The Guidance of Marxist Scientific Theory Is the Distinct Political Character and Strong Political Advantage of the Communist Party of China

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at a special seminar for major provincial- and ministerial-level leading cadres on “Studying the Spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Speech and Welcoming the 20th National Congress of the CPC”: “Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is our Party’s distinct political character and strong political advantage. Practice tells us that why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works is, in the final analysis, because Marxism works.” This important exposition by General Secretary Xi Jinping provides the fundamental guidance for us to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the important role of the guidance of Marxist scientific theory.

习近平总书记在省部级主要领导干部“学习习近平总书记重要讲话精神，迎接党的二十大”专题研讨班上指出：“拥有马克思主义科学理论指导是我们党鲜明的政治品格和强大的政治优势。实践告诉我们，中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行。”习近平总书记的这一重要论述，为我们更加深入全面认识马克思主义科学理论指导的重要作用提供了根本遵循。

1. The Choice of Marxism by History and the People Was the Great Choice of the Chinese Nation in Modern Times

1.历史和人民选择马克思主义是近代以来中华民族的伟大选择

The Chinese nation is a great nation, with a history of civilization spanning more than 5,000 years, and has made indelible contributions to the progress of human civilization. After the Opium War of 1840, China gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The country suffered humiliation, the people endured hardship, and the civilization was tarnished. The Chinese nation suffered unprecedented calamities. From that time on, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation became the greatest dream of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.

中华民族是世界上伟大的民族，拥有5000多年的文明史，为人类文明进步作出了不可磨灭的贡献。1840年鸦片战争以后，中国逐步成为半殖民地半封建社会，国家蒙辱、人民蒙难、文明蒙尘，中华民族遭受了前所未有的劫难。从那时起，实现中华民族伟大复兴，就成为中国人民和中华民族最伟大的梦想。

To save the nation from peril, the Chinese people rose up in resistance, and people with lofty ideals cried out and campaigned. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, the Hundred Days’ Reform, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Revolution of 1911 followed one after another, and various plans to save the nation and doctrines to save the world were put forward in turn, but all ended in failure. [1]1 The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement (1851–1864) was a large-scale peasant uprising; the Hundred Days’ Reform (1898) was a short-lived reform movement; the Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901) was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist uprising; the Revolution of 1911 overthrew the Qing dynasty. China urgently needed a new ideology to guide the salvation movement and urgently needed a new organization to unite revolutionary forces.

为了拯救民族危亡，中国人民奋起反抗，仁人志士奔走呐喊，太平天国运动、戊戌变法、义和团运动、辛亥革命接连而起，各种救国方案和救世学说轮番出台，但都以失败而告终。中国迫切需要新的思想引领救亡运动，迫切需要新的组织凝聚革命力量。

The key to what kind of doctrine a country chooses is whether that doctrine can solve the historic issues facing that country. During the period when the Chinese nation was impoverished, weak, and subjected to arbitrary bullying, various doctrines and trends of thought were tried. The capitalist path did not work. Reformism, liberalism, social Darwinism, anarchism, pragmatism, populism, syndicalism, and others “came and went in turn,” but none could solve the question of China’s future and destiny. [2]2 “Came and went in turn” (你方唱罢我登场) is a Chinese idiom meaning one act follows another, here used to describe the rapid succession of failed doctrines. Through repeated historical comparisons, repeated weighing of various doctrines and paths, repeated contests among various political forces, repeated tests in practice, and in the fierce struggle of the Chinese people against feudal rule and foreign aggression, the Chinese people chose Marxism and chose the Communist Party of China, which emerged from the integration of Marxism with the Chinese workers’ movement. It was Marxism, and it was the Communist Party of China armed with Marxism, that led the Chinese people out of the long night, established a socialist New China, led the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into an irreversible historical process, and led the Chinese nation to achieve a great leap from standing up and growing rich to becoming strong.

