A Pedagogical Interpretation of “Actual Ideological Conditions” from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the discipline of ideological and political education, systematically sorting out, excavating, and elucidating the basic concepts of the discipline, especially its iconic concepts, is not only an important task for current foundational theoretical research in ideological and political education but also a necessary link in constructing a knowledge system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics. Among these, “actual ideological conditions” is a commonly used concept worthy of attention, frequently appearing in everyday discourse, policy documents, and academic research. Perhaps because this concept is so common, many people regard “actual ideological conditions” as a self-evident concept. “Actual ideological conditions” expresses the actual state of thought and is often used together with “actual work conditions.” In people’s understanding, it has become a consensus that ideological and political work should be combined with the “actual ideological conditions” and “actual work conditions” of its objects. “Actual ideological conditions” has a distinct disciplinary implication for ideological and political education, used to express people’s ideological and spiritual states. In practice, “actual ideological conditions” often becomes an important premise on which people base their ideological and political education work. Only by aligning with the “actual ideological conditions” of the educational objects can a scientific foundation be laid for enhancing the targeted nature of ideological and political education. This article regards “actual ideological conditions” as an important concept in the discipline of ideological and political education, revealing its connotation, characteristics, and practical status, while emphasizing the need to attach importance to scientific investigation and research in order to accurately grasp the actual ideological conditions of the objects.

在思想政治教育学科成立40周年之际，系统梳理、发掘并阐发学科的基本概念，尤其是标识性概念不仅是当前思想政治教育基础理论研究的重要任务，也是构建中国特色思想政治教育学科知识体系的必要环节。这其中，“思想实际”是一个值得重视的常用概念，经常性地出现在日常话语、政策文件以及学术研究当中。或许由于这个概念过于常见，以至于很多人认为“思想实际”是一个不证自明的概念。“思想实际”表达的是实际的思想状况，常常跟“工作实际”共同使用。在人们的认识中，思想政治工作要结合对象的“思想实际”和“工作实际”，已然成为共识。“思想实际”具有鲜明的思想政治教育学科意蕴，用以表达人们思想状况和精神状态。在实践中，“思想实际”往往成为人们开展思想政治教育所要立足的重要前提。只有切合教育对象的“思想实际”，才能为提升思想政治教育的针对性奠定科学的基础。本文将“思想实际”视为思想政治教育学科的重要概念，揭示其内涵、特征及其实践地位，同时强调要重视科学的调查研究，以精准把握对象实际的思想状况。

I. The Connotation of “Actual Ideological Conditions” in Ideological and Political Education

一、“思想实际”的思想政治教育学内涵

In brief, “actual ideological conditions” refers to people’s actual ideological state; it is a holistic summary or description of the various emotions, attitudes, values, and other ideological conditions that people present at the level of what is. As a practical activity that transforms people’s spiritual world, ideological and political education naturally concerns itself with people’s ideological and spiritual states. This includes both the ideal spiritual state set at the level of what ought to be and the description and grasp of actual ideological conditions at the level of what is. Thus, “actual ideological conditions” not only points to the “thoughts” of the educational objects but also, more fundamentally, bases itself on the “actuality” of the educational objects, objectively revealing the ideological conditions of the objects of ideological and political education in their actual sense.

简而言之，“思想实际”即人们实际的思想状况，它是对人们实然层面呈现出的各种情绪、态度、价值观等思想状况进行的整体性概括或描述。思想政治教育作为一项变革人的精神世界的实践活动，自然关切人们的思想状况和精神状态。这其中，既包含应然层面设定理想的精神状况，也包括实然层面描述和把握实际的思想状况。由此，“思想实际”不仅指向教育对象的“思想”，更立足教育对象的“实际”，客观揭示思想政治教育对象实然意义上的思想状况。

(1) “Actual Ideological Conditions” as an Ideological Fact Revealing the Spiritual State of the Objects of Ideological and Political Education

（一）“思想实际”是揭示思想政治教育对象精神状态的思想事实

In terms of conceptual expression, the meaning of “actual ideological conditions” is relatively clear, i.e., the actuality of “thoughts,” pointing to people’s “thoughts.” However, the “thoughts” here are not general, purely cognitive activities but rather the spiritual world centered on people’s inner states such as beliefs, concepts, and character. “Actual ideological conditions” presents the actual, already existing spiritual and ideological conditions of the objects of ideological and political education, possessing a relative degree of objectivity. Although it appears in subjective form, it can be observed by people and measured and assessed using relevant technical means; thus, it can be said to be an already existing objective fact. Of course, in terms of the form of “fact,” it has multiple manifestations. “Actual ideological conditions” is more often presented as an ideological fact reflecting objective ideological conditions. Close to “actual ideological conditions” is “actual work conditions,” the latter being more associated with the objective work states and situations that appear in the work objects.

就概念表述而言，“思想实际”含义相对明确，即“思想”的实际，指向人们的“思想”，但这里的“思想”不是一般意义单纯的认知活动，而是以人的信仰、观念、品格等内在状态为主体的精神世界。“思想实际”呈现出思想政治教育对象实际的、已然存在的精神状况和思想状况，具有相对意义上的客观性。它虽然以主观形式呈现，但却可以为人们所观察，运用相关技术手段加以测量、评估，由此可以称得上是已然存在的客观事实。当然，就“事实”的形态而言，它有着多重呈现，“思想实际”更多地呈现为反映客观思想状况的思想事实。与“思想实际”相近的是“工作实际”，后者更多的是与工作对象客观出现的工作状态、事态联系在一起。

“Actual ideological conditions” reflects the actual spiritual state of the objects of ideological and political education (individuals or groups), with its core being people’s value cognition, feelings, and understanding. Ideological and political education is a practical activity that carries out value guidance on people’s spiritual world. In the past, people’s understanding of ideological and political education emphasized more the normative dimension: “Ideological and political education is not descriptive, but value-laden and normative, carrying specific positions and viewpoints. It is a political education method provided by a certain society, enabling individuals or groups in society to accept the information, beliefs, attitudes, and values that help them understand the operation of the political system, and guiding them to act within this framework.” [1]1 The citation refers to a source numbered [1] in the original text, which is a Chinese academic work on the normative nature of ideological and political education. However, it is undeniable that the effective conduct of practical activities in ideological and political education needs to be based on factual premises. Here, “actual ideological conditions” is used to reveal the already existing actual ideological conditions on which the practical activities of ideological and political education must be based, providing a factual premise for the conduct of ideological and political education by objectively presenting the spiritual state of the objects.

“思想实际”反映思想政治教育对象（个体或群体）实际的精神状况，其内核是人们的价值认知、感受和理解。思想政治教育是一项对人的精神世界开展价值引导的实践活动。以往，人们对于思想政治教育的理解更多强调规范性维度，“思想政治教育不是描述性的，而是价值性、规范性的，带着特有的立场和观点。它是一定的社会提供的政治教育方式，使社会中的个体或群体接受那些能帮助他们理解政治制度运作的信息、信念、态度、价值，并指导他们自己在这一框架内行动的方式。”[1]但不可否认，思想政治教育实践活动的有效开展需要基于事实性的前提。在此，“思想实际”用以揭示思想政治教育实践活动所要立足的已然存在的实际思想状况，通过客观呈现思想政治教育对象的精神状态，为思想政治教育的开展提供事实前提。

(2) “Actual Ideological Conditions” Embodied as an Overall Spiritual State Centered on Political Values

（二）“思想实际”体现为以政治价值观为核心的总体精神状态

“Actual ideological conditions” reveals the overall spiritual state of the objects of ideological and political education. This overall spiritual state here both exhibits comprehensive characteristics and takes values (especially political values) as its core. As a comprehensive practical activity, ideological and political education directly confronts people as holistic beings with rich spiritual elements. “Ideological and political work, fundamentally speaking, is doing the work of people, doing the work of the masses, involving fields such as people’s thoughts, concepts, and consciousness, that is, people’s spiritual life.” [2]2 The citation refers to a source numbered [2] in the original text, page 76, likely from a Chinese work on ideological and political work.76 The knowledge, emotions, will, truth, goodness, and beauty in people’s spiritual world can all be included within the scope of “thoughts” in “actual ideological conditions.” At the same time, the core of people’s spiritual world is values—that is, people’s overall views on self, others, society, and the nation, especially political values that focus on handling the relationship between the individual and the community. “Actual ideological conditions” is clearly different from a mere cognitive state or emotional condition; rather, it encompasses the overall spiritual condition of people’s spiritual elements, including cognition, emotion, will, and values.

