The Theoretical Implications and Intellectual Wisdom of the “New Form of Human Civilization”

In his important speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the concept of a “new form of human civilization.” He pointed out: “We have upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoted coordinated progress in material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, blazing a new and uniquely Chinese path to modernization and creating a new form of human civilization.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China*, People’s Publishing House, 2021, pp. 13–14. (Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China*, People’s Publishing House, 2021, pp. 13–14) The “new form of human civilization” takes the development of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as its basic premise, the progress of the “five civilizations” as its main content, and the exploration and development of the “Chinese-path modernization” as its basic process and goal. It enriches the scientific connotation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and embodies the intellectual wisdom of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the New Era.

习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上的重要讲话中提出“人类文明新形态”，他指出：“我们坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态。”（习近平：《在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上的讲话》，人民出版社2021年版，第13—14页）“人类文明新形态”以中国特色社会主义道路的发展为基本前提，以“五大文明”进步为主体内容，以“中国式现代化道路”的探索和发展为基本过程和目标，丰富了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的科学内涵，体现了新时代中国化马克思主义的思想智慧。

I. The “New Form of Human Civilization,” Based on the Change in the Principal Contradiction in Society Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Is a Summary of the Fundamental Characteristics of the Development Form of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

一、“人类文明新形态”，以党的十八大以来社会主要矛盾变化为根据，是对中国特色社会主义发展形态根本特征的概括

A correct understanding of the characteristics and essence of a social development form is based on the analysis and understanding of the basic contradictions in society, and in particular on the accurate judgment of the principal contradiction in society. The “new form of human civilization” is based on the CPC’s judgment of the basic contradictions in society in the New Era, especially the transformation of the principal contradiction in society. The principal contradiction in society in the New Era is the key to grasping and understanding the “new form of human civilization.”

对社会发展形态特征和本质的正确认识，是以社会基本矛盾的分析和理解为基础的，特别是以社会主要矛盾的准确判断为根据的。“人类文明新形态”是中国共产党对新时代社会基本矛盾特别是社会主要矛盾转化的判断为根据的。新时代社会主要矛盾是把握和理解“人类文明新形态”的关键。

Based on the reality of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics since reform and opening up, and especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, at the 19th National Congress of the CPC, made the judgment that the principal contradiction in Chinese society has been transformed into “the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” [2]2 The 19th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2017. Compared with the principal contradictions in society proposed at the 8th National Congress of the CPC and the Sixth Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, it can be seen that: after the 8th National Congress proposed the principal contradictions of “the contradiction between the people’s demand for the establishment of an advanced industrial country and the reality of a backward agricultural country” and “the contradiction between the people’s need for rapid economic and cultural development and the inability of the current economy and culture to meet the people’s needs” ( *Selected Documents of the CPC Central Committee (October 1949–May 1966)* , Vol. 24, People’s Publishing House, 2013, pp. 248–249), after 20 years of arduous exploration, the fundamental socialist economic system was generally established, the national economic strength was enhanced, and the basic needs of the people were gradually met. After the Sixth Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC proposed the basic social contradiction of “the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing material and cultural needs and backward social production,” after 30 years of hard struggle, on the basis of deepening economic system reform and rapid economic development, the people’s material and cultural needs leaped from mere subsistence to moderate prosperity in all respects. When the 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed the principal contradiction in society, socialism with Chinese characteristics was facing a New Era with more complete institutional guarantees, a more solid material foundation, and a more proactive spiritual force, striving towards meeting the people’s “needs for a better life.” By resolving these three principal contradictions in society, the CPC has forged ahead and continuously explored, simultaneously ushering in the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up and growing rich to becoming strong.

根据改革开放以来特别是党的十八大以来中国特色社会主义发展的实际，习近平总书记在党的十九大上作出了我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为“人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾”的判断。与之前党的八大和党的十一届六中全会提出的社会主要矛盾相比较，可以看到：八大提出“人民对于建立先进的工业国的要求同落后的农业国的现实之间的矛盾”“人民对于经济文化迅速发展的需要同当前经济文化不能满足人民需要的状况之间的矛盾”（《中共中央文件选集（1949年10月—1966年5月）》第24册，人民出版社2013年版，第248—249页）的社会主要矛盾之后，经过20年的艰辛探索，在总体上确立了社会主义根本经济制度，提升了国家经济实力，逐步满足了人民基本需要。党的十一届六中全会提出“人民日益增长的物质文化需要同落后的社会生产之间的矛盾”这一社会基本矛盾之后，经过30年的艰苦奋斗，在深化经济体制改革和经济快速发展的基础上，实现了人民物质文化从温饱不足到全面小康的跨越。党的十九大提出社会主要矛盾时，中国特色社会主义正面临发展更为完善的制度保证、更为坚实的物质基础、更为主动的精神力量，朝着满足人民“美好生活需要”方向奋进的新时代。通过解决这三次社会主要矛盾，中国共产党砥砺奋进、不断探索，同步迎来了中华民族从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃。

In dealing with and resolving the principal contradiction in society in the New Era, socialism with Chinese characteristics presents new characteristics in its development form.

