“The Party’s Self-Revolution Focuses on Governing Power” from the Perspective of Historical Materialism

Planning and advancing the Party’s self-revolution from the standpoint of “critical moments,” ensuring that power supervision always serves the overall situation of the Party’s and the nation’s undertakings, is an important experience formed by the Communist Party of China in its century-long history of unremitting struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, emphasized that “the Party’s self-revolution focuses on governing power, and putting power into the cage of institutional regulations is an important task of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the New Era.” [1]1 The 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection refers to the 20th National Congress of the CPC’s central disciplinary body, which oversees Party discipline and anti-corruption work. With an eye on the critical period of basically realizing socialist modernization, strengthening the Party’s advanced nature and integrity through “governing power” profoundly demonstrates the Party’s determination and will to win historical initiative through self-revolution at major historical junctures, ensuring that the power entrusted by the people always benefits the people, and providing a solid guarantee for achieving the tasks and objectives of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. [2]2 The 15th Five-Year Plan refers to China’s national economic and social development plan for the period 2026–2030.

立足“关键时刻”谋划和推进党的自我革命，确保权力监督始终服务于党和国家事业发展大局，是中国共产党在百余年不懈奋斗的历史进程中形成的重要经验。习近平总书记在二十届中央纪委五次全会上发表重要讲话强调，“党的自我革命重在治权，把权力关进制度笼子是新时代全面从严治党的一项重要任务”。着眼基本实现社会主义现代化关键时期，以“治权”加强党的先进性和纯洁性建设，深刻彰显了党在重大历史关头以自我革命赢得历史主动的决心意志，确保人民赋予的权力始终造福人民，为实现“十五五”时期任务目标提供坚实保障。

“Focusing on Governing Power” Wins Credibility from History

“重在治权”取信于史

According to the viewpoint of historical materialism, power in modern society arises with the emergence of the state and is essentially a force for safeguarding public interests and social order. On the basis of criticizing the rationalist concept of power held by bourgeois thinkers, the classical Marxist writers put forward the basic historical materialist view that civil society determines the state, holding that the state is an organized organ of violence standing above society, possessing and exercising public power to regulate class relations among all parties in society. Engels pointed out that “political power is merely the means for realizing economic interests.” [3]3 This quotation is from Engels’s letter to Conrad Schmidt, October 27, 1890. It can be seen that, unlike the consciousness of power in primitive society, which was formed on the basis of blood relations and relied on traditional customs to maintain public interests, power in class society has a distinct coercive character, is often closely related to the vested interests of specific subjects, and its operation process is also one in which a specific pattern of interest distribution is increasingly solidified and reproduced. However, in a class society where individual interests and public interests still need to be reconciled, power often faces the political risk of deviating from its normal track of operation. This raises the epochal issue that power, which arises from society, must inevitably be subject to social supervision and restraint.

按照历史唯物主义的观点，现代社会中的权力伴随着国家的产生而产生，本质上是维护公共利益与社会秩序的力量。马克思主义经典作家在批判资产阶级思想家理性主义权力观的基础上，提出市民社会决定国家这一历史唯物主义的基本观点，认为国家是凌驾于社会之上有组织的暴力机关，拥有并行使对社会中各方阶级关系进行调控的公共权力。恩格斯指出，“政治权力不过是用来实现经济利益的手段”。可见，区别于原始社会基于血缘关系形成、依靠传统习俗维持公共利益的权力意识，阶级社会中的权力具有鲜明的强制性，往往与特定主体的既得利益息息相关，其运行过程也是特定利益分配格局日益固化并再生产的过程。但在个人利益与公共利益还需要调和的阶级社会里，权力时常面临偏离正常运行轨道的政治风险，这就提出了从社会中产生的权力必然要受到社会监督与制约的时代课题。

