The Original Contributions of the Theory of New Quality Productive Forces

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during the 11th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee: “New quality productive forces are advanced productive forces driven by innovation, breaking away from traditional economic growth models and paths of productive forces development, and characterized by high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, in line with the new development philosophy. They are fostered by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading. Their basic connotation is the leap in the workforce, means of labor, objects of labor, and their optimized combination, and their core marker is a substantial increase in total factor productivity. Their characteristic is innovation, their key is quality, and their essence is advanced productive forces.” This important exposition elucidates the rich connotation, core characteristics, and essence of new quality productive forces, providing the fundamental guidance for accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and solidly advancing high-quality development in the New Era.

习近平总书记在中共中央政治局第十一次集体学习时指出：“新质生产力是创新起主导作用，摆脱传统经济增长方式、生产力发展路径，具有高科技、高效能、高质量特征，符合新发展理念的先进生产力质态。它由技术革命性突破、生产要素创新性配置、产业深度转型升级而催生，以劳动者、劳动资料、劳动对象及其优化组合的跃升为基本内涵，以全要素生产率大幅提升为核心标志，特点是创新，关键在质优，本质是先进生产力。”这一重要论述诠释了新质生产力的丰富内涵、核心特征及其本质，为新时代加快发展新质生产力、扎实推进高质量发展提供了根本遵循。

A Major Shift in the Driving Mechanism of Productive Forces Development

生产力发展动力机制的重大转变

From the perspective of the driving mechanism, new quality productive forces place greater emphasis on the leading role of innovation-driven development. In Marx’s view, productive forces are not immutable but are constantly changing and developing. In different eras, the dominant factors influencing the development of productive forces differ. Marx, taking the 16th century as a boundary, divided productive forces into “traditional productive forces” and “emerging productive forces.” The evolution from simple natural forces and the hand to experiential skills and tools of labor reflects the developmental trajectory of traditional productive forces; while scientific knowledge and the modern system of machinery manifest a qualitative leap in productive forces. From the steam revolution to the electrical revolution, and then to revolutions in computers, information and communication technology, and atomic energy, science and technology have not only become productive forces but have also emerged as the primary productive forces. Since the 21st century, various emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, virtual reality, quantum computing, and the Internet of Things have emerged intensively. In the course of their development, they mutually promote each other and continuously deepen their integration with industries, giving rise to a completely new qualitative state of productive forces and an industrial revolution.

从动力机制来看，新质生产力更强调创新驱动的主导作用。在马克思看来，生产力不是一成不变的，而是不断变化发展的。在不同时代，影响生产力发展的主导因素是不一样的。马克思以16世纪为界，将生产力划分为“传统生产力”和“新兴生产力”。从朴素自然力、手到经验技能和劳动工具的演化，反映了传统生产力的发展演进历程；而科学知识和现代机器体系则彰显了生产力的质性跃升。从蒸汽革命到电气革命再到计算机、信息通信技术与原子能等革命，科学技术不仅成为生产力，而且凸显为第一生产力。21世纪以来，人工智能、大数据、虚拟现实、量子计算、物联网等各种新兴技术集中涌现，它们在发展过程中相互促进并不断与产业深化融合，催生了一场全新质态的生产力和产业革命。

On the basis of a profound insight into the century-old changes [1]1 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 593. and the laws of social change and development, and a precise perspective on the general trends of the era and the trajectory of technological and industrial development, General Secretary Xi Jinping has keenly grasped another qualitative leap in the development of social productive forces and named it “new quality productive forces.” This not only achieves a terminological revolution and an innovative development of the Marxist theory of productive forces, but also deepens our fundamental understanding of the laws of social productive forces development and their driving mechanisms. In the pre-capitalist era, the main driving force of productive forces was the natural forces of nature and of human beings themselves, along with the improvement of labor tools and skills based on experience. Since the 16th century, scientific knowledge, the system of machinery, and modern technology, along with their industrial application, replaced the previous limited experience, tools, and skills as the dominant form driving the development of productive forces. Today, in the 21st century, science and technology remain the primary productive forces, but the science and technology that can be called new quality productive forces are no longer those that are repetitive or of a low level, but rather those high technologies that represent original or even disruptive innovations from 0 to 1, high technologies led by innovation. In this regard, the developmental transformation from Marx’s sense of traditional productive forces to the emerging productive forces since the 16th century, and then to today’s new quality productive forces, manifests in the driving mechanism as a major shift from being dominated by experience and tools to being centered on scientific knowledge and modern technology, and then to taking integrated innovation behind science and technology as the active driving force.