在对待和处理新时代社会主要矛盾中，中国特色社会主义在发展形态上呈现新的特征。

First, the “needs” for a “better life” have been expanded to cover eight main aspects: material, cultural, democratic, rule-of-law, fairness, justice, safety, and environment. “Needs” play an important role, sometimes the primary and most important role, in the progress of human civilization and changes in its forms. In summarizing the factors in the progress of human civilization and the evolution of its forms, Marx took as a sequential process and transmission system “what their needs were and what their productive forces, mode of production, and the raw materials used in production were; finally, what relations between people arose from all these conditions of existence” ( *Marx and Engels Collected Works* , Vol. 1, People’s Publishing House, 2012, p. 227), with “needs” playing a foundational and tractional role. In his later years, Engels summarized the increasingly enriched connotation of “needs” under socialism as “the means of subsistence, the means of enjoyment, and the means for the development and exercise of all physical and mental faculties, in ever greater abundance” (ibid., p. 326). A “better life” encompasses the entire connotation of “needs” proposed by Engels. The “needs” for a “better life” in the New Era reveal the basic connotation of the comprehensive development of the individual and delineate the basic characteristics of the “new form of human civilization.”

第一，“美好生活”的“需要”得到拓展，涵盖了物质、文化、民主、法治、公平、正义、安全、环境等八个主要方面。“需要”，在人类文明进步及其形态变化中起着重要作用，有时甚至是首位重要作用。马克思在对人类文明进步及其形态演进因素的概述中，是以“他们各自的需要、他们的生产力、生产方式以及生产中使用的原料是怎样的；最后，由这一切生存条件所产生的人与人之间的关系是怎样的”（《马克思恩格斯选集》第1卷，人民出版社2012年版，第227页）为序列过程和传导系统的，“需要”在其中发挥着基础性的和牵引性的重要作用。恩格斯晚年把社会主义不断丰富的“需要”的内涵，概括为“愈益丰富地得到生活资料、享受资料、发展和表现一切体力和智力所需的资料”（同上，第326页）。“美好生活”涵盖了恩格斯提出的“需要”的全部内涵。新时代“美好生活”的“需要”，显示了人的全面发展的基本内涵，刻画了“人类文明新形态”的基本特征。

Second, relative to “needs,” the “unbalanced and inadequate” development prominently reflects the “supply” capacity and condition of the five major constructions: economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization. The “five major constructions” constitute the “supply” system for meeting the eight aspects of “needs” for a “better life.” Promoting the full and comprehensive development of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan is the fundamental basis and inevitable requirement for enhancing the “needs” for a “better life.” It is also the inevitable choice for the CPC in the New Era to “adhere to the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly,” “practice a people-centered development philosophy,” and “promote well-rounded human development and common prosperity for all to achieve more tangible and substantive progress” (Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China*, People’s Publishing House, 2021, p. 12). The dialectical development of the two aspects of the principal contradiction in society in the New Era constitutes the internal mechanism and fundamental characteristic of the formation process of the “new form of human civilization” in the New Era.

第二，相对于“需要”而言，发展的“不平衡不充分”突出体现的是经济、政治、文化、社会和生态文明五大建设发展的“供给”能力和状况。“五大建设”是满足“美好生活”八个方面“需要”的“供给”系统，推进“五位一体”总体布局充分的和全面的发展，是提升“美好生活”的“需要”的根本基础和必然要求，也是新时代中国共产党坚守“坚持全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨”“践行以人民为中心的发展思想”和“推动人的全面发展、全体人民共同富裕取得更为明显的实质性进展”（习近平：《在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上的讲话》，人民出版社2021年版，第12页）的必然选择。新时代社会主要矛盾的两个方面的辩证发展，是新时代“人类文明新形态”形成过程的内在机理和根本特征。

Third, the change in the principal contradiction in society in the New Era is a historic change affecting the overall situation of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. To raise the level and degree of the “needs” for a “better life,” it is necessary, on the basis of continuing to promote development, to focus on solving the problems of unbalanced and inadequate development. At the overall level, it is necessary to adhere to the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic strategy; to coordinate the advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy; to comprehensively deepen reform and opening up; to base ourselves on the new stage of development, implement the new development philosophy, and build a new development pattern; and to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country. When formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must dialectically understand and grasp the domestic and international situations, coordinate the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with the changes unseen in a century in the world, deeply understand the new features and new requirements brought about by the development and change of our country’s principal contradiction in society, deeply understand the new contradictions and new challenges brought about by the complex international environment, strengthen our awareness of opportunities and risks, accurately identify changes, scientifically respond to changes, and proactively seek changes, be brave in sailing against the wind, be good at turning crises into opportunities, and strive to achieve development that is of higher quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer” (Xi Jinping, *Speech at the Symposium of Experts in the Economic and Social Fields*, People’s Publishing House, 2020, p. 4). The “new form of human civilization” is the inevitable trend of the development of the principal contradiction in society in the New Era. It is closely linked to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, firmly connected to the second centenary goal planned and deployed by the CPC, and is also the inevitable form for the development towards comprehensively building a great modern socialist country.