“思想实际”揭示思想政治教育对象的整体精神状态，这里整体的精神状态既呈现出综合性的特征，又以价值观（尤其是政治价值观）为核心。作为一项综合性的实践活动，思想政治教育直面的人是具有丰富精神元素的整体性存在。“思想政治工作，从根本上说就是做人的工作，做群众的工作，涉及人们的思想、观念、意识等领域，也就是人们的精神生活。”[2]76人的精神世界中的知、情、意与真、善、美都可以纳入“思想实际”中的“思想”范围之内。与此同时，居于人们精神世界的内核是价值观——即人们对于自我、他人、社会、国家的总体性看法，尤其是着眼于处理个体与共同体关系的政治价值观。“思想实际”显然区别于单纯的认知状态或情感状况，而是囊括了人的认知、情感、意志、价值等精神要素的整体精神状况。

Thus, the “actual ideological conditions” that people focus on in the process of ideological and political education reflects an overall spiritual state centered on values, especially political values. “Actual ideological conditions” is an ideological condition in people’s conceptual domain, invisible and intangible, but this does not mean that “actual ideological conditions” is elusive and difficult to grasp. “Actual ideological conditions” concerns people’s value conditions and the overall life state derived from them, and it appears in multiple specific forms such as public opinion, mentality, opinion, attitude, consciousness, and faith, which can be observed or captured through various means such as language, symbols, norms, behavior, and experience. People can often use scientific and standardized social survey methods to observe, measure, and assess the “actual ideological conditions” of individuals or groups.

这样，人们在思想政治教育过程中所着眼的“思想实际”，反映的是以价值观尤其是政治价值观为核心的总体精神状态。“思想实际”是人们观念领域的思想状况，看不见、摸不着，但这并不意味着“思想实际”飘忽不定、难以把握。“思想实际”关乎人们的价值观状况，以及由此引申出来的整体生命状态，并呈现为舆论、心态、意见、态度、觉悟、信仰等多重具体形式，可以通过语言、符号、规范、行为、体验等各种方式加以观察或捕获。人们往往可以借助科学、规范的社会调查方法，对个体或群体的“思想实际”加以观察、测量和评估。

(3) “Actual Ideological Conditions” Reflects the Actual State of Society and the Individual’s Conditions of Existence

（三）“思想实际”反映社会现实状况与个体生存状况

Marx believed: “The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.” [3]3 The citation refers to Marx’s “Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy,” a standard formulation of historical materialism.591 “Consciousness is, therefore, from the very beginning a social product, and remains so as long as men exist at all.” [4]4 The citation refers to Marx and Engels’ “The German Ideology,” discussing the social origin of consciousness.533 “Actual ideological conditions,” as a representation of the actual ideological state of the objects of ideological and political education, often reflects the actual state of social life and the individual’s existential circumstances. “Actual ideological conditions” has a real social practical basis; people’s actual ideological conditions reflect the specific patterns of their social life and the particular forms of individual existence. In common parlance, people’s “thoughts” often show unity with their “way of life” and “way of acting.” Although “actual ideological conditions” appears in subjective form, it is not empty or abstract but contains substantial, realistic content, being a true reflection of people’s actual life.

马克思认为：“物质生活的生产方式制约着整个社会生活、政治生活和精神生活的过程。不是人们的意识决定人们的存在，相反，是人们的社会存在决定人们的意识。”[3]591“意识一开始就是社会的产物，而且只要人们存在着，它就仍然是这种产物。”[4]533“思想实际”作为表征思想政治教育对象实际的思想状况，往往反映社会现实生活状态和个体生存境遇。“思想实际”具有现实的社会实践基础，人们实际的思想状况反映了他们的社会生活的具体样式和个体生存的特定形式。通俗言之，人们的“想法”与他们的“活法”“做法”往往呈现出统一性。“思想实际”虽然呈现为主观形式，但是并不空泛、抽象，而是有实实在在的现实性内容，是人们实际生活的真实反映。

It can be said that “actual thought” possesses a character of reality; only by penetrating into the “real soil” behind “actual thought” can one truly grasp the laws governing the emergence, change, and development of thought, and truly understand the actual form of thought. People’s “actual thought” cannot be separated from their actual work, actual life, and actual existence. Engels once said in *The Condition of the Working Class in England*: “In order to provide a solid foundation for socialist theory on the one hand, and for the views that consider such theory entitled to exist on the other, and to clear away all utopianism and fantasy for and against this theory, it is necessary to understand the condition of the proletariat.” [5]5 The reference numbers [5]84, [5]104, [6]147, [7]360, [8]162, and [9]49 are citations from the original Chinese text, corresponding to the author’s bibliography.[84] Through detailed empirical material, Engels revealed the “inhuman conditions” in which the working class lived, and argued: “In such a situation, neither the individual nor the whole class can think, feel, and live like human beings.” [5]5 The reference numbers [5]84, [5]104, [6]147, [7]360, [8]162, and [9]49 are citations from the original Chinese text, corresponding to the author’s bibliography.[104] “Actual thought” truly reflects people’s actual state of life; it is the precondition for humanity’s material production, social interaction, and even ideological and cultural activities. Correspondingly, the actual ideological conditions that ideological and political education practice directly confronts include the various “ideological perplexities” people encounter in real life. But people’s actual ideological conditions are not in a state of fantasy or idle operation; they become the entry point for ideological and political education practice and also ground ideological and political education on a solid, realistic foundation.

可以说，“思想实际”有其现实性品格，只有深入到“思想实际”背后的“现实土壤”，才能真正把握思想观念产生、变化及其发展的规律，真正地理解思想的现实样态。人们的“思想实际”与工作实际、生活实际、生存实际无法截然分开。恩格斯在《英国工人阶级状况》中曾说过：“为了一方面给社会主义理论，另一方面给那些认为社会主义理论有权存在的见解提供坚实的基础，为了肃清赞成和反对这种理论的一切空想和幻想，了解无产阶级的状况是十分必要的。”[5]84恩格斯通过翔实的实证材料揭示了工人阶级所处的“非人的状况”，并认为：“处于这种境况，无论是个人还是整个阶级都不可能像人一样地思想、感觉和生活。”[5]104“思想实际”真切反映了人们现实的生活状态，它是人类开展物质资料生产、社会交往乃至思想文化活动的前提。相应地，思想政治教育实践活动直面的人们实际的思想状况，包含着人们在现实生活中遭遇的各种“思想困惑”。但人们实际的思想状况并不处于空想、空转的状态，它们成为思想政治教育实践活动的切入点，也使得思想政治教育奠基于实实在在的现实基础。

(4) Ideological and political education needs to integrate the “actual thought” and “actual work” of the educational object

（四）思想政治教育需要结合教育对象的“思想实际”与“工作实际”

The orderly conduct of ideological and political education practice requires basing itself on the actual conditions of the educational object. “Any ideological and political education must be based on the actual conditions of the educational object, proceed from the object’s actual situation, focus on the object’s malleable characteristics, carry out education in a targeted manner, and adhere to the principle of analyzing specific problems concretely.” [6]6 The term “de facto” (实然) and “de jure” (应然) are philosophical categories distinguishing what actually is from what ought to be, commonly used in Chinese Marxist and educational theory to frame the transformative task of ideological and political education.[147] Scientifically grasping the actual conditions of the educational object helps to establish the various elements and stages of ideological and political education on an objective realistic foundation, thereby achieving satisfactory results in ideological and political education. The conduct of ideological and political education needs to be based on multiple aspects of actual conditions, such as the actual social foundation, ideological foundation, and action foundation. Among these, “actual thought” is an important component of people’s actual conditions, a core concern of ideological and political education, and an indispensable foothold. Ideological and political education focuses on people’s ideological progress and value guidance, especially emphasizing the enhancement of people’s spiritual state, so it naturally needs to attend to people’s “actual thought.” And this precisely reflects the unique observational perspective of the discipline of ideological and political education.

