The History of Reform and Opening Up: The Key Logical Pathway for Education on Common Ideals and Convictions

“History is the best textbook” and “history is the best teacher.” Clarifying from a scholarly perspective what key logical pathway the history of reform and opening up contains for education on common ideals and convictions holds significant methodological importance for university teachers in ideological and political theory courses to educate students in strengthening their common ideals and convictions.

“历史是最好的教科书”“历史是最好的老师”。从学理上搞清改革开放史对共同理想信念教育蕴含着怎样关键的逻辑理路，对于高校教师在思政课上教育学生坚定共同理想信念具有重要方法论意义。

I. Embedding Education on Common Ideals and Convictions in the History of Reform and Opening Up Contains a Rich Philosophical Pathway

一、将共同理想信念教育植入改革开放史蕴含着丰富的哲学理路

The philosophical pathway is the fundamental basis for the scientific nature of the teaching content and methods in ideological and political theory courses. These courses are not about coercive, empty indoctrination; teachers of such courses must be adept at discovering the philosophical pathway within the teaching content and methods. This is the prerequisite for these courses to possess powerful appeal.

哲学理路就是思政课教学内容与教学方法科学性的根本依据。思政课不是强制空洞的灌输，思政课教师要善于发现教学内容与方法的哲学理路，这是思政课具有强大魅力的前提。

First, it is an inherent requirement of the unity of logic and history within Marxist epistemology. The logic of understanding in the common ideals and convictions of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the understanding of objective laws within socialism with Chinese characteristics. This understanding of objective laws constitutes the core scholarly content of university students’ common ideals and convictions, manifested in two aspects: first, as the scientific theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics; second, as the methodological principles for how to summarize and refine this scientific theory. However, logic must follow the historical process of development. Educating university students in the common ideals and convictions of socialism with Chinese characteristics must therefore return to the historical process of reform and opening up. As the saying goes, “The further development of the thought process is merely the reflection of the historical process in abstract, theoretically consistent form.” [1]1 A paraphrase of Friedrich Engels’s formulation in his review of Karl Marx’s *A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy* (1859), describing the relationship between logical exposition and historical development. Returning the abstract scholarly content of common ideals and convictions to the tortuous, vivid, and concrete history of reform and opening up will subtly guide university students to strengthen their political commitment to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Clearly, the dialectical law of the unity of logic and history is the inherent requirement for us to embed education on common ideals and convictions in the history of reform and opening up.

第一，是马克思主义认识论中逻辑与历史相统一的内在要求。中国特色社会主义共同理想信念中认识的逻辑就是中国特色社会主义中的客观规律性认识，这个客观规律性认识，就是大学生共同理想信念中学理性的核心内容，一是表现为中国特色社会主义的科学理论；二是表现为如何总结提炼这种科学理论的方法原则。然而，逻辑必须遵循历史的发展进程，对大学生进行中国特色社会主义共同理想信念教育就必须回归到改革开放的历史进程中去。正所谓“思想进程的进一步发展不过是历史过程在抽象的、理论上前后一贯的形式上的反映”。把共同理想信念中抽象的学理性搬回到曲折迂回、生动具体的改革开放历史中去，就会润物细无声地引导大学生坚定走中国特色社会主义道路的政治性。显而易见，逻辑与历史相统一的辩证规律是我们把共同理想信念教育置于改革开放史的内在要求。

Second, it is a necessary requirement for following the interdependence of essence and phenomenon in objective things. Essence reflects the fundamental attributes of a thing and is the internal connection among its internal elements, i.e., objective laws. Phenomenon is the external manifestation of a thing’s essence, i.e., the stage-specific features, figures, and events that appear in the historical process of reform and opening up. Phenomenon and essence are interdependent: essence determines phenomenon, and phenomenon manifests essence. The Communist Party of China led the people in initiating the great undertaking of reform and opening up and blazed the path of socialist construction with Chinese characteristics. In this process, the CPC, in accordance with changes in the domestic and international situation and closely integrated with the requirements of the times, continuously introduced a series of major policies and strategies, developed socialism with Chinese characteristics in step with the times, and achieved fundamental historic accomplishments. More valuably, it revitalized the international communist movement, which was in a period of low ebb, in China. The reason for this lies in the scientific understanding that the Party and the people have always followed the essence of the inherent objective laws of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Requiring university students to grasp and deeply understand these abstract and dry essential laws in ideological and political theory courses is clearly not easy. Only by placing these abstract and dry essential laws within the historical phenomena of reform and opening up, using historical figures and historical facts to restore the essential content, making it concrete and vivid, and endowing it with historical weight and impact, can students be moved, can common ideals and convictions enter their hearts and minds, and can the political guiding effect of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics be realized.