第三，新时代社会主要矛盾的变化，是关系坚持和发展中国特色社会主义全局的历史性变化。要提升“美好生活”的“需要”的水平和程度，就要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，在全局上就要坚持党的基本理论、基本路线、基本方略，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，全面深化改革开放，立足新发展阶段，贯彻新发展理念，构建新发展格局，全面建成社会主义现代化强国。在编制“十四五”规划时，习近平总书记指出：“我们要辩证认识和把握国内外大势，统筹中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，深刻认识我国社会主要矛盾发展变化带来的新特征新要求，深刻认识错综复杂的国际环境带来的新矛盾新挑战，增强机遇意识和风险意识，准确识变、科学应变、主动求变，勇于开顶风船，善于转危为机，努力实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展。”（习近平：《在经济社会领域专家座谈会上的讲话》，人民出版社2020年版，第4页）“人类文明新形态”是新时代社会主要矛盾发展的必然趋向，它同新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义紧密地联系在一起，同中国共产党规划和部署的第二个一百年奋斗目标牢牢地连接在一起，也是面向全面建成社会主义现代化强国发展的必然形态。

II. The “New Form of Human Civilization,” After Achieving the Goal of Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects, Is a Scientific Summary of the Direction and Goal of the Development of “Chinese-Path Modernization,” and Also a New Form in the Process of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation

二、“人类文明新形态”，是实现全面建成小康社会目标后，对“中国式现代化”发展方向和目标的科学概括，也是中华民族伟大复兴进程中的新形态

The century-long journey of the Communist Party of China has been dedicated to the two historical tasks of “achieving national independence and the liberation of the people” and “realizing national prosperity and strength and the common prosperity of the people” (Selected Important Documents since the 15th National Congress of the CPC, Vol. 1, People’s Publishing House, 2000, p. 2). After the victory of the New Democratic Revolution and the completion of the first historical task, as soon as New China was founded, the CPC began to take the realization of socialist modernization as its banner, unswervingly striving to complete the second historical task. In September 1954, in his opening speech at the First Session of the First National People’s Congress, Mao Zedong put forward the goal of “building our country, which is currently backward economically and culturally, into a great country with an industrialized and highly modernized culture” (Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 6, People’s Publishing House, 1999, pp. 349, 350). The CPC deeply understood that “if we do not build a powerful modern industry, modern agriculture, modern transportation and communications, and modern national defense, we cannot shake off backwardness and poverty, and our revolution cannot achieve its goal” (Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, Vol. 2, People’s Publishing House, 1984, p. 132). In 1957, in his speech “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People,” Mao Zedong further clarified the important idea of “building our country into a socialist country with modern industry, modern agriculture, and modern science and culture” (Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 7, People’s Publishing House, 1999, p. 207). The grand goal of the “Four Modernizations” expressed the common aspiration of the people of all ethnic groups across the country and embodied the CPC’s determination to complete the historical task of “realizing national prosperity and strength and the common prosperity of the people.” At the First Session of the Fourth National People’s Congress held in 1975, the CPC proposed the goal of “comprehensively realizing the modernization of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology, so that our national economy can be at the forefront of the world” (Selected Works of Zhou Enlai, Vol. 2, People’s Publishing House, 1984, p. 479).

中国共产党百年历程，致力于“求得民族独立和人民解放”和“实现国家繁荣富强和人民共同富裕”（《十五大以来重要文献选编》上，人民出版社2000年版，第2页）两大历史任务。在新民主主义革命胜利，完成第一大历史任务后，新中国一经成立，中国共产党就开始以实现社会主义现代化为旗帜，矢志不移地为完成第二大历史任务而奋斗。1954年9月，在第一届全国人大第一次会议开幕词中，毛泽东提出“将我们现在这样一个经济上文化上落后的国家，建设成为一个工业化的具有高度现代文化程度的伟大的国家”（《毛泽东文集》第6卷，人民出版社1999年版，第349页、第350页）的奋斗目标。中国共产党深切感悟到：“如果我们不建设起强大的现代化的工业、现代化的农业、现代化的交通运输业和现代化的国防，我们就不能摆脱落后和贫困，我们的革命就不能达到目的。”（《周恩来选集》下卷，人民出版社1984年版，第132页）1957年，毛泽东在《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》的讲话中，进一步明确“将我国建设成为一个具有现代工业、现代农业和现代科学文化的社会主义国家”（《毛泽东文集》第7卷，人民出版社1999年版，第207页）的重要思想。“四个现代化”的宏伟目标，表达了全国各族人民的共同愿望，体现了中国共产党完成“实现国家繁荣富强和人民共同富裕”历史任务的决心。在1975年召开的四届全国人大一次会议上，中国共产党提出“全面实现农业、工业、国防和科学技术的现代化，使我国国民经济走在世界的前列”（《周恩来选集》下卷，人民出版社1984年版，第479页）的奋斗目标。