思想政治教育实践活动的有序开展，需要立足教育对象的实际情况。“任何思想政治教育，都必须立足教育对象的实际，从对象的实际情况出发，着眼于对象的可塑性特点，有针对性地开展教育，坚持具体问题具体分析。”[6]147科学把握教育对象的实际情况，有助于思想政治教育的各要素与各环节建立在客观的现实基础之上，进而取得令人满意的思想政治教育效果。思想政治教育的开展需要基于多方面的实际状况，如现实的社会基础、思想基础和行动基础等。这其中，“思想实际”是人们实际状况的重要组成部分，是思想政治教育关切的核心内容，也是不可或缺的立足点。思想政治教育着眼于人的思想进步与价值引领，尤其重视提振人的精神状况，自然需要关注人的“思想实际”。而这恰恰又体现了思想政治教育学科独特的观察视角。

However, regarding the various types of actual conditions that support ideological and political education practice, besides “actual thought,” it is also necessary to integrate other types of actual conditions. Among these, “actual thought” and “actual work” can be considered the most common specific forms of “actuality.” “Closely integrating actual thought and actual work” [7]7 The “Work Plan on Vigorously Promoting Investigation and Research Throughout the Party” is a document issued by the Central Committee of the CPC in 2023, requiring Party members and cadres to conduct in-depth investigations into practical problems, including ideological and cultural issues, to improve work effectiveness.[360] is often regarded as an important methodology for the Party’s ideological and theoretical propaganda work. “Actual thought” and “actual work” each have their own emphases: “actual thought” focuses on specific ideological conditions, while “actual work” concerns specific work conditions. The overall ideological and cultural background in which the practical object is situated, the cognitive state of social groups, and the subjective mental state of individuals all fall under the category of “actual thought”; “actual work” mainly points to the systematic conditions of practical work, such as its methods, progress, and effectiveness. It can be said that the two respectively reveal the objective state of existence of the object from the two different dimensions of theory and practice, helping people recognize the characteristics of the object of ideological and political education, and establishing a factual basis for the effective conduct of ideological and political education.

然而，对于支撑思想政治教育实践活动的各类型实际状况而言，除了“思想实际”之外，还需要结合其他类型的实际。这其中，“思想实际”与“工作实际”算得上是“实际”最为常见的具体形态。“紧密结合思想和工作实际”[7]360常常被视为党的思想理论宣传工作重要的方法论。“思想实际”与“工作实际”各有侧重，“思想实际”侧重于具体的思想状况，而“工作实际”关乎具体的工作状况，实践对象所处的总体思想文化背景、社会群体的认知状况和个体的主观精神状态都属于“思想实际”的行列；“工作实际”主要指向实践工作的方式、进度、效果等系统状况。可以说，两者分别从理论与实践两个不同维度揭示对象客观的存在状态，帮助人们认识到思想政治教育对象的特点，为思想政治教育的有效开展确定事实基础。

II. Basic Characteristics of “Actual Thought” from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education

二、思想政治教育学视域中“思想实际”的基本特征

“Actual thought” presents people’s actual ideological conditions and becomes an important foothold for Marxist theoretical propaganda and ideological and political education, thus constituting an important category of ideological and political education and even the discipline of Marxist theory. The analysis of “actual thought” can reveal its diverse characteristics from multiple dimensions, such as fact, norm, structure, form, and practice.

“思想实际”呈现人们实际的思想状况，成为马克思主义理论宣传以及思想政治教育重要的立足点，因而也构成了思想政治教育乃至马克思主义理论学科的重要范畴。对“思想实际”的分析，可以从事实、规范、结构、形态、实践等多重向度揭示其多样化的特征。

(1) The Factual Characteristic of “Actual Thought”

（一）“思想实际”的事实性特征

“Actual thought” is the subjective reflection of the objectively existing state of life and existence, embodying the factual, “what-is” characteristic of “thought.” According to the explanation in the *Modern Chinese Dictionary*, “actuality” can have two parts of speech: noun and adjective. As a noun, “actuality” refers to objectively existing things or situations; as an adjective, “actuality” means “real, concrete” or “conforming to facts.” [8][162] The meaning of “actuality” is relatively clear: it is objective fact. A common expression is that if someone’s ideas or actions deviate from reality, one says their ideas or actions are “not in line with actuality” or “divorced from actuality.” In summary, “actuality” is a concept with a relatively clear connotation; talking about “actuality” often means talking about facts, reality, actual circumstances, etc., which subsequently become basic concepts similar to “actuality.” Ideological and political education works with people; it faces “real individuals,” that is, concrete individuals who are in specific social relations and have specific ideological conditions and spiritual states. “Actual thought” reflects the real ideological conditions of real individuals. In view of this, “actual thought” is a descriptive concept used to reveal the actual conditions that ideological and political education must directly confront, and it possesses a factual characteristic.

“思想实际”是客观存在的生命生活状态的主观反映，体现了“思想”的事实性、实然性特征。按照《现代汉语词典》的解释，“实际”可以有名词和形容词两种词性。作为名词，“实际”是指客观存在的事物或情况；作为形容词，“实际”是指“实有的、具体的”或“合乎事实的”[8]162。“实际”的意思较为明确，就是客观事实。比较常见的说法，如果某人的想法或做法脱离现实，便会说他的想法或做法“不切实际”“脱离实际”之类。概要地说，“实际”是一个内涵相对明确的概念，谈论“实际”往往意在谈论事实、现实、实情等，后者随之也成为与“实际”相近的基本概念。思想政治教育做人的工作，面对的是“现实的人”，即处于特定社会关系之中并且有着特定思想状况和精神状态的具体的人。“思想实际”反映现实的人的真实思想状况。鉴于此，“思想实际”是一个用于揭示思想政治教育所要直面的实际状况的描述性概念，具有事实性的特征。

The factual characteristic of “actual thought” is manifested in that it is a social fact that reflects the objectively existing ideological conditions of the object of ideological and political education and can be perceived by people. From the perspective of the relationship between fact and norm, ideological and political education is undoubtedly normative education, but normative education and factual premises are by no means separated from each other; the two should achieve a state of unity. Revealing the “actual thought” on which ideological and political education is based aims to show the factual foundation and realistic logic of the ideological and political education process. Ideological and political education takes people’s “actual thought” as its practical premise; by adjusting, transforming, and guiding actual ideological conditions, it helps the educational object achieve ideological transformation, moving toward idealized value goals. Basing itself on “actual thought,” transforming “actual thought,” and tending toward idealized ideological expectations—this roughly reflects the practical logic of ideological and political education.

“思想实际”的事实性特征体现为，它是反映思想政治教育对象客观存在的思想状况，可以为人们所感知的社会事实。从事实性和规范性的关系来看，思想政治教育无疑属于规范性教育，但规范性教育与事实性前提绝非相互割裂，两者应该达到统一化的状态。揭示思想政治教育立足的“思想实际”，旨在展现思想政治教育过程的事实基础和现实逻辑。思想政治教育以人们的“思想实际”作为实践前提，通过对现实的思想状况进行调整、变革和引领，帮助教育对象实现思想转化，以达到理想化的价值目标。基于“思想实际”、变革“思想实际”，趋向于理想化的思想预期，这大致反映了思想政治教育的实践逻辑。

(2) The Structural Characteristic of “Actual Thought”

（二）“思想实际”的结构性特征

From the perspective of ideological and political education, “thought” is a form of human consciousness or spirit, “the unity of the motivational system, the psychological process system, and the conceptual system.” [9][49] “Thought” clearly takes values as its core, faith as its guide, theory as its support and foundation, while also permeating people’s emotions and will, and ultimately transforming into people’s actual actions. “Thought” includes both ideal, normative value orientations and can also appear in the form of “what-is,” factual manifestations. “Actual thought” often presents itself as a holistic spiritual condition and state of life; it cannot be simply reduced to a single cognition, emotion, or concept, but should be a unity of several elements. Among these, “actual thought” can be peeled away layer by layer: first, the cognitive level. It is at the outermost or most superficial layer, pointing to people’s overall understanding, views, or attitudes. That is, as people’s actual ideological condition, “actual thought” first manifests as a condition of ideological understanding, reflecting people’s overall views of themselves, others, society, the state, etc.; it is the actual cognitive condition of the object of ideological and political education. Second, the feeling level. It is the emotional or feeling elements contained in people’s ideological condition, reflecting the emotional state people obtain in the process of understanding or dealing with themselves, others, society, and the state. Third, the conceptual level. It manifests as people’s actual value orientations or value attitudes, especially involving ideology and political values; it is the core part of “actual thought” and also the focus of concern for the discipline of ideological and political education.