第二，是遵循客观事物本质与现象相互依存的应然要求。本质反映着事物的根本属性，是事物内部要素之间的内在联系也就是客观规律。现象是事物本质的外在表现也就是改革开放历史进程中出现的阶段性特征、人物与事件。现象与本质相互依存，本质决定现象、现象表现本质。中国共产党带领人民开启了改革开放这一伟大壮举，开辟了中国特色的社会主义建设道路。在这个过程中，中国共产党根据国内外形势的变化，紧密结合时代发展的要求，不断地推出一系列重大方针战略，与时俱进发展中国特色社会主义，取得了根本历史性成就。更可贵的是使处于低潮时期国际共产主义运动在中国焕发出蓬勃生机。究其原因，是党带领人民始终遵循中国特色社会主义内在客观规律性这一本质的科学认识。要求大学生在思政课中对这抽象枯燥的本质规律掌握和深刻理解，显然不容易。只有把这抽象枯燥的本质规律放在改革开放历史现象中去，用历史人物、历史事实把本质内容还原，使之具体生动化，赋予其历史厚重与震撼，这样才能打动学生，共同理想信念才能入心入脑，才能体现中国特色社会主义道路的政治引领效果。

II. Embedding Education on Common Ideals and Convictions in the History of Reform and Opening Up Follows the Primary Methodological Principle of Ideological and Political Theory Courses

二、将共同理想信念教育植入改革开放史遵循了思政课首要的教学方法原则

The first methodological principle of teaching ideological and political theory courses is to adhere to the unity of political orientation and scholarly reasoning. This fully embodies the organic unity of the laws of political course education and teaching, the laws of academic research, the laws of student growth and development, and the laws of ideological propaganda and education. Adhering to the unity of political orientation and scholarly reasoning is placed first in the reform and innovation of teaching in ideological and political theory courses and occupies a leading position.

思政课教学的第一个方法原则，就是坚持政治性和学理性相统一，这充分体现了政治课教育教学规律、学术研究规律、学生成才成长规律以及意识形态宣传教育规律的有机统一。坚持政治性和学理性相统一摆在思政课教学改革创新首位，处于统领地位。

First, the scholarly reasoning of combining the history of reform and opening up with common ideals and convictions. The fundamental reason why the common ideals and convictions of socialism with Chinese characteristics possess powerful truth-based persuasiveness, value-based appeal, emotional affinity, and action-guiding force lies in whether their scholarly reasoning is scientific. On the basis of adhering to the fundamental principles of Marxism, socialism with Chinese characteristics, in accordance with the national conditions at the beginning of reform and opening up, insisted on emancipating the mind, working hard to rejuvenate the country, and putting the people first. In practice, it applied the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method rooted in Chinese soil, without rigidly adhering to bookish dogmas, taking development as the absolute principle, [2]2 A famous slogan from Deng Xiaoping’s talks during the early reform period, emphasizing economic growth as the primary task. refraining from abstract debates over “socialism” or “capitalism,” closely integrating changes in the domestic and international situation since reform and opening up, closely linking the stage-specific features of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, taking practice as the criterion for testing, constantly responding to the challenges of the times, and summarizing these practical experiences. Therefore, the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a truth constantly tested and developed in practice, possessing powerful theoretical persuasiveness, historical penetrating power, and spiritual impact, and has the scientific truthfulness of distinct practicality.

第一，改革开放史与共同理想信念相结合的学理性。中国特色社会主义共同理想信念之所以具有强大的真理说服力、价值感召力、情感亲和力、行动引领力，根本原因在于它的学理性是否具有科学性。中国特色社会主义在坚守马克思主义基本原理的基础上，依据改革开放之初国情，坚持解放思想、实干兴邦、人民至上。在实践上运用马克思主义的立场观点方法扎根于中国大地，不拘泥于书本教条，以发展是硬道理，不搞抽象的“姓资”“姓社”的争论，紧密结合改革开放以来国内外形势的变化，密切联系中国特色社会主义发展的阶段性特征，以实践作为检验标准，不断回应时代挑战，并对这些实践经验进行经验总结。因此，中国特色社会主义共同理想是在实践中不断检验与发展的真理，具有强大的理论说服力、历史穿透力、心灵震撼力，具有鲜明实践性的科学真理性。