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, held in December 1978, decided to shift the focus of the work of the Party and the state to socialist modernization. In March 1979, Deng Xiaoping proposed a “new formulation” of “Chinese-style modernization,” arguing that “our main task for the present and for a considerable historical period to come is to engage in modernization. Whether we can achieve the Four Modernizations determines the destiny of our country and our nation. Socialist modernization is the biggest politics for us at present. In building our country now, we must also suit Chinese conditions and blaze a Chinese-style path of modernization” (Chronicle of Deng Xiaoping, Vol. 1, Central Party Literature Press, 2004, p. 502). The idea of “Chinese-style modernization” was the foundation for the “moderately prosperous society” (xiaokang shehui) simultaneously proposed by Deng Xiaoping; the “moderately prosperous society,” along with the subsequent implementation of “building a moderately prosperous society in all respects” and “completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects,” enriched the connotation and goals of “Chinese-style modernization.”

1978年12月召开的党的十一届三中全会，决定把党和国家工作的重点转移到社会主义现代化建设上来。1979年3月，邓小平提出“中国式的现代化”的“新说法”，认为“我们当前以及今后相当长一个历史时期的主要任务就是搞现代化建设。能否实现四个现代化，决定着我们国家的命运、民族的命运。社会主义现代化建设是我们当前最大的政治。现在搞建设，也要适合中国情况，走出一条中国式的现代化道路”。（《邓小平年谱》上卷，中央文献出版社2004年版，第502页）“中国式的现代化”思想是邓小平同时提出的“小康社会”的基础；“小康社会”以及之后实施的“全面建设小康社会”和“全面建成小康社会”，则丰富了“中国式的现代化”的内涵和目标。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the course of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the First Centenary Goal, and in the new course of continuing to advance the building of a great modern socialist country and continuing to achieve the Second Centenary Goal, they have endowed “Chinese-path modernization” with new connotations, giving shape to the historical foundation and spirit of the times of the “new form of human civilization.”

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，在决胜全面建成小康社会、实现第一个百年奋斗目标的历程中，在继续推进社会主义现代化强国建设、继续实现第二个百年奋斗目标新的历程中，赋予“中国式现代化”以新的内涵，成就了“人类文明新形态”的历史底色和时代精神。

The “Chinese-path modernization” of the New Era, taking as its guiding principle that China’s “unique cultural traditions, unique historical destiny, and unique basic national conditions have determined that we must take a development path suited to our own characteristics” (Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Foreign Languages Press, 2014, p. 156), has, in terms of its target connotation, formed a new goal of a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful; in terms of overall development, it has raised the new issue of modernizing the national governance system and governance capacity; in terms of strategic planning, it has elevated the new realm of a form of comprehensive social civilization development. Looking back on history, basing itself on reality, and looking forward to the future, General Secretary Xi Jinping has elevated upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and promoting the comprehensive and coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization into the new thought of “creating a new path of Chinese-path modernization and creating a new form of human civilization.”

新时代的“中国式现代化”，以中国“独特的文化传统，独特的历史命运，独特的基本国情，注定了我们必然要走适合自己特点的发展道路”（《习近平谈治国理政》，外文出版社2014年版，第156页）为圭臬，在目标内涵上，形成了富强、民主、文明、和谐、美丽的社会主义现代化强国的新目标；在总体发展中，提出了国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的新课题；在战略规划中，升华了社会全面文明发展形态的新境界。回溯历史、立足现实和瞻望未来，习近平总书记把坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明全面的、协调的发展，升华为“创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态”的新思想。

The “Chinese-path modernization” of the New Era endows socialist modernization with more outstanding development goals and more distinctive Chinese characteristics. In his new summary of the basic features of “Chinese-path modernization” in the new stage of development, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed: “Chinese modernization is the modernization of a huge population, the modernization of common prosperity for all, the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement in harmony, the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, and the modernization of taking the path of peaceful development” (Xi Jinping: “Grasping the New Development Stage, Implementing the New Development Philosophy, and Constructing the New Development Pattern,” Qiushi, Issue 12, 2021). This summary of five aspects is not only a summary of the characteristics of the Chinese-path modernization path but also a concentrated embodiment of the intrinsic stipulations of the “new form of human civilization,” binding “Chinese-path modernization” and the “new form of human civilization” more closely together in terms of connotation and characteristics. When summarizing the characteristics of past forms of social civilization, Marx pointed out: “The development of the abilities of one side is based on the restriction of the development of the other side. All civilization and social development up to now have been based on this antagonism” (Collected Works of Marx and Engels, Vol. 32, People’s Publishing House, 1998, p. 214). The “new form of human civilization” of the New Era, combined with “Chinese-path modernization,” opens up a new path and a new direction for the development of human civilization.

