Comrade Deng Xiaoping and the Initiation of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Comrade Deng Xiaoping was a great figure of the century. Throughout his brilliant life, he unremittingly struggled for the cause of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, and in particular led the Party and the people in successfully initiating socialism with Chinese characteristics. Comrade Deng Xiaoping was the chief architect of China’s socialist reform, opening up, and modernization, the trailblazer of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the principal founder of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Today, recalling the immortal contributions Comrade Deng Xiaoping made in the process of initiating socialism with Chinese characteristics will surely inspire us to continue writing a new chapter in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

邓小平同志是一位世纪伟人。他光辉的一生，始终为中国革命、建设、改革事业不懈奋斗，特别是带领党和人民成功开创了中国特色社会主义。邓小平同志是中国社会主义改革开放和现代化建设的总设计师，中国特色社会主义道路的开创者，邓小平理论的主要创立者。今天，缅怀邓小平同志在开创中国特色社会主义进程中建立的不朽功勋，必将激励我们续写中国特色社会主义事业新篇章。

Comrade Deng Xiaoping led the Party and the people in blazing a new path. The path is a matter of fundamental importance, and it was also the foremost issue Comrade Deng Xiaoping faced as soon as he returned to work in the late 1970s. At that time, the world economy was developing rapidly, and scientific and technological progress was changing with each passing day, yet the domestic situation was beset with a hundred tasks waiting to be undertaken. What kind of path should China take? At this major historical juncture of deciding which way to go, Comrade Deng Xiaoping started with the rectification of the ideological line [1]1 The rectification of the ideological line refers to the campaign to restore the principle of seeking truth from facts, which culminated in the 1978 “practice is the sole criterion for testing truth” debate, overturning the dogmatic “two whatevers” policy., pushing the entire Party to re-understand what socialism is and how to build it. He inherited the correct understandings formed by Comrade Mao Zedong’s exploration of China’s own path of socialist construction, reflected on the profound lessons of our Party having “tumbled and hit nails” [2]2 “Tumbled and hit nails” is a colloquial Chinese expression for suffering setbacks and failures, here referring to the Party’s painful experiences during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and earlier ultra-leftist policies., drew on the historical experience of world socialism, creatively combined socialism with Chinese characteristics, and clearly proposed “taking our own path and building socialism with Chinese characteristics,” thereby clarifying for the Party and the people the correct direction for building socialism in China: that is, to adhere to the basic principles of scientific socialism while proceeding from China’s actual conditions. From this, socialism with Chinese characteristics became a banner guiding China’s development and progress, enabling the hundreds of millions of people to have something to look forward to and a direction to strive toward in their united struggle.

邓小平同志领导党和人民开辟了一条新的道路。道路是关乎根本的问题，也是上世纪70年代末邓小平同志一复出就面对的头等重要问题。当时，世界经济快速发展，科技进步日新月异，而国内局面却百端待举。中国到底该走一条什么样的道路？在何去何从的重大历史关头，邓小平同志从思想路线的拨乱反正入手，推动全党重新认识什么是社会主义、怎样建设社会主义。他继承毛泽东同志探索中国自己的社会主义建设道路所形成的正确认识，反思我们党“翻过斤斗、碰了钉子”的深刻教训，借鉴世界社会主义历史经验，创造性地把社会主义和中国特色结合起来，鲜明提出“走自己的道路，建设有中国特色的社会主义”，为党和人民明确了在中国建设社会主义的正确方向，就是既坚持科学社会主义的基本原则，又从中国的实际出发。由此，中国特色社会主义成为一面引领中国发展进步的旗帜，让亿万人民的团结奋斗有所指望、知所趋赴。

Comrade Deng Xiaoping concentrated the wisdom of the entire Party and the entire people to establish a new theory. With immense theoretical courage, Comrade Deng Xiaoping, for the first time, systematically and preliminarily answered a series of basic questions about how to build, consolidate, and develop socialism in a country like China, which was economically and culturally relatively backward. He founded Deng Xiaoping Theory, achieving a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context [3]3 “Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” (马克思主义中国化) is the official term for the sinicization of Marxist theory; the phrase “and the needs of the times” (时代化) was added later under Xi Jinping.. This theory put forward many pioneering ideas, viewpoints, and policies. For example, it profoundly revealed the essence of socialism, breaking away from the historical idealist notions that abstractly discussed socialism divorced from the productive forces; it correctly recognized that China is in the primary stage of socialism, providing the general basis for building socialism with Chinese characteristics; it proposed that socialism can also practice a market economy, untying the “dead knot” that equated the market economy with capitalism; it insisted on the Party’s basic line of “one central task and two basic points” [4]4 The basic line of “one central task and two basic points” was formally adopted at the 13th National Congress of the CPC in 1987: economic construction as the central task, and adherence to the Four Cardinal Principles and to reform and opening up as the two basic points., firmly grounding socialism with Chinese characteristics in the national conditions. These “new sayings” that the ancestors never spoke of formed a Chinese understanding of the socialist question, raised the understanding of the laws of socialist construction to a new level, and made original contributions to the development of the theory of scientific socialism. Under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, our Party seized opportunities, blazed new trails, and comprehensively advanced the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