The Communist Party of China is a Marxist political party with strict discipline. In the historical process of leading revolution, construction, and reform, it has inherited and developed the Marxist theory of power supervision, continuously seeking answers to the question of how to break out of the historical cycle of rise and fall, [4]4 The “historical cycle of rise and fall” (治乱兴衰历史周期率) refers to the recurring pattern of dynastic rise, stability, decline, and collapse in Chinese history, a concept famously discussed by Mao Zedong and Huang Yanpei. and has formed a “governing power” plan that organically combines people’s supervision with self-revolution. In July 1945, in a conversation with Huang Yanpei in a cave dwelling in Yan’an, Mao Zedong pointed out that “letting the people supervise the government” was a summary of the Party’s experience in leading revolution, exercising partial political power, and strengthening its own construction, and was the first answer of the Communist Party of China to breaking out of the historical cycle of rise and fall. [5]5 Huang Yanpei (1878–1965) was a Chinese educator and political figure who visited Yan’an in 1945 and discussed with Mao how a ruling party could avoid the historical cycle of decline. Through a century of struggle, especially the new practice since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has given a second answer, and that is self-revolution. From a historical logic perspective, people’s supervision and self-revolution have inherent consistency; fundamentally, both use power supervision to maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses, that is, within the organic unity of internal and external “governing power,” to ensure that the Party does not degenerate, change its color, or lose its flavor under long-term governance. The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a critical period for consolidating the foundation and making comprehensive efforts to basically realize socialist modernization. At this moment, taking “governing power” as the starting point of the Party’s self-revolution means that the Party’s self-revolution includes not only self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement, but also the political requirement of wielding power well and using it for the people, advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity within the organic unity of the baseline and the high standard.

中国共产党是具有严明纪律的马克思主义政党，在领导革命、建设、改革的历史进程中，继承并发展了马克思主义权力监督理论，持续求解跳出治乱兴衰历史周期率的答案，形成了人民监督与自我革命有机结合的“治权”方案。1945年7月，毛泽东与黄炎培在延安窑洞中的对话中指出，“让人民来监督政府”是我们党领导革命、局部执政、加强自身建设经验的总结，是中国共产党领导跳出治乱兴衰历史周期率的第一个答案。经过百年奋斗特别是党的十八大以来新的实践，我们党又给出了第二个答案，这就是自我革命。从历史逻辑来看，人民监督与自我革命具有内在一致性，根本上都是以权力监督维护党同人民群众的血肉联系，也就是在内外“治权”的有机统一中，保障党在长期执政条件下不变质、不变色、不变味。“十五五”时期是基本实现社会主义现代化夯实基础、全面发力的关键时期，在此时刻将“治权”作为党的自我革命的抓手，意味着党的自我革命不仅包含自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高，更包含为人民掌好权、用好权的政治要求，在底线和高线的有机统一中推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。

Institutional Regulations Guide the Direction of “Governing Power”

制度规约“治权”走向

Institutions, as part of the political superstructure, are closely related to human practical activities, arising and taking shape from social needs, and their inherent coercive nature in turn influences the development of people and society. Faced with the problems of the “Four Forms of Decadence” [6]6 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, which were targeted in the Party’s mass line education campaign. that the people deeply detest and strongly react to, as well as the current situation where the fight against corruption remains severe and complex, it is necessary to fully recognize the intertwined and mutually reinforcing relationship between unhealthy tendencies and corruption, the essence of which lies in the mentality of privilege and the abuse of power for personal gain. “Governing power” relies on institutions. To advance the Party’s self-revolution, the standardized operation of power must be further improved. Only through sustained efforts to truly put power into the cage of institutional regulations can the space for power “rent-seeking” be minimized and the intertwined problem of misconduct and corruption be truly resolved. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Without sound institutions, and without power being put into the cage of institutional regulations, corruption cannot be controlled.” After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee began by formulating and implementing the Eight-Point Regulations to break the ice, establishing iron rules and imposing strong constraints, governing the country by law and governing the Party by regulations with unprecedented intensity, formulating and revising a large number of national laws, regulations, and intra-Party regulations, enabling various systems to coordinate and form synergy, and ensuring the steady and long-term progress of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party through a continuously improved system of norms.

制度作为政治上层建筑，与人的实践活动息息相关，在社会需要中产生和定型，其与生俱来的强制性又对人与社会的发展产生影响。面对人民群众深恶痛绝、反映强烈的“四风”问题，以及当前反腐败斗争形势仍然严峻复杂的局势，要充分认识到不正之风和腐败问题相互交织、互为表里的生成关系，本质是特权思想、以权谋私在作祟。“治权”要靠制度。推进党的自我革命，权力规范运行要进一步到位，通过持续努力，真正把权力关进制度笼子，才能最大限度减少权力“寻租”空间，真正解决风腐交织难题。习近平总书记指出，“没有健全的制度，权力没有关进制度的笼子里，腐败现象就控制不住”。党的十八大后，党中央以制定实施中央八项规定开局破题，立铁规矩、强硬约束，以前所未有的力度厉行法治、依规治党，制定、修订了大量国家法律法规和党内法规，让各项制度协同配合、形成合力，以不断完善的制度规范体系确保全面从严治党行稳致远。