新时代的“中国式现代化”，赋予社会主义现代化以更加卓著的发展目标和更加鲜亮的中国特色。习近平总书记在对新发展阶段“中国式现代化”基本特征的新概括中提出：“中国现代化是人口规模巨大的现代化，是全体人民共同富裕的现代化，是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化，是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，是走和平发展道路的现代化。”（习近平：“把握新发展阶段，贯彻新发展理念，构建新发展格局”，《求是》2021年第12期）这五个方面的概括，既是中国式现代化道路特征的概括，也是“人类文明新形态”内在规定的集中体现，在内涵和特征上，把“中国式现代化”与“人类文明新形态”更为紧密地结合在一起。马克思在对以往社会文明形态特征概括时指出：“一方的人的能力的发展是以另一方的发展受到限制为基础的。迄今为止的一切文明和社会发展都是以这种对抗为基础的。”（《马克思恩格斯全集》第32卷，人民出版社1998年版，第214页）新时代与“中国式现代化”相结合的“人类文明新形态”，开辟了人类文明发展的新的道路和新的方向。

3. The “New Form of Human Civilization” Is a Process of Transformation from “Quantitative Change” to “Partial Qualitative Change” in the New Stage of Development, and a Comprehensive Summary of the Characteristics of the Development of the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and the Perfection of Its System

三、“人类文明新形态”，是在新发展阶段“量变”向“部分质变”转变的过程，是对中国特色社会主义道路发展和制度完善特征的全面概括

Forms of human civilization exist in different stages of the development of human society and in the process of successive development. The path and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics were formed and developed in the relatively backward and underdeveloped stage and process of economy and culture; “underdevelopment” has also been the basic state of socialist development. In 1959, Mao Zedong pointed out: “The stage of socialism may itself be divided into two stages: the first stage is underdeveloped socialism, and the second stage is relatively developed socialism. The latter stage may require a longer period than the former” (Collected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 8, People’s Publishing House, 1999, p. 116). Mao Zedong also believed that this stage characteristic of “underdevelopment” was by no means static but was constantly changing and developing: “All things always have a ‘boundary.’ The development of things proceeds stage by stage continuously, and each stage also has a ‘boundary.’ Not recognizing the ‘boundary’ means denying qualitative change or partial qualitative change” (ibid., p. 108). The process of “qualitative change or partial qualitative change” in the stages of social development is, on the one hand, “there is partial qualitative change within quantitative change; it cannot be said that there is no qualitative change during quantitative change; qualitative change is accomplished through quantitative change, and it cannot be said that there is no quantitative change within qualitative change”; on the other hand, “in a long process, before entering the final qualitative change, there must be continuous quantitative changes and many partial qualitative changes” (ibid., p. 107).

人类文明形态存在于人类社会发展不同阶段和接续发展过程中。中国特色社会主义道路和制度，是在经济文化相对落后的不发达阶段和过程中形成和发展起来的，“不发达”也一直是社会主义发展的基本态势。1959年，毛泽东指出：“社会主义这个阶段，又可能分为两个阶段，第一个阶段是不发达的社会主义，第二个阶段是比较发达的社会主义。后一阶段可能比前一阶段需要更长的时间。”（《毛泽东文集》第8卷，人民出版社1999年版，第116页）毛泽东同时也认为，这种“不发达”的阶段性特征，绝不是静止不变的，而是不断变化发展的，“一切事物总是有‘边’的。事物的发展是一个阶段接着一个阶段不断地进行的，每一个阶段也是有‘边’的。不承认‘边’，就是否认质变或部分质变”（同上，第108页）。社会发展阶段“质变或部分质变”的过程，一方面是“量变中有部分的质变，不能说量变的时候没有质变；质变是通过量变完成的，不能说质变中没有量变”；另一方面是“在一个长过程中，在进入最后的质变以前，一定经过不断的量变和许多的部分质变”。（同上，第107页）

During the new period of reform and opening up, Chinese socialism was still, on the whole, in a state of “underdevelopment.” In 1987, Deng Xiaoping proposed: “Socialism itself is the primary stage of communism, and we in China are still in the primary stage of socialism, which is the stage of underdevelopment. Everything must proceed from this reality and be planned according to this reality.” (Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping, Vol. 3, People’s Publishing House 1993, p. 252) In 1992, Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “We have only been building socialism for a few decades and are still in the primary stage. Consolidating and developing the socialist system will require a very long historical stage, demanding the unremitting hard work of several generations, a dozen generations, or even several dozen generations; we must never be complacent.” (ibid., pp. 379–380) Standing on the realistic foundation of the “primary stage,” Deng Xiaoping looked ahead to the “very long historical stage” needed to consolidate and develop the socialist system, reflecting his view on the protracted nature of the “primary stage” and the inevitability of its change and development.