邓小平同志集中全党全国人民智慧创立了一个新的理论。邓小平同志以巨大的理论勇气，第一次比较系统地初步回答了在中国这样经济文化比较落后的国家如何建设社会主义、如何巩固和发展社会主义的一系列基本问题，创立了邓小平理论，实现了马克思主义中国化新的飞跃。这一理论提出了许多开创性的思想观点和方针政策，比如，深刻揭示社会主义本质，破除了离开生产力来抽象谈论社会主义的历史唯心主义观念；正确认识我国处在社会主义初级阶段，为建设中国特色社会主义提供了总依据；提出社会主义也可以搞市场经济，解开了把市场经济等同于资本主义的“死结”；提出必须坚持党的“一个中心、两个基本点”的基本路线，使中国特色社会主义牢牢立足于国情基础之上。这些老祖宗没有说过的“新话”，形成了关于社会主义问题的中国见解，把对社会主义建设规律的认识提高到一个新的境界，为发展科学社会主义理论作出了原创性贡献。在邓小平理论指引下，我们党抢抓机遇、开拓创新，把中国特色社会主义事业全面推向前进。

Comrade Deng Xiaoping led the Party and the people in inaugurating a new historical period. Under Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s guidance, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party [5]5 The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, held in December 1978, is widely regarded as the historic turning point that launched China’s reform and opening-up era under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership. achieved a great turning point of far-reaching significance in the history of the Party since the founding of New China, ushering in the great journey of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. He infused his deep love for the motherland and the people into his unyielding sense of responsibility, emphasizing that leaders must do more practical work and encouraging people to “boldly try, boldly forge ahead” and “cut a bloody path” [6]6 “Cut a bloody path” (杀出一条血路来) is a famous phrase used by Deng Xiaoping in 1979 to urge bold experimentation in establishing the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.. From implementing the household contract responsibility system to breaking the “iron rice bowl” [7]7 The “iron rice bowl” (铁饭碗) is a Chinese metaphor for the lifelong, state-guaranteed employment system in state-owned enterprises, which Deng’s reforms aimed to dismantle., from establishing special economic zones to opening coastal cities, the passion of strivers was continuously ignited, and China entered a spring of renewal. The road of reform has never been smooth. When encountering resistance and interference, Comrade Deng Xiaoping advocated not arguing but doing more and talking less. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, at a critical moment when the domestic and international situation was severe, he inspected the South and delivered important speeches [8]8 Deng Xiaoping’s “Southern Tour” (南巡) in early 1992, during which he delivered speeches reaffirming market-oriented reforms, revived the reform momentum after the political turmoil of 1989., declaring that the pace of China’s reform and opening up would never stall. Over more than 40 years, this new great revolution of reform and opening up has transformed the mountains and rivers of the country and fulfilled the people’s dream of moderate prosperity, enabling scientific socialism to radiate strong vitality and vigor in 21st-century China and making significant historical contributions to the revitalization and development of world socialism.

邓小平同志领导党和人民开启了一个新的历史时期。在邓小平同志指导下，党的十一届三中全会实现了新中国成立以来党的历史上具有深远意义的伟大转折，开启了改革开放和社会主义现代化的伟大征程。他把对祖国和人民的深情大爱，寓于百折不回的担当之中，强调领导者必须多干实事，鼓励人们“大胆地试，大胆地闯”“杀出一条血路来”。从推行包产到户到打破“铁饭碗”，从兴办经济特区到开放沿海城市，奋斗者的激情被不断点燃，中国走进万象更新的春天。改革之路无坦途。遭遇阻力和干扰时，邓小平同志主张不争论，多做少说。上世纪80年代末90年代初，在国内外形势严峻的关键时刻，他视察南方并发表重要谈话，宣示中国改革开放的脚步永不停滞。40多年来，改革开放这场新的伟大革命，让神州山河巨变、人民小康梦圆，使科学社会主义在21世纪的中国焕发出强大生机和活力，为世界社会主义振兴发展作出重大历史性贡献。

A century of Deng Xiaoping, a century of China. Looking back on the path we have traveled, we deeply feel how extraordinary the daily life we now see is. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The best way to commemorate Comrade Deng Xiaoping is to continue advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he initiated.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [9]9 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, marked the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the official start of the “New Era” of socialism with Chinese characteristics., Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have taken up the historical baton and successfully inaugurated the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey, we must unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, further deepen reform and opening up across the board, and strive unremittingly to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

百年小平，百年中国。回望来时路，我们深切体会到现在看见的日常，来得多不寻常。习近平总书记指出：“对邓小平同志最好的纪念，就是把他开创的中国特色社会主义事业继续推向前进。”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接过历史的接力棒，成功开创中国特色社会主义新时代。新征程上，我们要更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，进一步全面深化改革开放，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业而不懈奋斗。

(About the author: Xie Chuntao [Executive Vice President of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance)])

（作者简介：谢春涛〔中央党校（国家行政学院）分管日常工作的副校（院）长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心