The establishment and improvement of institutions confirm humanity’s pursuit of a better society and provide an important guarantee for achieving social progress and the free and comprehensive development of individuals. Power supervision is a key issue that the Party’s self-revolution must address. Emphasizing that the Party’s self-revolution focuses on governing power, “governing power” manifests as governing power through institutions and exercising power according to regulations, making all forms of supervision more standardized, more powerful, and more effective, “putting power into the cage of institutional regulations more scientifically and effectively.” That is, it means insisting that everyone is equal before laws and regulations, that there are no privileges in complying with laws and regulations, and that there are no exceptions in enforcing laws and regulations, effectively transforming the “governing power” achievements of the Party’s self-revolution into governance effectiveness that promotes high-quality economic and social development. Facing the increasingly complex international situation and the more arduous and heavy domestic stability tasks during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it is necessary to implement the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee more resolutely and forcefully, put power into the cage of institutional regulations more scientifically and effectively, advance the fight against corruption more soberly and resolutely, and promote the smooth realization of the grand blueprint for China’s economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period through forceful actions and tangible results.

制度的建立与完善确证着人类对美好社会的追求，为实现社会进步与人的自由全面发展提供了重要保障。权力监督是党的自我革命需要回应的关键问题，强调党的自我革命重在治权，“治权”表现为制度治权、依规用权，使各项监督更加规范、更加有力、更加有效，“更加科学有效地把权力关进制度笼子”，也就是要坚持法规制度面前人人平等、遵守法规制度没有特权、执行法规制度没有例外，切实将党的自我革命的“治权”成果持续转化为推动经济社会高质量发展的治理效能。面对“十五五”时期更加错综复杂的国际形势和更加艰巨繁重的国内稳定任务，需要更加坚决有力地贯彻落实党中央重大决策部署，更加科学有效地把权力关进制度笼子，更加清醒坚定地推进反腐败斗争，以有力行动和实际成效推动“十五五”时期我国经济社会发展宏伟蓝图顺利实现。

The Value of “Governing Power” Returns to the People

“治权”价值归于人民

History is history created by human activity; the masses of the people are the decisive force driving historical development. The greatest difference between the classical Marxist writers’ theory of power supervision and Western bourgeois theories of power supervision lies in the fact that, standing at the height of the general laws of human social development, it reveals that power comes from the people, must accept the supervision of the people, and ultimately aims to achieve human liberation and the liberation of humanity itself. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “On the fundamental questions of for whom to govern, for whom to use power, and for whom to seek benefits, one must be particularly clear-headed in mind and particularly firm in stance.” Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has written the word “people” on its banner, running the “people” core through the process of leading the theory and practice of power supervision, and using a strong supervision system to solidify the Party’s political foundation and mass base. Therefore, scientific and effective “governing power” must rely on the support of the people, maintain ties with the masses, listen to the people’s opinions and suggestions, and accept the people’s supervision. Only by giving play to the supervisory role of the masses can the Party’s propositions fully embody the people’s will, promote genuine democracy, and stimulate the people’s creative vitality.

历史是人的活动创造的历史，人民群众是推动历史发展的决定性力量。马克思主义经典作家权力监督理论与西方资产阶级权力监督理论最大的不同，就在于其站在人类社会发展一般规律的高度，揭示了权力来自人民，必须接受人民的监督，最终实现人类解放和人自身解放的目的。习近平总书记强调，“在为谁执政、为谁用权、为谁谋利这个根本问题上头脑要特别清醒、立场要特别坚定”。中国共产党自成立之日起，就将人民写在自己的旗帜上，将“人民”内核贯穿到领导权力监督理论与实践的过程中，以强有力的监督体系厚植党的政治基础和群众基础。所以，科学有效的“治权”必须依靠人民的支持，保持同人民群众的联系，倾听人民的意见和建议，接受人民的监督。只有发挥人民群众的监督作用，才能使党的主张充分体现人民意志，发扬真正的民主、激发人民的创造活力。