Second, the political orientation of combining the history of reform and opening up with common ideals and convictions. Education on the ideals and convictions of socialism with Chinese characteristics must take a clear stand on politics; political guidance is its basic function and core requirement. Since reform and opening up, we have always maintained a clear political mind, always adhered to the leadership of the Party, adhered to a people-centered approach, and insisted on uniting and mobilizing all positive factors to achieve the great rejuvenation of the nation. As the saying goes, “Fear not the floating clouds that block our view, for we are firmly set on the green hills.” [3]3 A classical Chinese poetic couplet from Wang Anshi’s (Song Dynasty) poem “Climbing Feilai Peak,” often cited by Xi Jinping The fact that we did not commit the “subversive mistakes” [4] of the Eastern European socialist countries and overcame challenges and risks from all sides is inseparable from adhering to the political orientation within common ideals and convictions. “Conviction in socialism with Chinese characteristics is the political soul of Communists and the spiritual pillar that enables Communists to withstand any test.” [5] Therefore, we must fully leverage the political guidance of the ideals and convictions of socialism with Chinese characteristics, using correct values to shape and educate generation after generation of reliable socialist successors with firm political stance, steadfast political direction, and solid political consciousness, so that students deeply believe that only socialism can save China, and only by upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation be achieved.

第二，改革开放史与共同理想信念相结合的政治性。中国特色社会主义理想信念教育要旗帜鲜明讲政治，政治引领是其基本功能和核心要求。改革开放以来，我们始终保持清醒的政治头脑，始终坚持党的领导，坚持以人民为中心，坚持团结与调动一切积极因素来实现民族伟大复兴，正所谓“不畏浮云遮望眼，咬定青山不放松”。我们没有像东欧社会主义国家那样犯了“颠覆性错误”，战胜了来自各个方面的挑战与风险，与坚持共同理想信念中的政治性分不开的。“对中国特色社会主义的信念，是共产党人的政治灵魂，是共产党人经受住任何考验的精神支柱。”因此，我们要充分发挥中国特色社会主义理想信念政治引领，用正确价值观塑造教育一代又一代政治立场坚定、政治方向坚守、政治意识坚固的社会主义可靠的接班人，使同学们在灵魂深处坚信只有社会主义才能救中国、只有坚持和发展中国特色社会主义才能实现中华民族伟大复兴。

Third, the unity of scholarly reasoning and political orientation is the methodological principle that education on common ideals and convictions should follow. Scholarly reasoning, in essence, is the scientific regularity of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Only by thoroughly explaining the scientific regularity of building socialism with Chinese characteristics can the common ideal enter the mind and heart. Similarly, scholarly reasoning is also the vitality of common ideals and convictions. Only by clearly explaining the laws of socialism with Chinese characteristics can there be confidence and conviction in firmly taking the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Therefore, scholarly reasoning plays a foundational role in education on common ideals. Only by laying a solid foundation for the common ideal can the edifice of education on common ideals and convictions be built. However, political orientation is the soul of common ideals and convictions, the direction of the common ideal. Political orientation ensures the correct direction for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Thus, ideals and convictions without the support of scholarly reasoning lose their vitality, and ideals and convictions without political orientation lose their direction. The two are highly unified.

第三，学理性与政治性统一是共同理想信念教育理应遵循的方法原则。学理性究其实质来说就是建设中国特色社会主义的科学规律性，只有把建设中国特色社会主义的科学规律性讲透彻，共同理想才能入脑入心。同样，学理性也是共同理想信念的生命力，也只有把中国特色社会主义规律讲明白，才能有坚定走中国特色社会主义道路的信心与信念。因此，学理性在共同理想教育中起着基石作用，只有把共同理想的基石打牢，教育共同理想信念的大厦才能建立起来。然而，政治性是共同理想信念的灵魂，是共同理想的方向，政治性是保证中国特色社会主义建设的正确方向。因此，没有学理性支撑的理想信念就失去了生命力，没有政治性的理想信念就会迷失方向，二者高度统一。

The logical pathway plays a role in ideological and political theory course teaching of enabling one to “know the reasons why.” Only by deeply understanding that the history of reform and opening up and education on common ideals and convictions have an inherent, inseparable, and fundamental relationship can teachers of ideological and political theory courses be highly conscious in using thorough scholarly analysis to respond to students, persuade students with complete ideological theory, guide students with the powerful force of truth, and truly enhance the appeal and effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses.

逻辑理路对思政课教学起着“知其所以然”的作用，只有深刻明白改革开放史与共同理想信念的教育有着内在密切不可分割的内在根据关系，思政课教师才能高度自觉地运用好透彻的学理分析回应学生，以彻底的思想理论说服学生，用真理的强大力量引导学生，也才能真正提升思政课的魅力与实效。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