Common Prosperity Is the Essential Requirement of Socialism

Common prosperity is the fundamental principle and essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is also an important feature and value goal of Chinese-path modernization. The essence of Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, and it is the unity of the path model and the goal model of modernization. We should, on the basis of inheriting Marx’s dimension of idealist political philosophy and grounded in the practice of China’s socialist modernization, deeply understand that common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism, thereby promoting the construction of a realist political philosophy.

共同富裕是中国特色社会主义的根本原则和本质要求，也是中国式现代化的重要特征和价值目标。中国式现代化的本质是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，是现代化的道路模式和目标模式的统一。我们应当在继承马克思理想性政治哲学维度的基础上，立足于中国社会主义现代化建设的实践，深刻理解共同富裕是社会主义的本质要求，从而推动现实性政治哲学的建构。

Common prosperity is the goal and pursuit of socialism

共同富裕是社会主义的目标和追求

In the view of Marx and Engels, under the capitalist mode of production, the exploitation of labor by capital leads to the polarization between rich and poor, and capitalist society can only enrich a minority of capitalists. Although Marx and Engels did not propose or use the term “common prosperity,” through their critique of alienated labor and exploitation under capitalist conditions, they profoundly revealed the paradox of the connection between “wealth” and “common” in capitalist society. The possession of wealth by capitalists and the poverty of workers are the natural results of the capitalist mode of production; the nature and structure of capitalist society determine that it cannot take the realization of “common” prosperity as a value pursuit. In *The Poverty of Philosophy*, Marx said that bourgeois economists only regard “poverty” as “the pangs which accompany every childbirth,” believing that “both nature and industry undergo this situation.” [1]1 Marx, *The Poverty of Philosophy*, Chapter 2, Section 1. The full passage criticizes the Malthusian view that poverty is a natural and inevitable phenomenon. Therefore, no matter how far capitalist society develops, it has no intention of seeking a remedy to overcome the polarization between rich and poor, nor can it truly find one. Even the Western welfare state system, in essence, serves to maintain the rule of capital and cannot deviate from the nature of the capitalist system.

在马克思恩格斯看来，在资本主义生产方式下，资本对劳动的剥削导致贫富两极分化，资本主义社会只能使少数资本家发财致富。尽管马克思恩格斯没有提出和使用“共同富裕”这个术语，但是他们却通过批判资本主义条件下的异化劳动和剥削，深刻揭示了资本主义社会中“财富”与“共同”联结的悖谬。资本家占有财富和工人的贫困是资本主义生产方式的自然结果，资本主义社会的性质和结构决定了其不可能把实现“共同”富裕作为价值追求。马克思在《哲学的贫困》中说道，资产阶级经济学家只是把“贫困”视为“每一次分娩时的阵痛”，认为“无论是自然界还是工业都要经历这种情况”。所以，资本主义社会无论发展到何种程度，都无意于寻求克服贫富两极分化的药方，也不可能真正找到药方。即便是西方的福利国家制度，其实质也是为了维护资本的统治，不可能偏离资本主义制度的本性。

In contrast, realizing common prosperity is the value pursuit of socialism. After the founding of New China, and especially with the establishment of China’s basic socialist system, private ownership was abolished and structural inequality was eliminated, providing the institutional prerequisite for eliminating polarization and achieving common prosperity. In the process of leading the people in socialist revolution and construction, the Communist Party of China has always regarded common prosperity as a basic principle and construction goal. As early as the early period of construction, Comrade Mao Zedong raised the requirement of common prosperity. He specifically discussed the issue of common prosperity for the peasant masses and, in conjunction with the socialist transformation of industry and commerce, emphasized that the goal of socialist construction was to develop towards greater wealth and strength. He said, “This wealth is common wealth, this strength is common strength, and everyone has a share.” [2]2 Mao Zedong, “On the Cooperative Transformation of Agriculture” (1955). This remark was made during the high tide of agricultural collectivization. After reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping emphasized that common prosperity is the goal and fundamental principle of socialism. He said, “In reform, we have adhered to two principles: one is that the public sector of the economy always occupies the dominant position; the other is that developing the economy must follow the path of common prosperity and always avoid polarization.” [3]3 Deng Xiaoping, “Excerpts from Talks Given in Wuchang, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shanghai” (January 18 – February 21, 1992), in *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, Vol. III. It can be said that during the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, China has steadily advanced along the “great goal of socialism, common prosperity,” achieving historic breakthroughs in economic development and realizing a historic leap in people’s lives from having adequate food and clothing to being moderately prosperous in all respects. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the state has placed the realization of common prosperity in a more prominent position, regarding it as one of the essential characteristics of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC clearly states: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all people. Common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects” – Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (October 16, 2022). This fully demonstrates that the pursuit of common prosperity marks the fundamental difference between China’s socialist modernization and Western capitalist modernization.