从思想政治教育学的视角看，“思想”是人的意识或精神形式，“动机系统、心理过程系统和观念系统三者的统一”[9]49。“思想”显然是以价值观为内核，以信仰为先导，以理论作为依托和支撑，同时渗入了人们的情感、意志，并最终转化为人们的实际行动。“思想”既包含了理想性、规范性的价值取向，也可以呈现为实然性、事实性的表现样态。“思想实际”往往呈现为整体性的精神状况和生命状态，不能够单纯还原为某种单一的认知、情绪、观念，而应当是几者相统一的整体。这其中，可以对“思想实际”加以层层剥离：其一，认知层面。它处于最外层或浅表层，指向人们的总体认识、看法或态度等。即是说，作为人们实际的思想状况，“思想实际”首先体现为一种思想认识状况，反映人们对待自我、他人、社会、国家等的总体看法，它是思想政治教育对象实际的认知状况。其二，感受层面。它是人们思想情况中所包含的情感性或感受性的要素，反映人们在认识或处理自我与他人、社会、国家过程中获致的情感状态。其三，观念层面。它体现为人们实际的价值取向或价值态度，尤其涉及意识形态和政治价值观，是“思想实际”的内核部分，也是思想政治教育学科关切的重点。

To conduct a structural analysis of “ideological reality,” it is necessary both to uphold its holistic and unified characteristics and to highlight its dimensions of value and belief. Undoubtedly, “ideological reality” refers to the ideological understandings, emotional attitudes, and value experiences formed by people in the long-term process of social practice; it often crystallizes ideological achievements and condenses ideological wisdom. In terms of its composition, “ideological reality” is a unified holistic structure that reflects the character traits of people. At the same time, “ideological reality” reflects the overall ideological understanding of the objects of ideological and political education, taking as its core the actual or de facto ideological attitudes, value orientations, spiritual consciousness, and other conceptual content of people. Within the disciplinary perspective of ideological and political education, people’s investigation of “ideological reality” also focuses more on its core part—people’s attitudes toward life ideals, social aspirations, and political goodness.

对“思想实际”作结构化的分析，既要坚持其整体性、统一化的特点，也要突出“思想实际”的价值性和信仰性的维度。毋容置疑，“思想实际”是人们在长期的社会实践过程中形成的思想认识、情感态度和价值体验，往往凝结了思想结晶，凝聚了思想智慧。“思想实际”就其构成来说，是具有统一性的整体结构，反映人们的品格特征。与此同时，“思想实际”反映的思想政治教育对象总体性的思想认识，以人们实际的或实然意义上的思想态度、价值取向、精神觉悟等观念性内容为核心。在思想政治教育学科视域中，人们对“思想实际”的探查，也更多着眼于其内核部分——人们对待人生理想、社会愿望、政治之善的态度。

(3) The Evaluative Characteristic of “Ideological Reality”

（三）“思想实际”的评估性特征

The evaluative characteristic of “ideological reality” means that although “ideological reality” reflects objective facts that already exist in people, from the perspective of the value guidance and spiritual uplift advocated by the discipline of ideological and political education, these facts require reasonable value evaluation. From a realistic perspective, the existing ideological conditions of people are not naturally reasonable, nor do they spontaneously conform to the value standards of ideological and political guidance; this necessitates incorporating them into the disciplinary perspective of ideological and political education for value evaluation. Ideological and political education is the work of transforming people’s thoughts, shifting people’s thinking from the “de facto” to the “de jure,” from the “actual” state of thought to the “ideal” state of thought. For “ideological reality” that lacks positive and constructive dimensions, it enters into the activities of ideological and political education and becomes the actual object of its action.

“思想实际”的评估性是指“思想实际”虽然反映人们已然存在的客观事实，但从思想政治教育学科所倡导的价值引领与精神提振的角度看，这些事实需要对其进行合理的价值评估。从现实性角度看，人们已然存在的思想状况并非当然合理，更不会自然而然地合乎思想政治引导的价值标准，这就需要纳入思想政治教育学科视域进行价值评估。思想政治教育是做人的思想转化工作，将人们的思想从“实然”转化为“应然”，由思想之“实际”状态转向思想之“理想”状态。对于缺乏积极、正向维度的“思想实际”，就会进入到思想政治教育活动当中，成为思想政治教育实际作用的对象。

In fact, the reason why ideological and political education is necessary often lies in the inconsistency between the values embedded in people’s “ideological reality” and the mainstream ideology and dominant values, which urgently require adjustment, optimization, and even value guidance. “No matter what means are adopted, nor what methods are used, ideological and political education must achieve the goal of transforming thought. This transformation of thought, in its essence, refers to realizing the ideological change of the educated through the work of the ideological and political educator.” [10] People can conduct conceptual evaluations of the existing “ideological reality,” using whether the values inherent in ideological and political education conform to the needs of the ruling class as the standard, and make affirmative or negative judgments about it. For those value concepts that do not meet the requirements of the goals of ideological and political education, they must be reasonably guided. In other words, within the disciplinary perspective of ideological and political education, “ideological reality” is “de facto” but not “de jure.” Observing people’s “ideological reality” is only the starting point of ideological and political education, not its endpoint. Ideological and political education precisely involves making reasonable evaluations of people’s thoughts, thereby judging whether people have the need for ideological and political education, so as to effectively carry out the practical activities of ideological and political education.

事实上，思想政治教育之所以有必要，往往在于人们“思想实际”当中蕴含的价值观，与主流意识形态与主导价值观存在不一致，亟待调节、优化乃至价值引导。“不管采取何种手段，也不管通过什么样的方式，思想政治教育都必须达到改造思想的目的。这种思想改造，就其本原来说，是指通过思想政治教育者的工作来实现受教育者的思想变化。”[10]人们可以对已然存在的“思想实际”进行观念性的评估，以思想政治教育所蕴含的价值观念是否符合统治阶级需要为标准，对其作出肯定或否定的评价。对于那些不合乎思想政治教育目标要求的价值观念，必须加以合理引导。换句话说，在思想政治教育学科视域中，“思想实际”是“实然的”但并不是“当然的”。对于人的“思想实际”进行观察只是思想政治教育的起点而非终点。思想政治教育恰恰是对人们的思想作出合理评估，进而评判人们是否具有思想政治教育的需要，从而有效开展思想政治教育的实践活动。

(4) The Typological Characteristic of “Ideological Reality”

（四）“思想实际”的类型化特征

“Real people” are the logical starting point of ideological and political education. “Real people” can be concretely manifested in different dimensions: the general, the group, and the individual. “Man is a particular individual, and precisely his particularity makes him an individual, a real, individual social being; likewise, man is also the totality, the totality of ideas, the self-conscious subjective existence of society as thought and perceived.” [4]4 The citation refers to Marx and Engels’ “The German Ideology,” discussing the social origin of consciousness.188 Correspondingly, people’s actual ideological conditions can both reflect the universal requirements of “being human,” embody the common requirements of people belonging to specific social groups, and reveal the ideological conditions of individual members of society. “Ideological reality” condenses into the subjective personality of the individual, and because of the different types of subjects of ideological and political education, it presents different ideological forms.