一个国家选择什么样的主义，关键要看这个主义能否解决这个国家面临的历史性课题。在中华民族积贫积弱、任人宰割的时期，各种主义和思潮都进行过尝试，资本主义道路没有走通，改良主义、自由主义、社会达尔文主义、无政府主义、实用主义、民粹主义、工团主义等“你方唱罢我登场”，但都没能解决中国的前途和命运问题。在历史的反复比较中，在各种主义、各条道路的反复权衡中，在各派政治力量的反复较量中，在实践的反复检验中，在中国人民反抗封建统治和外来侵略的激烈斗争中，中国人民选择了马克思主义，选择了马克思主义同中国工人运动结合中应运而生的中国共产党。正是马克思主义，正是用马克思主义武装起来的中国共产党，引领中国人民走出了漫漫长夜，建立了社会主义新中国，引领中华民族伟大复兴进入不可逆转的历史进程，引领中华民族迎来从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃。

The Communist Party of China is an advanced political party armed with Marxism. Marxism is the spiritual banner that guides the Communist Party of China from victory to victory. For more than a hundred years, Marxism has not let the Communist Party of China down. The spread of Marxism in China gave birth to the Communist Party of China, and its development in China armed the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party of China has not let Marxism down. The Communist Party of China has persisted in and developed Marxism in the East of the world, successfully defended Marxism during the low ebb of the world socialist movement, and successfully practiced Marxism in the world’s largest developing country. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology for building our Party and our country. To deviate from or abandon Marxism, our Party would lose its soul and direction. On the fundamental issue of upholding the guiding position of Marxism, we must be unwavering and cannot waver in the slightest at any time or under any circumstances.”

中国共产党是以马克思主义武装起来的先进政党，马克思主义是指引中国共产党从胜利走向胜利的精神旗帜。一百多年来，马克思主义没有辜负中国共产党，马克思主义在中国的传播催生了中国共产党，在中国的发展武装了中国共产党；中国共产党没有辜负马克思主义，中国共产党在世界东方坚持发展了马克思主义，在世界社会主义运动低谷期成功捍卫了马克思主义，在最大发展中国家成功实践了马克思主义。习近平总书记指出：“马克思主义是我们立党立国的根本指导思想。背离或放弃马克思主义，我们党就会失去灵魂、迷失方向。在坚持马克思主义指导地位这一根本问题上，我们必须坚定不移，任何时候任何情况下都不能有丝毫动摇。”

On the one hand, the Communist Party of China has not let Marxism down. Since its birth, the Communist Party of China has inscribed Marxism on its banner, shouldered the theoretical mission of defending, upholding, and developing Marxism, and Marxism has intrinsically been “transformed into” the ideological soul of the Communist Party of China. The “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century” adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC pointed out: “Over the past century, the Party has adhered to inscribing Marxism on its banner, continuously advanced adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, absorbed all outstanding achievements of human civilization with a broad mind, and used the scientific theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context to guide great practice.” [3]3 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee was held in November 2021; it adopted the third historical resolution of the CPC. Looking back on the Party’s history, the Communist Party of China has created the great tradition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, unswervingly advanced the great process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and produced great achievements such as Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It has written immortal chapters belonging to China in the monumental work of Marxism, contributed profound ideological systems to the world, and greatly enriched the treasure house of human thought.

一方面，中国共产党没有辜负马克思主义。中国共产党一经诞生，就把马克思主义写在自己的旗帜上，肩负起了捍卫、坚持、发展马克思主义的理论使命，马克思主义已经内在地“化”为中国共产党的思想灵魂。党的十九届六中全会通过的《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验的决议》指出：“一百年来，党坚持把马克思主义写在自己的旗帜上，不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化，用博大胸怀吸收人类创造的一切优秀文明成果，用马克思主义中国化的科学理论引领伟大实践。”回首党的历史，中国共产党开创了马克思主义中国化的伟大传统，始终不渝推进马克思主义中国化的伟大进程，产生了毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想等伟大成果，在马克思主义这部鸿篇巨制里写下了属于中国的不朽篇章，向世界贡献了深刻的思想体系，极大丰富了人类思想宝库。