相比之下，实现共同富裕则是社会主义的价值追求。新中国成立后，特别是中国社会主义基本制度的确立，消灭了私有制，消除了结构性不平等，为消除两极分化、实现共同富裕提供了制度前提。中国共产党在领导人民进行社会主义革命和建设的过程中，始终将共同富裕视为基本原则和建构目标。早在建设初期，毛泽东同志就提出了共同富裕的要求。他专门论述了农民群众的共同富裕问题，还结合工商业的社会主义改造，强调社会主义建设的目标是向更富更强发展。他说，“这个富，是共同的富，这个强，是共同的强，大家都有份”。改革开放后，邓小平同志强调，共同富裕是社会主义的目的和根本原则，他说：“我们在改革中坚持了两条，一条是公有制经济始终占主体地位，一条是发展经济要走共同富裕的道路，始终避免两极分化。”可以说，在改革开放和社会主义现代化发展时期，我国始终沿着“共同富裕这个社会主义的大目标”稳步前进，经济发展取得历史性突破，人民生活实现了从温饱到全面小康的历史性跨越。党的十八大以来，国家把实现共同富裕摆在更加突出的位置上，将其视为中国特色社会主义的本质特征之一。党的二十大报告明确指出：“中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化。共同富裕是中国特色社会主义的本质要求。”这充分表明，对共同富裕的追求标志着中国社会主义现代化同西方资本主义现代化的根本差别。

From an “equality-oriented” to a “fairness-oriented” basic social structure

从“平等取向”到“公平取向”的社会基本结构

Today’s socialism with Chinese characteristics is the development of historical China, and the path of socialist construction towards common prosperity is also a long-term and complex process. Adhering to the dominant position of socialist public ownership, and thereby adhering to the basic socialist economic system, is certainly the prerequisite and guarantee for achieving common prosperity. However, only by examining common prosperity within the overall transformation of China’s social structure can we truly understand and grasp what kind of common prosperity socialism actually requires.

今天的中国特色社会主义是历史的中国的发展，通往共同富裕的社会主义建构之路也是一个长期的、复杂的过程。坚持社会主义公有制的主体地位，进而坚持社会主义基本经济制度，固然是实现共同富裕的前提和保障，但是，只有在中国社会结构整体转变的过程中审视共同富裕，才能真正理解和把握社会主义究竟需要何种意义上的共同富裕。

From the founding of New China to before reform and opening up, Chinese society implemented a planned economic system. The characteristic of its basic social structure was the unity of the state and the social sphere; everything was led by the state, and the mode of interest distribution was also arranged by the state. After reform and opening up, based on the strategic requirements of the reform of the socialist market economic system, Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed the concept of allowing some people to “get rich first” to drive others to “get rich later,” ultimately achieving common prosperity. This placed the realization of common prosperity on the foundation of liberating and developing the productive forces, appropriately handling the relationship between the strategy and the goal of achieving common prosperity, and between phased goals and the ultimate goal, while also establishing a way to promote common prosperity guided by fairness and justice, thereby laying a reasonable framework for social structure. This is a top-down modernization transformation process led by the state, and of course, it is also an overall social transformation process involving various social fields and changes in the relationship between the state and society. The previous state of unity between the state and society transformed into a state of separation among various social fields. The state delegated power to society, and society increasingly developed into a “differentiated society” with diverse interests, needs, and values. [5]5 “Differentiated society” (差异性社会) is a term used in contemporary Chinese political philosophy to describe a society where, under the conditions of a market economy, different social strata and interest groups have emerged, but class antagonism has been eliminated. In this process, China fully utilized the vitality of the market economy and the power of capital to achieve tremendous economic achievements. At the same time, it also generated some unique social contradictions and clusters of problems. These problems, intertwined and interpenetrated with issues such as the widening income distribution gap caused by the spontaneity of the market economy, are concentrated in the question of how to promote common prosperity through fairness and justice. Reform and opening up is still ongoing, which means that China must actively respond to the various challenges facing common prosperity within the framework of improving a social structure oriented towards the concept of fairness.

在新中国成立后至改革开放前，中国社会实施计划经济体制，其社会基本结构的特点是国家与社会领域合一，一切都是由国家主导的，利益分配方式也是由国家安排的。改革开放后，基于社会主义市场经济体制改革的战略要求，邓小平同志提出通过“先富”带动“后富”，最终达到共同富裕的构想，把实现共同富裕奠定在解放和发展生产力的基础之上，既恰当处理了实现共富的策略与目标、阶段性目标与最终目标之间的关系，又确立了以公平正义引导推进共同富裕的方式，从而奠定了合理的社会结构框架。这是一个由国家主导的自上而下的现代化转变过程，当然也是涉及社会各个领域以及国家与社会关系变动的社会整体转变过程。先前那种国家与社会合一的状态转变为社会各领域分离的状态，国家向社会放权，而社会日益发展成为一个利益、需要和价值多元化的“差异性社会”。在此过程中，我国充分利用市场经济的活力和资本力量取得了巨大的经济成就。与此同时，也产生了一些特有的社会矛盾和问题集群。这些问题同市场经济自发性导致的收入分配差距拉大等问题相交织、渗透，集中体现为如何以公平正义促进共同富裕的问题。改革开放仍是进行时，这意味着我国必须在完善以公平理念为取向的社会结构中积极回应共同富裕面临的各种挑战。