“现实的人”是思想政治教育的逻辑起点。“现实的人”可具体表现为总体性、群体性和个体性不同向度。“人是特殊的个体，并且正是人的特殊性使人成为个体，成为现实的、单个人的社会存在物，同样，人也是总体，是观念的总体，是被思考和被感知的社会的自为的主体存在。”[4]188与之相应地，人们实际的思想状况既可以反映“人之为人”的普遍性要求，又能够体现人们隶属于特定社会群体的共同性要求，还展露出社会成员个体的思想状况。“思想实际”凝结于个体的主体人格，因其思想政治教育对象的主体类型的不同，而呈现出相异的思想形态。

Thus, starting from the three different dimensions of human generality, groupness, and individuality, “ideological reality” presents at least three types: First, general “ideological reality.” This refers to personality traits that appear in each individual that conform to universal requirements. In the process of ideological and political education activities, the truth or falsehood of cognitive states, the good or evil of moral levels, and the positivity or negativity of spiritual character all count as general “ideological reality.” Second, group “ideological reality.” As a social being, the individual’s ideological condition inevitably bears the “imprint” of the social group to which they belong; “ideological reality” can reflect the ideological conditions of the individual’s social dimension. In terms of ideological form, group “ideological reality” often points to social consciousness at the societal level, such as “class consciousness,” which refers to the subjective ideological conditions obtained by different classes based on their own positions. Third, individual “ideological reality.” This reflects individualized ideological needs. As concrete people, “ideological reality” points not only to the general and group dimensions but also to the personal and even individualized dimension. This level relates to the real ideological conditions of specific individuals, reflecting their value cognition and value pursuit regarding self, others, society, and the state. This part of the ideological condition is often the most individualized and particular, and it is also the core point that ideological and political education must confront in its concern for “ideological reality.”

这样，从人之总体性、群体性和个体性三重不同维度出发，“思想实际”至少呈现为三重类型：其一，总体性的“思想实际”。即呈现在每个个体身上合乎普遍性要求的人格特质。在思想政治教育活动的过程中，认知状态的真假、道德层面的善恶、精神品格的积极或消极等，都算得上是总体性的“思想实际”。其二，群体性的“思想实际”。个体作为社会的存在物，他的思想状况不可避免地会打上所在社会群体的“烙印”，“思想实际”中能够反映出个体的社会性向度的思想状况。从思想的形态来说，群体性的“思想实际”往往指向了社会层面的社会意识，如“阶级意识”，即指向不同阶级基于自身的地位而获得的主观思想状况。其三，个体性的“思想实际”。它反映个性化的思想需求。作为具体的人，“思想实际”不仅指向总体性、群体性的维度，更关注个人性甚至个性化维度。这个层面又关系到具体个体真实的思想状况，反映他们对于自我、他人、社会和国家的价值认知和价值追求。这部分的思想状况往往最为个性化、特殊化，也是思想政治教育在关切“思想实际”过程中需要面对的核心要点。

III. The Position of “Ideological Reality” in the Discipline of Ideological and Political Education

三、“思想实际”在思想政治教育学科中的地位

Ideological and political education is an activity of value guidance and spiritual uplift carried out for people; people’s ideological conditions are often important facts that ideological and political education directly confronts. Ideological and political education not only directly confronts real and complete personalities but also focuses more on people’s spiritual world, concerning itself with spiritual conditions centered on value concepts. Ideological and political education examines the rationality, stability, and sense of realm of people’s spiritual world from the perspective of ideological guidance and value enhancement. The effective implementation of ideological and political education must be based on people’s ideological conditions; this is an important manifestation of ideological and political education’s implementation of seeking truth from facts and proceeding from reality.

思想政治教育是对人展开的价值引领和精神提振活动，人们的思想状况往往是思想政治教育直面的重要事实。思想政治教育不仅直面真实、完整的人格，还更多地着眼于人们的精神世界，关切以价值观念为内核的精神状况。思想政治教育从思想引领与价值提升的角度审视人的精神世界的合理性、稳定性和境界感。思想政治教育的有效开展必然基于人类的思想状况，这是思想政治教育贯彻实事求是，从实际出发的重要体现。

(1) “Ideological Reality” Presents the Starting Category of the Science of Ideological and Political Education; Basing Itself on “Ideological Reality” Is the Practical Prerequisite for Carrying Out Ideological and Political Education

（一）“思想实际”呈现思想政治教育学的起点范畴，立足“思想实际”是开展思想政治教育的实践前提

The effective implementation of ideological and political education activities must be based on the ideological conditions of the objects. “Investigating ideological conditions and obtaining ideological information are the prerequisites for analyzing and solving ideological problems, and the primary link in ideological and political education.” [11]194 The French sociologist Émile Durkheim emphasized in *Moral Education*: “Before we try to develop in the child the moral elements, that is, the spirit of discipline, we must first ask what the child’s unique mentality is. In this way, we can achieve the results we desire based on these mentalities.” [12]217 Without the ideological conditions of the objects of education, it is impossible to grasp their thoughts and feelings or to precisely target their spiritual needs. Only by starting from people’s actual ideological conditions can we accurately grasp their actual needs, thereby providing targeted and effective plans for the implementation of ideological and political education. Here, the actual ideological conditions of the objects of ideological and political education often constitute the foothold of the practice of ideological and political education. Precisely because of this, “ideological reality,” as a concrete manifestation of “thought” in the science of ideological and political education, can be incorporated into the starting category of the science of ideological and political education.

思想政治教育活动的有效开展必然基于对象的思想状况。“调查思想情况，获取思想信息，是分析和解决思想问题的前提条件，是思想政治教育的首要环节。”[11]194法国社会学家涂尔干在《道德教育》中曾强调：“我们在努力培养儿童身上的道德要素，即纪律精神之前，先得问一问儿童的独特心态是什么。这样，我们就能根据这些心态取得我们渴望得到的结果。”[12]217脱离了教育对象的思想状况，就无法把握他们的所思所想，精准切中他们的精神需求。只有从人们实际的思想状况入手，才能够准确把握人们的实际需求，进而为思想政治教育的开展提供针对性、有效性的方案。在这里，思想政治教育对象实际的思想状况往往构成思想政治教育实践的立足点。也正因为如此，“思想实际”作为思想政治教育学“思想”的具体表现形式，可以纳入到思想政治教育学的起点范畴。

Ideological and political education, as an activity that transforms people’s ideological viewpoints, has as its object of transformation the actual ideological state of people. “Ideological reality” truly reflects people’s values or spiritual condition, especially those ideological contents related to the value goals of ideological and political education, such as life attitudes, political values, and ideals and beliefs. Whether people’s life attitudes are correct, whether their values are reasonable, and whether their spiritual condition is positive or negative can all be reflected from the actual ideological state. These actual ideological states accordingly also define people’s ideological needs and the necessity of ideological transformation. “Ideological and political education activities and research must start from people’s actual thoughts and behaviors, such as investigating people’s ideological tendencies, ideological emotions, ideological contradictions, behavioral manifestations, and behavioral norms.” [13]14 Ideological and political education, in accordance with ideal and normative value requirements or value standards, carries out value guidance or ideological transformation work on people’s actual existing ideological state, improving people’s ideological state and uplifting people’s spiritual condition. It can be seen that ideological and political education takes people’s “thoughts” as its entry point, elevating people from the “actuality” of thought to the “ideal” of thought.