改革开放新时期，中国社会主义在总体上还是处在“不发达”的状态中。1987年，邓小平提出：“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。”（《邓小平文选》第3卷，人民出版社1993年版，第252页）1992年，邓小平指出：“我们搞社会主义才几十年，还处在初级阶段。巩固和发展社会主义制度，还需要一个很长的历史阶段，需要我们几代人、十几代人，甚至几十代人坚持不懈地努力奋斗，决不能掉以轻心。”（同上，第379—380页）邓小平站在“初级阶段”的现实基础上，对巩固和发展社会主义制度还有“一个很长的历史阶段”作出瞻望，体现了邓小平对“初级阶段”的长期性及其变化发展的必然性的观点。

The primary stage of socialism, as China’s basic national condition, became the foundation for establishing arguments and the foothold for development in the new period; and the primary stage of socialism itself has been continuously developing in this process. Through unremitting struggle over more than 70 years since the founding of New China, especially over more than 40 years since reform and opening up, by the time the 13th Five-Year Plan concluded, China’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, comprehensive national power, and the people’s living standards had all risen to new levels. China has become the world’s second-largest economy, the largest industrial country, the largest trader in goods, and the largest holder of foreign exchange reserves; its GDP exceeds 100 trillion yuan, per capita GDP exceeds 10,000 US dollars, the urbanization rate exceeds 60%, and the middle-income group exceeds 400 million people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “In particular, the great historical achievement of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the historic achievement of solving the absolute poverty problem that had plagued the Chinese nation for thousands of years have milestone significance in the process of China’s socialist modernization, laying a solid foundation for China to enter a new stage of development and march toward the second centenary goal.” (Xi Jinping, “Grasp the New Development Stage, Implement the New Development Philosophy, Build the New Development Pattern,” Qiushi, 2021, Issue 12)

社会主义初级阶段作为中国的基本国情，成为新时期立论的基础和发展的立足点；而社会主义初级阶段自身，也在这一过程中不断发展的。经过新中国成立后70多年特别是改革开放以来40多年的不懈奋斗，到“十三五”规划收官之时，我国经济实力、科技实力、综合国力和人民生活水平跃上了新的台阶。我国已经成为世界第二大经济体、第一大工业国、第一大货物贸易国、第一大外汇储备国，国内生产总值超过100万亿元，人均国内生产总值超过1万美元，城镇化率超过60%，中等收入群体超过4亿人。习近平总书记指出：“特别是全面建成小康社会取得伟大历史成果，解决困扰中华民族几千年的绝对贫困问题取得历史性成就。这在我国社会主义现代化建设进程中具有里程碑意义，为我国进入新发展阶段、朝着第二个百年奋斗目标进军奠定了坚实基础。”（习近平：“把握新发展阶段，贯彻新发展理念，构建新发展格局”，《求是》2021年第12期）

The Communist Party of China has successfully opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, enabling China to catch up with the times in big strides, achieve a new historic leap in the process of socialist modernization, and is now striving to continue writing a new historical chapter of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. When formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan and the second centenary goal, General Secretary Xi Jinping made the judgment that we will be in a new stage of development for the next 30 years. The new stage of development is a stage within the primary stage of socialism in which we find ourselves, and it is also an important stage in the process of socialist development; it is a stage that, after decades of accumulation, stands at a new starting point. As 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 without much effort. Rather, it is a dynamic, proactive, and always vibrant process, a process of stepwise progression, continuous development and progress, and quantitative accumulation and qualitative change that increasingly approaches a qualitative leap. Comprehensively building a modern socialist country and basically realizing socialist modernization are both the requirements of China’s development in the primary stage of socialism and the requirements for China’s socialism to advance from the primary stage to a higher stage.” (ibid.)

中国共产党成功开辟了中国特色社会主义道路，使得中国大踏步赶上时代，实现了社会主义现代化进程中新的历史性跨越，正在奋力续写全面建设社会主义现代化国家新的历史篇章。在制定“十四五”规划和第二个百年奋斗目标时，习近平总书记作出今后30年我们将处在新发展阶段的判断。新发展阶段，是我们所处的社会主义初级阶段中的一个阶段，同时也是社会主义发展进程中的一个重要阶段，是在经过几十年积累、站到了新的起点上的一个阶段。正如习近平总书记指出的：“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。全面建设社会主义现代化国家、基本实现社会主义现代化，既是社会主义初级阶段我国发展的要求，也是我国社会主义从初级阶段向更高阶段迈进的要求。”（同上）

Engels believed that “the world is not to be comprehended as a complex of ready-made things, but as a complex of processes” (Marx and Engels Collected Works, Vol. 4, People’s Publishing House 2012, p. 250). The new stage of development, as “a process of quantitative accumulation and qualitative change that increasingly approaches a qualitative leap,” faces the arduous task of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics: using the time of three five-year plan periods to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035; and then using another three five-year plan periods to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of this century. The characteristic of the new stage of development as “a process of quantitative accumulation and qualitative change that increasingly approaches a qualitative leap” becomes the basic standpoint for understanding the intrinsic stipulations of the “new form of human civilization” and the basic marker for understanding the developmental direction of the “new form of human civilization.”