How to advance common prosperity in the new historical stage

新的历史阶段应当如何推进共同富裕

Although Marx and Engels did not discuss the normative basis of the market economy system, they both believed that a socialist system can only realize the prosperity of “all people” and the free and comprehensive development of each individual when it is built upon developed productive forces and abundant material life. The development of the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics has powerfully proven this point. In the New Era and new stage, China must, on the basis of adhering to comprehensive and deepening reform, continuously and gradually resolve the issue of “common prosperity” in the process of achieving modernization. Common prosperity is not only an “economic issue” but also “a major political issue concerning the Party’s governing foundation.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Economic Work” (December 18, 2020). This formulation links common prosperity directly to the legitimacy and stability of the Party’s rule. Unlike the modernization transformation process of Western capitalism, the leaders and responsible parties of contemporary China’s market-oriented reform are the state and the government. This requires that China should further leverage the role of the socialist superstructure to solidly advance common prosperity.

尽管马克思恩格斯没有对市场经济制度的规范性基础进行言说，但是他们均认为，社会主义制度只有建立在发达的生产力和充裕的物质生活基础之上，才能实现“所有人”的富裕，以及每个人的自由全面发展。中国特色社会主义市场经济的发展有力证明了这一点。新时代新阶段，我国必须在坚持全面深化改革的基础上，在实现现代化过程中不断地、逐步地解决好“共同富裕”这个问题。共同富裕不仅是“经济问题”，而且是“关系党的执政基础的重大政治问题”。不同于西方资本主义的现代化转变过程，当代中国的市场化改革的主导者和责任者是国家和政府。这就要求，我国应当进一步发挥社会主义上层建筑的作用，扎实推进共同富裕。

First, enhance the state’s external control and regulatory capacity over the market economy. Faced with the negative consequences of the spontaneity of the market economy, the Western welfare state system finds it difficult to truly solve the problems; the socialist state and government, however, should improve the forms of ownership realization and innovate the distribution system, particularly targeting redistribution. By perfecting effective means such as taxation and social security, the government’s redistributive responsibility for the mode of interest realization should be strengthened. Second, strengthen democracy and law-based governance. Currently, the factors affecting and constraining common prosperity are diverse and complex. Whether it is the reform of ownership realization forms or the distribution pattern, actively advancing socialist democracy and law-based governance is a key link in achieving common prosperity. Developing whole-process people’s democracy and ensuring the people’s position as masters of the country are necessary to make substantive progress in common prosperity. Finally, strengthen the guiding role of socialist values. Determined and constrained by the logic of capital, the core values of Western capitalist society are individual freedom and rights; socialism with Chinese characteristics, however, adheres to the people-centered development thought, thus taking fairness, justice, equality, and community as its core values, advocating the unity of public interest and individual interest.

首先，提升国家对市场经济的外部控制和调控能力。面对市场经济自发性导致的消极后果，西方福利国家制度是难以真正解决问题的；而社会主义的国家和政府则应当完善所有制实现形式和进行分配制度的创新，特别是瞄准再分配，通过健全税收、社会保障等有效手段落地，强化政府对于利益实现方式的再分配职责。其次，加强民主和法治建设。当前，影响和制约共同富裕的因素是多样的、复杂的，无论是所有制实现形式还是分配格局的改革，积极推进社会主义民主与法治建设，是实现共同富裕的关键环节。发展全过程人民民主，保障人民当家作主，才能使共同富裕取得实质性进展。最后，强化社会主义价值观的引导作用。受资本逻辑的决定和制约，西方资本主义社会的核心价值是个人的自由和权利；而中国特色社会主义则坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，因而以公平正义、平等和共同体为核心价值，倡导公共利益和个人利益的统一。

In sum, in the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, achieving common prosperity for all the people ultimately depends on fully bringing into play the unified subjective status of the people as the subjects of construction, governance, and evaluation, and the key lies in rational institutional design and sound laws and regulations. In addition, it is also necessary to advocate a social ethos of fairness, justice, solidarity, and fraternity.

总之，在推进中国式现代化的过程中，实现全体人民共同富裕，归根到底要靠充分发挥人民作为建设主体、治理主体和评价主体相统一的主体性地位，关键要靠合理的制度设计和健全的法律法规。此外，还需要倡导一种公平正义和团结友爱的社会风尚。

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Nankai University)

（作者系南开大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