思想政治教育作为一项变革人们思想观点的活动，其变革的对象就是人们实际的思想状况。“思想实际”真切反映了人们的价值观念或精神状态，尤其是人生态度、政治价值观、理想信念等关乎思想政治教育价值目标的思想内容。人们的人生态度是否正确、价值观合理与否、精神状况积极抑或消极，都可以从实际的思想状况反映出来。这些实际的思想状况也随之规约了人们的思想需要，以及思想转化的必要性。“思想政治教育活动与研究，都要从人们现实的思想与行为入手，诸如调查人们的思想倾向、思想情绪、思想矛盾、行为表现、行为规范等。”[13]14思想政治教育对人们实际存在的思想状况，按照理想性的、规范性的价值要求或价值标准，展开价值引导或思想转化工作，改善人们的思想状况，提振人们的精神状态。可以看出，思想政治教育以人们的“思想”为切入点，将人们由思想之“实际”提升为思想之“理想”。

(II) “Ideological Reality” Reflects the Fine Tradition of the Party’s Ideological and Political Work; Integrating “Ideological Reality” Is a Practical Principle for Carrying Out Ideological and Political Education

（二）“思想实际”反映党的思想政治工作优良传统，结合“思想实际”是开展思想政治教育的实践原则

Emphasizing the investigation of “ideological reality” and integrating “ideological reality” is an important tradition of the Party’s ideological and political work. “In its century-long practice of ideological and political education, the Communist Party of China has placed great emphasis on investigation and research, understanding and grasping the political, economic, and ideological characteristics of the objects of ideological and political education, setting educational goals, arranging educational content, selecting educational methods, and carrying out educational activities in a targeted manner, thereby continuously enhancing the actual effectiveness of ideological and political education.” [14] The Party’s ideological and political work implements the ideological method and working method of seeking truth from facts, emphasizing proceeding from reality in everything. The “reality” here includes “ideological reality” and “work reality.” “Ideological reality” and “work reality” encompass the objects and conditions for carrying out ideological and political work. The reason why the Party’s ideological and political work has achieved historic accomplishments is that, in the different historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has always attached great importance to the actual ideological needs of the broad masses of the people, integrating the “ideological reality” and “work reality” of the broad masses of the people, and carrying out ideological and political work in a manner that seeks truth from facts. The Party’s ideological and political work emphasizes investigation and research, especially the investigation of the ideological state of the masses. “Introducing social investigation methods into the ideological field and applying them to ideological and political work is a fine tradition of our Party and a successful experience of ideological and political education.” [15]84

注重调查“思想实际”，结合“思想实际”，是党的思想政治工作的重要传统。“中国共产党在百年思想政治教育实践中十分注重调查研究，了解与掌握思想政治教育对象的政治经济状况和思想特点，有针对性地设定教育目标、安排教育内容、选择教育方法、开展教育活动，不断增强思想政治教育实际效果。”[14]党的思想政治工作贯彻实事求是的思想方法与工作方法，强调一切从实际出发。这里的“实际”就包含了“思想实际”和“工作实际”。“思想实际”和“工作实际”包含了思想政治工作的对象和开展条件。党的思想政治工作之所以取得历史性成就，原因就在于革命、建设、改革不同历史时期，我们党高度重视广大人民群众实际的思想需求，结合广大人民群众的“思想实际”和“工作实际”，实事求是地开展思想政治工作。党的思想政治工作重视调查研究，尤其重视调查人民群众的思想状况，“把社会调查方法引入思想领域，运用于思想政治工作，这是我们党的优良传统，也是思想政治教育的成功经验”[15]84。

The Party’s ideological and political work attaches importance to people’s actual ideological state, combining the resolution of ideological problems with practical problems. Integrating people’s “ideological reality” to carry out ideological and political work is an important principle and methodology of the Party’s ideological and political work. Respecting the actual situation, integrating people’s “ideological reality” and “work reality,” respecting objective facts rather than distorting them, and implementing the ideological line of seeking truth from facts have become the realistic foundation for the generation and dissemination of the Party’s theory. In the works of the Marxist classics, “reality” may seem ordinary and common, but it has profound implications of historical materialism and is the logical starting point of the scientific concept of practice. “A person who does not understand the actual state of society is even less likely to understand the movement aimed at overthrowing this state of society and the literary expressions of this revolutionary movement.” [16]418 The “actual state of society” here is “reality,” and “understanding the actual state of society” becomes the prerequisite for “understanding the social movement and its literary expressions.” The Party’s ideological and political work adheres to the mass line, and its objects are oriented toward the broad masses of the people, characterized by diversity, hierarchy, and difference. This requires carrying out ideological and political work in a targeted manner based on their actual circumstances, integrating their ideological needs and practical needs.

党的思想政治工作重视人们实际的思想状况，将解决思想问题与实际问题结合起来。结合人们的“思想实际”开展思想政治工作，是党的思想政治工作的重要原则和方法论。尊重实际情况，结合人们的“思想实际”和“工作实际”，尊重客观事实而非歪曲事实，贯彻实事求是的思想路线，成为党的理论生成与传播的现实基础。在马克思主义经典作家那里，“实际”看似普通常见，却有着深刻的唯物史观意蕴，是科学的实践观念的逻辑起点。“一个不了解社会现状的人，更不会了解力求推翻这种社会现状的运动和这个革命运动在文献上的表现。”[16]418这里的“社会现状”便是“实际”，而“了解社会现状”就成为“了解社会运动及其文献上的表现”的前提。党的思想政治工作坚持群众路线，工作对象面向广大人民群众，具有多样性、层次性、差异性等特征，这就需要根据他们的实际情况，结合他们的思想需求和实际需要，有针对性地开展思想政治工作。

(III) “Ideological Reality” Concerns the Evaluation Criteria for the Effectiveness of Ideological and Political Education; Accurately Targeting “Ideological Reality” Is the Focal Point for Enhancing the Practical Effectiveness of Ideological and Political Education

（三）“思想实际”关乎思想政治教育有效性的评价标准，切中“思想实际”是提升思想政治教育实效性的着力点

“Ideological reality” is an overall characterization of people’s already existing spiritual condition, especially their value state, possessing both realistic and ideal dimensions—it includes both the actual ideological perplexities of the educational object and the idealized value pursuits. In particular, “ideological reality” contains rich ideological information, the core of which lies in people’s value cognition and value ideals regarding the ideal and the real, the self and others, the individual and society, etc., and especially reflects people’s actual ideological needs and spiritual demands, containing the practical impetus for people to undergo ideological and political education. From the perspective of the educational object’s reception, ideological and political education occurs precisely because it helps people resolve ideological perplexities, enhance value guidance, achieve spiritual elevation, and concretely solve people’s actual ideological problems. Once it is divorced from reality, especially from the educational object’s “ideological reality,” ideological and political education will obviously fall into a targetless “ideological idling.”

“思想实际”是对人们已然存在的精神状况，特别是价值观状态的整体刻画，兼有现实性与理想性的双重维度——既包括了教育对象实际的思想困惑，也蕴含了理想化的价值追求。特别是，“思想实际”包含了丰富的思想信息，其内核在于人们对理想与现实、自我与他人、个人与社会等价值认知与价值理想，尤其反映了人们现实的思想需要和精神需求，蕴含着人们进行思想政治教育的实践动力。从教育对象接受的角度看，思想政治教育之所以发生就在于它帮助人们解决思想困惑、增进价值引导、实现精神提升，实实在在地解决人们的实际思想问题。而一旦脱离实际，尤其是脱离教育对象的“思想实际”，思想政治教育很显然就会陷入无目标的“思想空转”。

It can be said that only by precisely targeting the educational object’s “ideological reality” and grasping it in a differentiated and specific manner can ideological and political education achieve the precise supply of ideological concepts. That is to say, only by accurately targeting the “ideological reality” of the object of ideological and political education and grasping the ideological demands of the educational object from it can ideological and political education be implemented in detail, done meticulously, and consolidated firmly. As Zhang Shujun stated: “The object of moral education is living people, people in a state of change. Therefore, as educators, on the premise of clarifying the educational purpose, we should actively take the initiative to understand and grasp what the educated think, are anxious about, and are confused about, targeting the ‘ideological reality’ of the educated, actively organizing the moral education process, and carrying out innovations in educational content, educational methods, and educational processes, so that the moral education process truly proceeds from the shallow to the deep, from the surface to the core, through inspiration and guidance, truly touching the soul of the educated, and making moral education fall into place.” [17]70 In this way, whether the educational object’s “ideological reality” is effectively grasped reflects whether ideological and political education respects the object, understands the object, and targets the object. To enhance the pertinence of ideological and political education, it is necessary to effectively address the educational object’s “ideological reality,” and the latter also becomes an important criterion for measuring whether ideological and political education has pertinence.