恩格斯认为，“世界不是既成事物的集合体，而是过程的集合体”（《马克思恩格斯选集》第4卷，人民出版社2012年版，第250页）。新发展阶段作为“日益接近质的飞跃的量的积累和发展变化的过程”，面临着坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的艰巨任务：用三个五年规划期的时间，到2035年基本实现社会主义现代化；再用三个五年规划期的时间，到本世纪中叶把我国建成富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国。新发展阶段所具有的“日益接近质的飞跃的量的积累和发展变化的过程”的特征，成为理解“人类文明新形态”内在规定的基本立场，成为理解“人类文明新形态”发展路向的基本标识。

IV. The “New Form of Human Civilization” Is Connected with the Process of Persistently Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, Reflecting Its Broad World Significance and the Common Values and Universal Characteristics It Contains

四、“人类文明新形态”，与坚持推动构建人类命运共同体过程相连接，体现了它所具有的广泛的世界意义及其蕴含的共同价值观和普遍性特征

The “new form of human civilization” is not only a generalization based on the particularity of the form of Chinese social development but also an understanding of the general characteristics of the form of human social development. The “new form of human civilization” is not only a category exclusive to China but also a reference to and absorption of all valuable intellectual resources in the development of human civilization, embodying Chinese wisdom in exploring the form of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “‘When Confucius climbed the Eastern Mountain, he felt Lu was small; when he climbed Mount Tai, he felt the whole world was small.’ [6]6 A classical allusion from Mencius, meaning that as one’s perspective broadens, what once seemed large becomes small; used here to urge a broader, higher vision in understanding world affairs. Facing the new situation of major development, major transformation, and major adjustment in the world, in order to better advance the cause of human civilization and progress, we must stand high and see far, correctly understand and grasp the world’s general trend and the tide of the times.” (Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Vol. 3, Foreign Languages Press 2020, p. 440) A community with a shared future for mankind embodies the universal characteristics of common values that the “new form of human civilization” possesses.

“人类文明新形态”不只是基于中国社会发展形态的特殊性的概括，也是对人类社会发展形态的一般性特征的理解。“人类文明新形态”不只是专属于中国的范畴，也是对人类文明发展的一切有价值的思想资源的借鉴和吸收，体现了对人类文明形态探索的中国智慧。习近平总书记指出：“‘孔子登东山而小鲁，登泰山而小天下’。面对世界大发展大变革大调整的新形势，为更好推进人类文明进步事业，我们必须登高望远，正确认识和把握世界大势和时代潮流。”（《习近平谈治国理政》第3卷，外文出版社2020年版，第440页）人类命运共同体，体现了“人类文明新形态”具有的共同价值观的普遍性特征。

A community with a shared future for mankind is an expansion of the understanding of the form of civilization within the scope of the world by the “new form of human civilization.” In the mid-1840s, when Marxism was founded, Marx and Engels proposed: “Human society will ultimately move from the history of individual nations to world history.” (Important Documents since the 18th National Congress, Vol. 2, Central Party Literature Press 2018, p. 6) In his important speech at the ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping regarded a community with a shared future for mankind as a continuation of the theory of world history in the contemporary era. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed: “We must examine the current trends of world development and the major issues we face from the height of world history, adhere to the path of peaceful development, adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace, adhere to a win-win strategy of opening up, continuously expand cooperation with countries around the world, actively participate in global governance, achieve win-win cooperation and common development at more levels and higher dimensions, neither attach ourselves to others nor plunder others, work together with the people of all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place.” (Important Documents since the 19th National Congress, Vol. 1, Central Party Literature Press 2019, p. 432) This exposition by General Secretary Xi Jinping embodies, in the broadest sense, the universal and general characteristics of the “new form of human civilization,” and is a scientific interpretation of the basic features of a community with a shared future for mankind from the perspective of the “new form of human civilization.”

人类命运共同体，是“人类文明新形态”对世界范围内文明形态理解的拓展。19世纪40年代中期，马克思主义创立的时候，马克思和恩格斯就提出：“人类社会最终将从各民族的历史走向世界历史。”（《十八大以来重要文献选编》下，中央文献出版社2018年版，第6页）在纪念马克思诞辰200周年大会上的重要讲话中，习近平总书记把人类命运共同体看作是世界历史理论在当代的赓续。习近平总书记提出：“我们要站在世界历史的高度审视当今世界发展趋势和面临的重大问题，坚持和平发展道路，坚持独立自主的和平外交政策，坚持互利共赢的开放战略，不断拓展同世界各国的合作，积极参与全球治理，在更多领域、更高层面上实现合作共赢、共同发展，不依附别人、更不掠夺别人，同各国人民一道努力构建人类命运共同体，把世界建设得更加美好。”（《十九大以来重要文献选编》上，中央文献出版社2019年版，第432页）习近平总书记的这一论述，在最广泛意义上体现了“人类文明新形态”具有的普遍性和一般性的特征，是从“人类文明新形态”上对人类命运共同体基本特征作出的科学阐释。