习近平总书记在深刻洞察百年变局和社会变革发展规律、精准透视时代大势和科技产业发展趋势的基础上，敏锐把握了社会生产力发展的又一次质性跃升，并将其命名为“新质生产力”，不仅实现了术语革命，实现了对马克思主义生产力理论的创新发展，也进一步深化了我们对社会生产力发展规律和动力机制的根本认识。在前资本主义时代，生产力的主要推动力表现为自然界和人自身的自然力以及以经验为基础的劳动工具和技能的改进；16世纪以来，科学知识、机器体系和现代技术及其产业化运用取代之前的有限经验、工具和技能等，成为推动生产力发展的主导形式；21世纪的今天，科学技术依然是第一生产力，但能够被称为新质生产力的科学技术不再是那些重复的或低层次的科学技术，而是那些代表从0到1的原创性乃至颠覆性的高科技，是以创新为主导的高科技。就此而言，从马克思意义上的传统生产力到16世纪以来的新兴生产力再到今天的新质生产力的发展转变，在动力机制上表现为从以经验和工具为主导到以科学知识和现代技术为核心再到以科学技术背后的集成创新为主动力的重大转变。

A Major Shift in the Ecological Standard of Productive Forces Development

生产力发展生态标准的重大转变

From the perspective of the relationship between humanity and nature, new quality productive forces place greater emphasis on the ecological standard of productive forces. Productive forces are the capacity and level of humanity to transform nature, and they inherently contain an ecological dimension from the outset. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Humanity has experienced primitive civilization, agricultural civilization, and industrial civilization. Ecological civilization is a product of industrial civilization at a certain stage of development and is a new requirement for achieving the harmonious development of humanity and nature.” Under traditional productive forces, humanity and nature were intrinsically identical; the whole of nature manifested as an objective existence external to humanity, and humans could only partially transform the surrounding world within a certain range by following the laws of nature. This gave rise to traditional agricultural civilization and traditional ecological culture and wisdom of loving nature, respecting nature, following the way of nature, and the unity of heaven and humanity. [2]2 The 20th National Congress of the CPC: The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022, which set out the Party’s strategic goals for the next five years and beyond. However, “modern natural science and modern industry together have revolutionized the whole of nature, putting an end to humanity’s naive attitude and other childish behaviors toward nature,” [3] leading to a fundamental change in the relationship between humanity and nature. By means of modern science and technology and emerging productive forces, capital has placed itself above nature, turning nature into a tool for capital’s self-valorization, destroying the natural ecology, and thereby triggering a severe ecological crisis.

从人与自然的关系来看，新质生产力更强调生产力的生态标准。生产力是人类改造自然的能力和水平，一开始就包含着生态维度。习近平总书记指出：“人类经历了原始文明、农业文明、工业文明，生态文明是工业文明发展到一定阶段的产物，是实现人与自然和谐发展的新要求。”在传统生产力下，人与自然是内在同一的，整个自然界表现为外在于人的客观存在物，而人类只能遵照大自然的规律在一定范围局部地改造周围世界，由此孕育了传统的农耕文明以及热爱自然、尊重自然、道法自然、天人合一的传统生态文化和智慧。而“现代自然科学和现代工业一起变革了整个自然界，结束了人们对于自然界的幼稚态度和其他的幼稚行为”，导致人与自然的关系发生了根本变革。借助于现代科学技术和新兴生产力，资本凌驾于自然之上，将自然变成了资本增殖的工具，破坏了自然生态，由此引发了严重的生态危机。

This means that developing productive forces is not without limits: productive forces that destroy the natural ecology will not only fail to promote civilizational progress but will instead lead humanity into the abyss of destruction. On this basis, we can understand the profound connotation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statement: “A sound ecology is vital

这意味着，发展生产力并不是没有底线的：破坏自然生态的生产力不仅不会推动文明进步，反而会将人类带入毁灭的深渊。基于此，我们才能理解习近平总书记“生态兴则文明兴，生态衰则文明衰”这一重要论述的深刻内涵。新质生产力是在人类有能力支配自然的前提下，遵循“人与自然是生命共同体”的原则，按照“绿水青山就是金山银山”的理念，有意识地发展起来的尊重自然规律、高质量维护生态平衡的绿色生产力。“新质生产力本身就是绿色生产力”，是“符合新发展理念的先进生产力质态”。从这个角度而言，新质生产力一出场就蕴含着对资本主义生产力的全面超越和扬弃，更加突出生态在生产力和人类文明演进中的极端重要性，将马克思主义关于自然生态与生产力发展之关系的规律性认识提升到一个全新高度。