可以说，思想政治教育只有精确瞄准教育对象的“思想实际”，对其进行差异性、具体化的把握，才能实现思想观念的精准供给。即是说，只有精准切中思想政治教育对象的“思想实际”，从中把握教育对象的思想要求，才能将思想政治教育落小、做细、压实。诚如张澍军所言：“德育的对象是活生生的人，是处于变化之中的人。所以，作为教育者，在明确教育目的的前提下，应积极主动地了解和掌握受教育者之所想、所急、所惑，针对受教育者的‘思想实际’，积极组织德育过程，进行教育内容创新、教育手段创新、教育过程创新等，使德育过程真正做到由浅入深、由表及里，通过启发引导，真正触及受教育者的灵魂，使德育落在实处。”[17]70这样，是否有效把握教育对象的“思想实际”，反映出思想政治教育是否尊重对象、把握对象、切中对象。而要提升思想政治教育的针对性，需要有效关切教育对象的“思想实际”，后者也成为衡量思想政治教育是否具有针对性的重要标准。

IV. The Discipline of Ideological and Political Education Should Emphasize Investigation and Research on “Ideological Reality”

四、思想政治教育学科应重视“思想实际”的调查研究

“Ideological reality” is an ideological fact used to reflect people’s actual ideological state, which can be observed, understood, and grasped by people. Deeply understanding “ideological reality” and grasping people’s actual ideological state is the prerequisite and foundation for doing ideological and political work well. Only through systematic and in-depth ideological investigation and research, accurately identifying the “crux” and targeting the “real problems,” can feasible and scientific solutions be proposed. Emphasizing investigation and research on “ideological reality” often becomes an important link in scientifically carrying out practical activities of ideological and political education.

“思想实际”是用以反映人们现实思想状况的思想事实，能够为人们所观察、认识和把握。深入了解“思想实际”，掌握人们现实的思想状况，是做好思想政治工作的前提和基础。只有通过系统深入的思想调研，准确地找准“症结”，切中“真问题”，才能提出切实可行的科学方案。重视“思想实际”的调查研究往往成为科学开展思想政治教育实践活动的重要环节。

In March 2023, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the “Work Plan on Vigorously Promoting Investigation and Research Throughout the Party,” [7]7 The “Work Plan on Vigorously Promoting Investigation and Research Throughout the Party” is a document issued by the Central Committee of the CPC in 2023, requiring Party members and cadres to conduct in-depth investigations into practical problems, including ideological and cultural issues, to improve work effectiveness. with the key content of the investigation including the challenges faced in the ideological sphere, the main situations and key issues in promoting cultural confidence and self-reliance, building a socialist cultural power, and guiding news and public opinion, as well as comprehensive online governance. Investigation and research in the ideological and cultural sphere is an important part of investigation and research. Emphasizing investigation and research on the ideological state has always been an important way for Marxist classics to grasp social reality. Here, investigating “ideological reality” is not only about clarifying the ideological state of the target groups of ideological and political education but also about further grasping the overall characteristics of the ideological state and its dynamic patterns of change.

2023年3月，中共中央办公厅印发了《关于在全党大兴调查研究的工作方案》，调研的重点内容就包括意识形态领域面临的挑战，推进文化自信自强、建设社会主义文化强国和新闻舆论引导、网络综合治理中的主要情况和重点问题等。思想文化领域的调研是调查研究的重要内容，注重思想状况的调查研究始终是马克思主义经典作家把握社会现实的重要方式。在这里，调研“思想实际”不仅是摸清楚思想政治教育对象群体的思想状况，还要进一步把握思想状况的总体特征及其动态变化规律。

From the perspective of the discipline of ideological and political education, the investigation of “actual thought” must, on the one hand, reflect the general characteristics of “thought-facts” as “social facts,” following the principles and methods of social science survey research; on the other hand, it should embody the attributes and features of “actual thought” as a form of ideological concept, especially the unique mode of thinking and theoretical perspective of the discipline of ideological and political education. Regarding the former, it requires the use of standardized scientific research methods from the social sciences, following problem orientation and factual presentation, adhering to adaptation to local conditions, and comprehensively employing methods such as symposium interviews, random visits, questionnaire surveys, sampling surveys, and statistical analysis to objectively present the factual characteristics of the ideological sphere. Regarding the latter, the understanding and grasp of “actual thought” are not entirely limited to factual observation; it is also necessary, on this basis, to further uncover the internal connections among various elements within “thought-facts,” and to make value-based determinations and assessments of “actual thought” from the perspective of the value guidance and spiritual uplift advocated by ideological and political education. Specifically, the investigation of “actual thought” in the discipline of ideological and political education can follow the principles below.

在思想政治教育学科视域看来，对“思想实际”的调研，一方面，要体现“思想事实”作为“社会事实”的一般性特征，遵循社会科学调查研究的原则和方法；另一方面，应体现“思想实际”作为思想观念形态的属性和特征，尤其体现思想政治教育学科独有的思维方式、理论视域。就前者而言，它需要借助社会科学规范的科学研究方法，循着问题导向与事实呈现，坚持因地制宜，综合运用座谈访谈、随机走访、问卷调查、抽样调查、统计分析等方法，客观呈现思想领域的事实性特征。就后者而言，对“思想实际”的理解和把握又不完全局限于事实性观察，还需要在此基础上进一步发掘“思想事实”中各种要素之间的内在联系，从思想政治教育所倡导的价值引领和精神提振角度，对“思想实际”作出价值性的认定和评估。具体来说，对思想政治教育学科“思想实际”的调研可以遵循如下原则。

(I) Upholding the Unity of Wholeness and Differentiation

（一）坚持总体性与差别性相统一

“Actual thought” takes on multiple forms due to differences in its subjects: first, holistic “actual thought,” mainly including the overall ideological and cultural conditions of society, social mores, spiritual atmosphere, political and ideological circumstances, public opinion, and social mentality, which broadly fall under the category of wholeness; second, group “actual thought,” mainly directed at specific social groups and occupational conditions, linked to the mission, responsibility, duty, and ethics of particular roles; this level of “actual thought” focuses primarily on the social attributes to which individuals belong and the ideological characteristics of corresponding groups. In addition, individual “actual thought” is mainly connected to personal psychology, personality, emotions, etc., and is more reflected as individualized features with personal significance. In the practice of ideological and political education, “actual thought” at different levels must be grasped in a unified manner. Thought is the precursor to action; behavior is closely linked to ideological conditions, and “actual thought” determines actual behavior. In the process of investigating “actual thought,” on the one hand, it is necessary to fully grasp the general characteristics of “actual thought,” such as factuality, normativity, and practicality, to understand the overall ideological conditions of the objects of ideological and political education, and to holistically grasp the ideological and cultural background in which ideological and political education is carried out; on the other hand, it is also necessary to adopt a differentiated perspective to examine “actual thought,” implementing it concretely from typological, hierarchical, and differentiated angles. Only by distinguishing various types of “actual thought” at different levels can we accurately grasp the actual ideological conditions on which ideological and political education is based, as well as the value requirements it carries.