On the other hand, Marxism has not let the Communist Party of China down. The Communist Party of China is an advanced political party armed with Marxist theory. When the theory thrives, the Party thrives; when the theory is strong, the Party is strong. For more than a hundred years, armed with Marxism and its latest achievements adapted to the Chinese context, the Communist Party of China has gradually grown from weak to strong, from a party leading the people in the struggle to seize state power to a party leading the people in holding state power, carrying out socialist revolution, construction, and reform, and governing for a long term. The reason why the Communist Party of China is great, glorious, and correct is inseparable from the guidance of Marxist scientific theory; the reason why the Communist Party of China remains forever young is inseparable from the arming of Marxist scientific theory; the reason why the Communist Party of China can accomplish the arduous tasks that no other political force in modern China could accomplish is inseparable from the strong political advantage of the guidance of Marxist scientific theory. Without Marxism, there would be no Communist Party of China today; without Marxism, there would be no Communist Party of China tomorrow. The Communist Party of China was established because of Marxism, thrives because of Marxism, and becomes strong because of Marxism.

另一方面，马克思主义没有辜负中国共产党。中国共产党是用马克思主义理论武装起来的先进政党，理论兴则党兴，理论强则党强。一百多年来，中国共产党在马克思主义及其中国化最新成果的武装下，一步步从弱小走向强大，从领导人民为夺取全国政权而奋斗的党，变为领导人民掌握政权，进行社会主义革命、建设和改革并长期执政的党。中国共产党之所以伟大、光荣、正确，离不开马克思主义的科学理论指导；中国共产党之所以青春永驻，离不开马克思主义的科学理论武装；中国共产党之所以能完成近代以来中国其他各种政治力量不可能完成的艰巨任务，离不开马克思主义科学理论指导这一强大政治优势。没有马克思主义，就没有中国共产党的今天；离开了马克思主义，也没有中国共产党的明天。中国共产党因马克思主义而立，因马克思主义而兴，因马克思主义而强。

2. The Reason Why the Communist Party of China Can Succeed Is, in the Final Analysis, Because Marxism Works

2.中国共产党之所以能，归根到底是马克思主义行

Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is our Party’s distinct political character and strong political advantage. The great achievements of the Communist Party of China over more than a hundred years of struggle are, in the final analysis, the great victory of Marxism. Since Marxism entered China, it has gone through a process of gradual adaptation to the Chinese context, leading the Chinese nation onto the correct path and creating great achievements worthy of history and the people.

拥有马克思主义科学理论指导是我们党鲜明的政治品格和强大的政治优势。中国共产党一百多年奋斗的伟大成就归根结底是马克思主义的伟大胜利。马克思主义进入中国，走过了一个逐步中国化的过程，引领中华民族走上了正确的道路，创造了无愧于历史、无愧于人民的伟大成就。

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, integrated the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with China’s specific realities, made theoretical summaries of a series of original experiences accumulated through arduous exploration and tremendous sacrifice, opened up the correct revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force, and founded Mao Zedong Thought. [4]4 The New Democratic Revolution (1919–1949) was the first stage of the Chinese revolution led by the CPC, culminating in the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This pointed the correct direction for winning the New Democratic Revolution, completely ended the history of old China as a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, completely ended the history of the rule of the vast majority of the working people by a tiny minority of exploiters, completely ended the situation of old China being a heap of loose sand, completely abolished the unequal treaties imposed on China by the great powers and all imperialist privileges in China, realized the great leap of China from thousands of years of feudal autocratic politics to people’s democracy, and created the great achievements of the New Democratic Revolution.