The Comprehensive Leap in the Systematic Configuration of Laborers, Means of Labor, and Subjects of Labor

劳动者、劳动资料、劳动对象系统配置的全面跃升

From the perspective of its internal system, new quality productive forces place greater emphasis on the qualitative change and leap in the optimized combination of laborers, means of labor, and subjects of labor. In Marx’s view, scientific knowledge is transformed into direct productive forces in two ways: first, it is directly objectified into the system of machinery, driving the transformation and upgrading of the means of production and the mode of production; second, it is grasped by laborers and internalized as the intellectual quality of the subject itself. Each combination alters the state of development of the productive forces. In the pre-capitalist era, due to the limitations of laborers’ own experience and knowledge, the enhancement of productive forces was more often manifested in the improvement of labor tools. By the time of capitalist society, after scientific knowledge was incorporated into the production process, it achieved a leap in the development of the means of production from labor tools to the system of machinery and modern technology, promoting a qualitative change and leap in the productive forces. However, due to the constraints of the relations of production, the capitalist mode of production, while developing the productive forces, also blocked the combination of scientific knowledge and general intellect with laborers, turning the production process into a process of separation between general intellect and labor. On this basis, Marx believed that capitalism is by no means the best form for developing the productive forces. Based on the historical conditions of his time, Marx held that only in a future society would general intellect be recombined with labor. At that time, “what appears as the great foundation stone of production and wealth is… the appropriation of the general productive forces of the human species itself,” [1]1 Karl Marx, *Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen Ökonomie* (Berlin: Dietz Verlag, 1953), p. 593. and then general intellect and mass intelligence would become the dominant forms driving the development of the productive forces: social individuals would comprehensively appropriate general intellect and scientific knowledge, thereby realizing the universal intelligence of each person; and the full development of each individual’s intelligence would in turn become the internal driving force for the development of scientific knowledge and society’s universal intelligence, thereby creating more advanced science and technology and further elevating the productive forces of the whole society. From this perspective, in Marx’s vision, the development of productive forces in the post-capitalist era is necessarily based on the comprehensive leap in laborers, means of labor, subjects of labor, and their systematic combination. This provides a useful reference for our understanding of new quality productive forces.

从内部系统来看，新质生产力更强调劳动者、劳动资料、劳动对象之优化组合的质变和跃升。在马克思看来，科学知识转化为直接生产力有两种方式：一是直接对象化为机器体系，推动生产资料和生产方式的转型升级；二是被劳动者所掌握，内化为主体自身的智力素养。每一种组合都会改变生产力的发展状况。在前资本主义时代，由于劳动者自身经验和知识的有限性，生产力的提升更多地表现为劳动工具的改进。到了资本主义社会，科学知识加入生产过程之后，实现了生产资料从劳动工具到机器体系和现代技术的飞跃发展，促进了生产力的质变和跃升。不过，由于生产关系的限制，资本主义生产方式在发展生产力的同时，也阻断了科学知识、一般智力与劳动者的结合，将生产过程变成了一般智力与劳动的分离过程。基于此，马克思认为，资本主义绝不是发展生产力的最好形式。基于当时的历史条件，马克思认为，只有在未来社会，一般智力才会重新与劳动结合起来，到了那时，“表现为生产和财富的宏大基石的……是对人本身的一般生产力的占有”，届时一般智力和大众智能将成为推动生产力发展的主导形式：社会个人全面占有一般智力和科学知识，进而实现每个人的普遍智能；而每个人智力的充分发展，又成为推动科学知识和社会普遍智能发展的内在动力，进而创造出更先进的科学技术，进一步提升全社会的生产力。以此来看，在马克思的视域中，后资本主义时代的生产力发展必然是以劳动者、劳动资料、劳动对象及其系统组合的全面跃升为基础的。这为我们理解新质生产力提供了有益借鉴。

In terms of the subject, the laborer must be a high-quality laborer who comprehensively possesses general intellect. Original scientific knowledge and high technology are created entirely by humans, not by machines; the subject is the decisive force in the development of scientific knowledge and modern technology. “The essence of modernization is the modernization of people.” Without the exertion of human subjectivity and initiative, there will be no major progress in science and technology; without the modernization of people, there will be no modernization of science and technology. Conversely, in the digital intelligent era, the means of production and the objects of production have also achieved a high degree of digital intelligence; only laborers with high quality can better apply modern intelligent skills. In addition, data, intelligence, information, etc., will inevitably join the production process as indispensable factors of production. Therefore, it is necessary to further intensify reform efforts, form new relations of production that are compatible with this, improve the mechanism for factors to participate in income distribution, and stimulate the vitality of production factors such as labor, knowledge, technology, management, capital, and data. In this regard, new quality productive forces inevitably require the comprehensive upgrading of laborers, means of labor, and objects of labor, and inevitably require a comprehensive leap in the systematic configuration of these three.