Scientifically understanding the source of power and using power correctly and effectively are of great significance for advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and the fight against corruption in depth. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “All our power is entrusted by the people; we must exercise it correctly and be responsible to the people. The Party does not allow the existence of privilege mentality or privilege phenomena, let alone the emergence of interest groups, power cliques, or privileged strata.” The people are the source of state power; all state power belongs to the people. The masses of the people are not only the source of courage for the Party’s self-revolution but also the source of confidence for strengthening the supervision of power operation. What the masses oppose and hate, we must guard against and correct. “Governing power” focuses on correcting and punishing unhealthy tendencies and corruption around the masses, concentrating on areas closely related to the people’s daily lives, such as education, medical care, housing, agriculture, and rural affairs, accurately identifying what the people hate, promptly resolving the decadent practices the people detest, thoroughly understanding the urgent, difficult, and anxious issues of the masses, and using persistent efforts to rectify work styles, build clean government, and fight corruption to safeguard the development of the Party’s and the nation’s undertakings.

科学看待权力来源、正确有效使用权力，对纵深推进全面从严治党和反腐败斗争具有重要意义。习近平总书记强调，“我们一切权力都是人民赋予的，必须正确行使、对人民负责，党内不允许有特权思想、特权现象存在，更不允许出现利益集团、权势团体、特权阶层”。人民是国家权力的源泉，国家一切权力属于人民。人民群众不仅是党的自我革命的勇气之源，也是加强权力运行监督的底气来源。人民群众反对什么、痛恨什么，我们就要防范和纠正什么。“治权”重在纠治群众身边的不正之风和腐败问题，聚焦与群众日常生活息息相关的教育、医疗、住房、农业农村等方面，精准发现人民痛恨之事、及时破解百姓憎恶之风、摸清摸透群众急难愁盼之题，以持之以恒正风肃纪反腐护航党和国家事业发展。

The people’s standpoint is the fundamental political standpoint of the Communist Party of China. All power held by leading cadres at all levels is part of the Party’s governing power and must always be used to seek happiness for the people. We must cherish the power bestowed by the people, use the power bestowed by the people well, consciously let the people supervise power, and rely closely on the people to create historic achievements. In keeping with the irresistible historical trend of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and at the critical moment of the opening year of the grand blueprint of the 15th Five-Year Plan [7]7 The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is the next national economic and social development plan of China, following the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). The “opening year” refers to 2026., we must advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party with higher standards and more concrete measures, ensuring that the power conferred by the Party and the people operates in the sunlight. The string of self-revolution must be tightened further. On the new journey, the Communist Party of China must place the supervision of the masses at the core of “governing power,” smooth the channels of supervision, innovate the methods of supervision, and strengthen the safeguards for supervision, so as to win the people’s trust, gain the people’s support, forever preserve the true character of a Marxist political party, and always remain the most reliable and strongest pillar of the Chinese people. Only by upholding the historical sense of mission of “focusing on governing power” can we, in the organic unity of winning the trust of history, winning the trust of the system, and winning the trust of the people, persevere with sustained effort and continuously answer the “cave-dwelling question” [8]8 The “cave-dwelling question” (窑洞之问) refers to a 1945 conversation between Mao Zedong and the democratic figure Huang Yanpei in Yan’an, where Huang asked how the CPC could avoid the historical cycle of rise and fall. Mao replied that the answer lay in the people’s supervision of the government. of the New Era.

人民立场是中国共产党的根本政治立场，各级领导干部手中的权力都是党的执政权的一部分，必须始终用来为人民谋幸福。我们要珍惜人民赋予的权力、用好人民赋予的权力，自觉让人民监督权力，紧紧依靠人民创造历史伟业。顺应中华民族伟大复兴势不可挡的历史趋势，立足“十五五”宏伟蓝图开局之年的关键时刻，必须以更高标准、更实举措推进全面从严治党，确保党和人民赋予的权力在阳光下运行。自我革命这根弦必须绷得更紧，新征程的中国共产党要将人民群众的监督放在“治权”的核心地位，畅通监督渠道、创新监督方式、强化监督保障，赢得人民信赖、获得人民支持，永葆马克思主义政党本色，始终成为中国人民最可靠、最坚强的主心骨。只有秉持“重在治权”的历史使命感，才能在取信于史、取信于制、取信于民的有机统一中，持之以恒、久久为功，持续回答好新时代“窑洞之问”。

(The author is a research fellow at the Contemporary Political Party Research Platform of the School of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Renmin University of China.)

（作者系中国人民大学纪检监察学院当代政党研究平台研究员）