新民主主义革命时期，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，把马克思列宁主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，对经过艰苦探索、付出巨大牺牲积累的一系列独创性经验作了理论概括，开辟了农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的正确革命道路，创立了毛泽东思想，为夺取新民主主义革命胜利指明了正确方向，彻底结束了旧中国半殖民地半封建社会的历史，彻底结束了极少数剥削者统治广大劳动人民的历史，彻底结束了旧中国一盘散沙的局面，彻底废除了列强强加给中国的不平等条约和帝国主义在中国的一切特权，实现了中国从几千年封建专制政治向人民民主的伟大飞跃，创造了新民主主义革命的伟大成就。

During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, put forward a series of important thoughts on socialist construction, enriched and developed Marxism with new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments, led the people in completing the socialist revolution, eliminating all systems of exploitation, realizing the most extensive and profound social change in the history of the Chinese nation, realizing the great leap of a large Eastern country with a huge population that was poor and blank into a socialist society, and created the great achievements of socialist revolution and construction. [5]5 “Poor and blank” (一穷二白) is a Mao-era term describing China’s economic backwardness and low level of literacy and culture before socialist construction.

社会主义革命和建设时期，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人提出关于社会主义建设的一系列重要思想，以新的思想、新的观点、新的论断丰富和发展马克思主义，领导人民完成社会主义革命，消灭一切剥削制度，实现了中华民族有史以来最为广泛而深刻的社会变革，实现了一穷二白、人口众多的东方大国大步迈进社会主义社会的伟大飞跃，创造了社会主义革命和建设的伟大成就。

During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Chinese Communists with Comrades Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao as their main representatives, starting from new practice and the characteristics of the times, adhered to and developed Marxism, scientifically answered a series of basic questions concerning the development path, stage of development, fundamental tasks, driving forces, development strategy, political guarantees, national reunification, diplomacy and international strategy, leading forces, and relying forces of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, forming the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, including Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, achieving a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, advancing the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up to becoming prosperous, and creating the great achievements of reform and opening up and socialist modernization.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，以邓小平同志、江泽民同志、胡锦涛同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，从新的实践和时代特征出发坚持和发展马克思主义，科学回答了建设中国特色社会主义的发展道路、发展阶段、根本任务、发展动力、发展战略、政治保证、祖国统一、外交和国际战略、领导力量和依靠力量等一系列基本问题，形成了包括邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观在内的中国特色社会主义理论体系，实现了马克思主义中国化新的飞跃，推进了中华民族从站起来到富起来的伟大飞跃，创造了改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的伟大成就。

In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, Chinese Communists with Comrade Xi Jinping as the main representative, adhering to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, adhering to Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, profoundly summarizing and fully applying the historical experience since the founding of the Party, starting from new realities, established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, promoting historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the state, providing more complete institutional guarantees, more solid material foundations, and more proactive spiritual strength for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The Chinese nation has ushered in a great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong, creating the great achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

中国特色社会主义新时代，以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，坚持毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观，深刻总结并充分运用党成立以来的历史经验，从新的实际出发，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供了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，中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃，创造了新时代中国特色社会主义的伟大成就。

Practice tells us that the reason why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics can work is ultimately because Marxism works. The reason why the Communist Party of China has been able to accomplish the arduous tasks that no other political force in modern times could accomplish is precisely because the Party has always taken Marxism, this scientific theory, as its guide to action and has insisted on continuously enriching and developing Marxism in practice.

实践告诉我们，中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行。中国共产党之所以能够完成近代以来各种政治力量不可能完成的艰巨任务，就在于党始终把马克思主义这一科学理论作为自己的行动指南，并坚持在实践中不断丰富和发展马克思主义。

3. Let Marxism Display a More Powerful and More Convincing Truth Force on Chinese Soil

3.让马克思主义在中国大地上展现出更强大、更有说服力的真理力量

Although Marxism was born more than a century and a half ago, both history and reality prove that it is a scientific theory and still has strong vitality to this day. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Marxism profoundly reveals the universal laws of development of nature, human society, and human thinking, pointing the way for the progress and development of human society; Marxism adheres to the stance of realizing people’s liberation and safeguarding people’s interests, takes the free and comprehensive development of human beings and the complete liberation of humanity as its mission, reflecting humanity’s beautiful vision of an ideal society; Marxism reveals the essence, internal connections, and laws of development of things, is a “great tool of understanding,” and is a powerful ideological weapon for people to observe the world and analyze problems; Marxism has a distinct practical character, not only committed to scientifically “interpreting the world” but also to actively “changing the world.” In the history of human thought, no theory has had such a broad and profound impact on the progress of human civilization as Marxism.