就主体而言，劳动者一定是全面占有一般智力的高素质劳动者。原创性的科学知识和高科技完全是由人而非机器创造出来的，主体才是科学知识和现代技术发展的决定性力量。“现代化的本质是人的现代化”，没有人的主体性、能动性的发挥，就不会有科学技术的重大进步；没有人的现代化，就不会有科学技术的现代化。反过来，在数字化智能时代，生产资料和生产对象也已经实现了高度数字化智能化，只有具备高素质的劳动者才能更好地运用现代智能技能。此外，数据、智能、信息等也必将作为不可或缺的生产要素加入生产过程。因此，必须进一步加大改革力度，形成与之相适应的新型生产关系，健全要素参与收入分配机制，激发劳动、知识、技术、管理、资本和数据等生产要素活力。就此而言，新质生产力必然要求劳动者、劳动资料和劳动对象的全面升级，必然要求三者系统配置的全面跃升。

The Significant Transformation of the Connotation of Laborers and Talent Standards

劳动者和人才标准内涵的重大转变

To develop new quality productive forces, it is necessary to coordinate and promote the “trinity” of education, science and technology, and talent in a balanced manner. Marx believed that the combination of productive labor with intellectual education and physical education is not only a method for increasing social productive forces but also the only way to promote the free and comprehensive development of human beings. Even today, this assertion still possesses immeasurable contemporary value. The new round of scientific and technological revolution, including artificial intelligence, big data, quantum information, and biotechnology, has given rise to a large number of new industries, new business forms, and new models. This unprecedented, all-encompassing new industrial revolution will inevitably have a profound impact on human production and life. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 20th National Congress of the CPC: The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022, which set out the Party’s strategic goals for the next five years and beyond. pointed out: “Education, science and technology, and talent are the foundational and strategic pillars for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. We must adhere to science and technology as the primary productive force, talent as the primary resource, and innovation as the primary driving force, deeply implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the country through talent, and the innovation-driven development strategy, open up new fields and new tracks for development, and continuously shape new drivers of development and new advantages.”

发展新质生产力，必须统筹推进教育、科技、人才“三位一体”协调发展。马克思认为，生产劳动与智育和体育相结合，不仅是提高社会生产力的一种方法，而且也是促进人的自由全面发展的唯一途径。即便在今天看来，这一论断依然具有不可估量的当代价值。人工智能、大数据、量子信息、生物技术等新一轮科技革命催生了大量新产业、新业态、新模式。这场前所未有的、全方位的新工业革命必将对人类生产生活产生深远影响。党的二十大报告指出：“教育、科技、人才是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的基础性、战略性支撑。必须坚持科技是第一生产力、人才是第一资源、创新是第一动力，深入实施科教兴国战略、人才强国战略、创新驱动发展战略，开辟发展新领域新赛道，不断塑造发展新动能新优势。”

In the digital intelligent era, the standard connotation of laborers and talent will inevitably undergo major changes. “The educator himself must be educated.” To cultivate high-quality laborers and talent that meet the requirements of the times, we can only rely on education: through building a strong country in education, cultivate more high-quality laborers and promote the construction of a strong country in talent; with more talent, we can continuously create more original scientific knowledge and disruptive technologies, promoting a comprehensive leap in productive forces; conversely, these original scientific knowledge and high technologies will further transform into components of society’s general intellect, and through the education system, be transmitted to the next generation of laborers and those being educated. Each generation, on the basis of inheriting the previous general intellect, continuously innovates and creates, thereby further promoting the sustained development of society’s general intellect and social productive forces.

在数字化智能化时代，劳动者和人才的标准内涵必将发生重大变化。“教育者本人一定是受教育的。”要培养符合时代要求的高素质劳动者和人才，只能靠教育：通过教育强国建设，培养更多的高素质劳动者，推进人才强国建设；有了更多的人才，才能不断创造出更多的原创性科学知识和颠覆性技术，推动生产力的全面跃升；反过来，这些原创性科学知识和高技术会进一步转化为社会总体智力的组成部分，并通过教育体系传导给下一代劳动者和受教育者，而每一代人在继承先前总体智力的基础上不断进行创新创造，从而进一步推动社会总体智力和社会生产力持续向前发展。

Source: *Chinese School of Thought*, September 25, 2024

文章来源：《中国学派》2024年9月25日

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