新发展格局。党的十九届五中全会之后，习近平总书记作出了关于“把握新发展阶段、贯彻新发展理念、构建新发展格局”的重要论断。他指出，进入新发展阶段、贯彻新发展理念、构建新发展格局，是由我国经济社会发展的理论逻辑、历史逻辑、现实逻辑决定的；要准确把握新发展阶段，深入贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，推动“十四五”时期高质量发展，确保全面建设社会主义现代化国家开好局、起好步。这一论断阐明了中国共产党在经济发展方面的理念、导向、动力、目标、原则，是我们党对新发展阶段经济社会发展规律的科学把握。

These outstanding contributions are both the fruits of the development of Marxist political economy in the New Era and the achievements of adapting Marxist political economy to the Chinese context. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC, based on the complex domestic and international economic development environment, has summarized new characteristics and new laws of economic development, and elevated the regular achievements of China’s economic development practice into a systematized socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, thereby continuously opening up new realms for the development of contemporary Chinese political economy.

这些突出贡献既是新时代马克思主义政治经济学发展的成果，也是马克思主义政治经济学中国化的成就。党的十八大以来，中国共产党立足于纷繁复杂的国内外经济发展环境，总结经济发展新特点新规律，把中国经济发展实践的规律性成果上升为系统化的中国特色社会主义政治经济学，从而不断开拓当代中国政治经济学发展的新境界。

III. Prospects for the Development of Chinese Marxist Political Economy

三、中国马克思主义政治经济学发展的前景展望

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Practice is the source of theory. We have completed in a few decades the development process that took developed countries several hundred years. Our country’s economic development process is magnificent, and its achievements are world-renowned, containing enormous driving force, vitality, and potential for theoretical creation.” Currently, both the world economy and our country’s economy face many new major issues that require scientific theoretical answers. The theory of Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics, set against the background of the “Chinese miracle,” provides a “Chinese solution” for the high-quality economic development of countries around the world and will inevitably contribute more wisdom and strength to the innovative development of Marxist political economy.

习近平总书记指出：“实践是理论的源泉。我们用几十年的时间走完了发达国家几百年走过的发展历程，我国经济发展进程波澜壮阔、成就举世瞩目，蕴藏着理论创造的巨大动力、活力、潜力。”当前，世界经济和我国经济都面临许多新的重大课题，需要作出科学的理论回答。中国特色马克思主义政治经济学理论以“中国奇迹”为背景，为世界各国经济高质量发展提供了“中国方案”，必将为马克思主义政治经济学的创新发展贡献更多智慧和力量。

First, summarize great practical experience. Transform the practical achievements of adapting Marxist political economy to the Chinese context into a systematized Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics, thereby better guiding China’s high-quality economic development and realizing a positive interaction between Marxist political economy and China’s economic development. Facing the ever-changing world economic development environment, we must be good at “proceeding from the current economic facts of the nation,” that is, starting from the real economic relations, economic movements, and economic problems, and continue to promote the innovative development of Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics.

一是总结伟大实践经验。把马克思主义政治经济学中国化的实践成果转化为系统化的中国特色马克思主义政治经济学，从而更好指导中国经济高质量发展，实现马克思主义政治经济学和中国经济发展的良性互动。面对不断发展变化的世界经济发展环境，我们要善于“从当前的国民经济的事实出发”，即从现实的经济关系、经济运动、经济问题出发，继续推进中国特色马克思主义政治经济学创新发展。

Second, grasp the major issues of the era. To develop Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics, we must keep pace with the times, clarify the problems of the times, and look forward to the prospects of the times. “Fundamentally, it is necessary to master scientific economic analysis methods, understand the process of economic operation, grasp the laws of social and economic development, improve the ability to manage the socialist market economy, and enhance the ability and level to lead our country’s economic development.” This requires us to pay close attention to how to take the new path of Chinese-path modernization and create a new form of human civilization, using the innovative theories of Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics to promote high-quality economic and social development.

二是把握重大时代课题。发展中国特色马克思主义政治经济学，要紧跟时代步伐、明确时代问题、展望时代前景，“在根本上就是要掌握科学的经济分析方法，认识经济运行过程，把握社会经济发展规律，提高驾驭社会主义市场经济能力，提高领导我国经济发展能力和水平”。这就要求我们高度关注如何走好中国式现代化新道路、创造人类文明新形态，运用中国特色马克思主义政治经济学的创新理论，推动经济社会高质量发展。

Third, face the global governance system. With the accelerated evolution of changes unseen in a century, promoting the development of the global governance system in a more just and reasonable direction meets the common needs of all countries in the world. Against the background of profound changes in both opportunities and challenges, economic globalization is encountering headwinds, and international economic linkages are being hindered. By leading the reform of the global governance system with Marxist political economy with Chinese characteristics and promoting division of labor, cooperation, and mutual benefit among countries, 21st-century China will surely have great potential and achieve great success.

三是面向世界治理体系。随着世界百年未有之大变局的加速演变，推动全球治理体系朝着更加公正合理的方向发展，符合世界各国的普遍需求。在机遇和挑战都已经发生深刻变化的时代背景下，经济全球化遭遇逆流，国际经济联通受到阻碍，以中国特色马克思主义政治经济学引领世界治理体系变革，促进各国分工合作、互利共赢，21世纪中国必将大有可为、大有作为。

(The author is Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism, Northeast University)

（作者系东北大学马克思主义学院院长、教授）

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