The connotation of a community with a shared future for mankind is the concentrated embodiment of the basic features and universal significance of the “new form of human civilization” in the development of world civilizational forms. The basic requirement of a community with a shared future for mankind lies in: “The international community should make efforts in such areas as partnership, security architecture, economic development, civilizational exchange, and ecological conservation.” (Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Press, 2017, p. 541) The corresponding main connotations lie in the “six commitments,” namely: commitment to dialogue and consultation to build a world of lasting peace; commitment to joint contribution and shared benefit to build a world of universal security; commitment to win-win cooperation to build a world of common prosperity; commitment to exchange and mutual learning to build an open and inclusive world; and commitment to green and low-carbon development to build a clean and beautiful world. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The future of the world should be decided by all countries, international rules should be written by all countries, global affairs should be governed by all countries, and the fruits of development should be shared by all countries.” (Ibid., p. 540) The connotation and thrust of a community with a shared future for mankind concentrate the basic connotations and specific requirements of the “new form of human civilization” against the backdrop of economic globalization.

人类命运共同体的内涵，是“人类文明新形态”的基本特征和普遍意义在世界文明形态发展中的集中体现。人类命运共同体的基本要求在于：“国际社会要从伙伴关系、安全格局、经济发展、文明交流、生态建设等方面作出努力。”（《习近平谈治国理政》第2卷，外文出版社2017年版，第541页）与之相对应的主要内涵在于“六个坚持”，即坚持对话协商，建设一个持久和平的世界；坚持共建共享，建设一个普遍安全的世界；坚持合作共赢，建设一个共同繁荣的世界；坚持交流互鉴，建设一个开放包容的世界；坚持绿色低碳，建设一个清洁美丽的世界。习近平总书记指出：“世界命运应该由各国共同掌握，国际规则应该由各国共同书写，全球事务应该由各国共同治理，发展成果应该由各国共同分享。”（同上，第540页）人类命运共同体的内涵及其主旨，集中体现了“人类文明新形态”在经济全球化背景下的基本内涵和具体要求。

Persisting in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is also the fundamental requirement and basic strategy of the “new form of human civilization” as it faces the world. The connection between a community with a shared future for mankind and the “new form of human civilization” conforms to such requirements as adapting to the trend of China’s economy becoming deeply integrated into the world economy, developing a higher-level open economy, and promoting the development of the international economic order in a direction of equality, fairness, cooperation, and mutual benefit. Relying on the process of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the “new form of human civilization” can, under conditions of deepening economic globalization, better coordinate the two overall situations of domestic and international development, and make good use of both domestic and international markets and resources. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The Chinese people will continue to march in step with the world and make greater contributions to humanity. We will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, actively develop global partnerships, firmly support multilateralism, and actively participate in promoting the reform of the global governance system, building a new type of international relations, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.” (Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Vol. 3, Foreign Languages Press, 2020, p. 194) Contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is the basic orientation and development strategy of the “new form of human civilization.”

坚持推动构建人类命运共同体，也是“人类文明新形态”面向世界的根本要求和基本方略。人类命运共同体与“人类文明新形态”相连接，顺应了我国经济深度融入世界经济的趋势，发展更高层次的开放型经济，促进国际经济秩序朝着平等公正、合作共赢的方向发展等要求。“人类文明新形态”依托推动构建人类命运共同体的过程，能在经济全球化深入发展的条件下，更好地统筹国内国际两个大局，利用好国内国际两个市场、两种资源。习近平总书记指出：“中国人民将继续与世界同行、为人类作出更大贡献，坚定不移走和平发展道路，积极发展全球伙伴关系，坚定支持多边主义，积极参与推动全球治理体系变革，构建新型国际关系，推动构建人类命运共同体。”（《习近平谈治国理政》第3卷，外文出版社2020年版，第194页）为构建人类命运共同体贡献中国智慧和中国方案，是“人类文明新形态”的基本指向和发展方略。

The thought of the “new form of human civilization” possesses profound epochal and historical significance. It concentrates the theory of scientific socialism concerning forms of social civilization, profoundly contains the nourishment of fine traditional Chinese culture, and draws on and absorbs the achievements and fruits of world civilizational progress. This thought is the theoretical crystallization and intellectual wisdom condensed by the Communist Party of China in the century-long struggle for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, especially in the process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. It is an important achievement in the development of Marxism in the 21st century.

“人类文明新形态”思想，具有深刻的时代意义和历史意义，它集中体现了科学社会主义关于社会文明形态的理论，深刻地蕴含着中华优秀传统文化的滋养，借鉴和吸收了世界文明进步的成就和成果。这一思想是中国共产党在中华民族伟大复兴百年奋斗中，特别是在新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义过程中凝结的理论结晶和思想智慧，是21世纪马克思主义发展的重要成果。

(The author is Vice Chairman of the Committee of Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education and Boya Chair Professor at Peking University)

（作者系教育部社会科学委员会副主任委员、北京大学博雅讲席教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心