马克思主义尽管诞生在一个半多世纪之前，但历史和现实都证明它是科学的理论，迄今依然有着强大生命力。习近平总书记指出，马克思主义深刻揭示了自然界、人类社会、人类思维发展的普遍规律，为人类社会发展进步指明了方向；马克思主义坚持实现人民解放、维护人民利益的立场，以实现人的自由而全面的发展和全人类解放为己任，反映了人类对理想社会的美好憧憬；马克思主义揭示了事物的本质、内在联系及发展规律，是“伟大的认识工具”，是人们观察世界、分析问题的有力思想武器；马克思主义具有鲜明的实践品格，不仅致力于科学“解释世界”，而且致力于积极“改变世界”。在人类思想史上，还没有一种理论像马克思主义那样对人类文明进步产生了如此广泛而巨大的影响。

After entering China, Marxism has demonstrated a powerful truth force and practical force, scientifically answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, guiding the Party and the people to create the great achievements of the new democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process.

马克思主义进入中国后展现出强大的真理力量和实践力量，科学回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问，指导党和人民创造了新民主主义革命、社会主义革命和建设、改革开放和社会主义现代化建设、新时代中国特色社会主义的伟大成就，实现中华民族伟大复兴进入了不可逆转的历史进程。

The adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has achieved major results, but it is far from over. The times are the mother of thought, and practice is the source of theory. Today, the breadth and depth of changes in the times and China’s development far exceed what the classical Marxist writers could have imagined at the time. Marxism does not end truth but opens up the path to truth. Marxist theory is not a dogma but a guide to action; it must develop with changes in practice, it must be adapted to the Chinese context to take root, and it must be localized to be deeply rooted in people’s hearts. Contemporary China is undergoing the most grand and unique practical innovation in human history. Facing new characteristics of the times and practical requirements, Marxism also faces the problem of further adapting to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Today, the theoretical mission of the Communist Party of China is to carry forward the great tradition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, listen to the voice of the times, more deeply promote the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, continuously open up new realms of 21st-century Marxist development, and let contemporary Chinese Marxism radiate even more brilliant truth. Looking to the future, practical development is endless, and theoretical innovation is endless. China’s socialism has only been practiced for a few decades and is still in the primary stage; the more the cause develops, the more new situations and new problems arise. As long as we are brave in promoting theoretical innovation by combining with new practice and good at using new theory to guide new practice, we will surely be able to let Marxism display a more powerful and more convincing truth force on Chinese soil.

马克思主义中国化时代化取得了重大成果，但还远未结束。时代是思想之母，实践是理论之源。今天，时代变化与我国发展的广度和深度远远超出了马克思主义经典作家当时的想象。马克思主义并没有结束真理，而是开辟了通向真理的道路。马克思主义理论不是教条而是行动指南，必须随着实践的变化而发展，必须中国化才能落地生根、本土化才能深入人心。当代中国正在经历人类历史上最为宏大而独特的实践创新，面对新的时代特点和实践要求，马克思主义也面临着进一步中国化时代化的问题。今天，中国共产党的理论使命就是发扬马克思主义中国化的伟大传统，聆听时代声音，更加深入地推动马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，不断开辟21世纪马克思主义发展新境界，让当代中国马克思主义放射出更加灿烂的真理光芒。展望未来，实践发展永无止境，理论创新永无止境。我国社会主义只有几十年实践、还处在初级阶段，事业越发展新情况新问题就越多。只要我们勇于结合新的实践不断推进理论创新、善于用新的理论指导新的实践，就一定能够让马克思主义在中 国大地上展现出更强大、更有说服力的真理力量。

Online Editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