“思想实际”因其主体的差异而呈现出多元形态：其一，总体性的“思想实际”，主要包括社会整体的思想文化状况、社会风尚、精神氛围、思想政治情况、社会舆论、社会心态等，大体上都属于总体性的范畴；其二，群体性的“思想实际”，主要指向特定的社会群体与职业状况，与特定角色的使命、担当、责任、伦理等等相联系，这个层面的“思想实际”主要着眼于个体所属的社会属性以及相应群体的思想特点。除此之外，个体性的“思想实际”主要与个人的心理、人格、情绪等相联系，更多地体现为具有人格意义的个性化特征。在思想政治教育实践过程中，不同层面的“思想实际”都需要加以统一把握。思想是行为的先导，行为呈现与思想状况密切联系，“思想实际”决定行为实际。在调研“思想实际”的过程当中，一方面，需要充分把握“思想实际”的事实性、价值性、实践性等一般特征，了解思想政治教育对象的总体思想状况，全局性地把握思想政治教育开展的思想文化背景；另一方面，也要采取区分的观点审视“思想实际”，以类型化、层次化、差别化的视角加以具体落实。只有在不同层面的意义上区分各种类型的“思想实际”，才能精准把握思想政治教育所立足的现实思想状况，及其承载的价值观要求。

(II) Upholding the Unity of Factuality and Normativity

（二）坚持事实性与规范性相统一

Although “actual thought” reflects the factual characteristics of real ideological conditions, from the perspective of the discipline of ideological and political education, it is necessary to further extend it, grasping the value dimension behind “actual thought,” and delving into the normative elements it contains, such as political beliefs, ideals and convictions, values, spiritual character, and behavioral attitudes. The “actual thought” that concerns theoretical researchers and practical workers in ideological and political education is not limited to objectively describing the overall ideological conditions of society or the actual ideological conditions of people; it also requires a value assessment of “actual thought” based on whether it meets the standards for the effective conduct of ideological and political education. The purpose of investigating “actual thought” in ideological and political education is to establish a scientific premise for its effective implementation and to provide a basis for better guiding and improving actual ideological and political conditions. In this sense, “actual thought” is not purely a factual judgment in the sense of “what is.” Although it constitutes the starting point of ideological and political education, it does not remain at the beginning; rather, through reasonable assessment and with the help of practical activities in ideological and political education, it aims to achieve the goals of ideological progress and value guidance. In fact, human thought is a dynamic process of change and development; “actual thought” has its phased characteristics of “what is,” but from a developmental perspective, it is also necessary to reveal the guiding significance of “actual thought” for behavior, to transform actual ideological conditions from the perspective of ideological transformation and progress, and to continuously approach idealized value goals.

“思想实际”虽然体现出现实思想状况的事实性特点，但从思想政治教育学科的角度看，还需要对其进一步引申，把握“思想实际”背后的价值性维度，深入到“思想实际”蕴含的政治信仰、理想信念、价值观念、精神品格、行为态度等规范性要素。思想政治教育理论研究者和实践工作者关注的“思想实际”，并不只限于客观描述社会总体的思想状况或人们实际的思想状况，还需要以是否合乎思想政治教育有效开展的标准对“思想实际”作出价值评估。调研思想政治教育中的“思想实际”，目的在于为思想政治教育的有效开展奠定科学前提，为更好地引导改善实际的思想政治状况提供依据。在此意义上，“思想实际”并不纯粹是一个实然意义的事实判断。它虽构成思想政治教育的起点，但又不停留于开端，而是通过对其进行合理的评估，并借助思想政治教育实践活动，达到思想进步、价值引领的目标。事实上，人的思想是一个动态变化发展的过程，“思想实际”有其阶段性的实然特点，但从发展的角度看，又需要揭示“思想实际”对于行为所具有的引领意义，从人们的思想转化与思想进步的角度，变革现实的思想状况，不断趋近理想化的价值目标。

(III) Upholding the Unity of Macroscopicity and Microscopicity

（三）坚持宏观性与微观性相统一

A complete grasp of “actual thought” cannot be achieved without scientific survey and research methods. This includes both a macroscopic survey orientation for holistic understanding and a microscopic orientation for individualized understanding. In the past, people’s understanding and investigation of ideological conditions, using social survey methods, mostly presented their overall characteristics as social facts, with relatively obvious wholeness, macroscopicity, and structure; in comparison, individuality and microscopicity still need to be strengthened. Particularly for grasping “actual thought,” the significance of its individual and microscopic level increasingly needs to be highlighted. The focus of ideological and political education is “real individuals,” and the “actual thought” of “real individuals” often becomes the entry point for ideological and political education. From a holistic perspective, “actual thought” includes “actual thought” at the holistic, group, and individual dimensions. Here, individual ideological conditions often express the personality characteristics of the object, reflect the specificity of “actual thought,” and directly affect the actual effectiveness of ideological and political education. Thus, for the investigation of “actual thought,” it is necessary to employ research methods designed to capture specific contexts, daily interactions, individual lives, and concrete events, reaching the inner world of the educational objects. Emphasis should be placed on the microscopic orientation of ideological investigation, focusing on microscopic individuals, and skillfully using research methods such as oral history, narrative, and in-depth interviews to grasp the individualized dimension of “actual thought.” Here, macroscopically oriented investigations grasp the overall characteristics and evolutionary trends of “actual thought,” while microscopically oriented investigations more fully present the specific and precise ideological characteristics of particular objects. Therefore, upholding the unity of macroscopicity and microscopicity can provide a more precise factual premise for ideological and political education to grasp “actual thought.”

完满地把握“思想实际”，离不开科学的调查研究方法。这里既有包括总体性把握的宏观调研趋向，又包括个性化把握的微观趋向。以往人们对于思想状况的认识调研，运用社会调查方法，更多呈现的是其作为社会事实的总体性特征，其整体性、宏观性、结构性较为明显，相比较而言，个体性、微观性还有待加强。特别是对于“思想实际”的把握，其个体微观层面的意义愈发需要凸显。思想政治教育的着眼点是“现实的个人”，“现实的个人”的“思想实际”往往成为思想政治教育的切入点。从全局的意义上说，“思想实际”包括了总体性、群体性与个体性不同维度的“思想实际”，在此，个体性的思想状况往往表达对象的人格性特征，体现“思想实际”的特异性，直接关系着思想政治教育的实际效果。这样，从对“思想实际”的调研来说，需要借助那些旨在捕捉特定情境、日常互动、个体生命、具体事件的研究方法，抵达教育对象的内心世界。注重思想调研的微观趋向，聚焦微观的个人，善于运用口述史、叙事、深度访谈等一系列研究方法，以把握“思想实际”的个体化向度。在这里，宏观取向的调研把握了“思想实际”的总体特征和演化趋势，而微观取向则更多地呈现出具体对象特异性、精确性的思想特点。因此，坚持宏观性与微观性相统一，可以为思想政治教育把握“思想实际”提供更为精确的事实前提。

Conclusion

结语

The discipline of ideological and political education is an applied discipline oriented toward practice. Corresponding theoretical research in the discipline should not begin from abstract presuppositions but from objectively existing actual conditions. The “actual conditions” of concern to the discipline of ideological and political education are, first and foremost, people’s “actual thought.” “Actual thought” reflects people’s actual ideological conditions and spiritual states, providing a factual premise for ideological and political education; it is a descriptive concept with empirical overtones. For a long time, people may have held prejudices against theoretical research in ideological and political education, viewing it as conceptual deduction or abstract word piling, with insufficient empirical foundation, factual support, and real experience. By elucidating concepts with factual presentation functions, such as “actual thought,” it is possible to effectively grasp phenomena or facts in ideological and political education, endowing it with a realistic character. Consciously sorting out and elucidating disciplinary concepts with factual implications and descriptive functions will also become an important task in the study of basic concepts in ideological and political education.

思想政治教育学科是一门面向实践的应用型学科，与之相应的学科理论研究不应该从抽象的预设开始，而应从客观存在的实际情况出发。思想政治教育学科关切的“实际情况”，首要的便是人们的“思想实际”。“思想实际”反映人们实际的思想状况和精神状态，为思想政治教育提供事实前提，是一个具有经验色彩的描述性概念。长期以来，人们可能对思想政治教育理论研究抱有偏见，将其视为概念化的演绎或抽象的语词堆砌，经验基础、事实支撑、真实体验等似乎体现得不够。通过阐发“思想实际”之类具有事实呈示功能的概念，可以有效把握思想政治教育现象或事实，赋予思想政治教育以现实性的品格。有意识地梳理和阐发具有事实意蕴和描述功能的学科概念，也将成为思想政治教育基本概念研究的重要任务。

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心