Firmly Grasp the Party’s Leadership over Ideological Work and Improve the Ideological Work Responsibility System

Ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party, a task that establishes the heart of the nation and the soul of the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Whether we Chinese Communists can uphold the Party’s leadership and uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics under the increasingly complex international and domestic environment still requires us, generation after generation of Communists, to continue to provide an answer. Doing ideological work well, doing propaganda and thought work well, must be understood within this broader context.” [1]1 The “broader context” refers to the complex international and domestic environment in which the Party must uphold its leadership and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. Whether ideological work can be done well bears on the Party’s future and destiny, on the nation’s long-term stability and security, and on the nation’s cohesion and centripetal force. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the situation in China’s ideological sphere has undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation, but the situation facing ideological work remains complex and severe. The Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, focusing on building a strong socialist culture, has designated “improving the ideological work responsibility system” as an important aspect of deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanisms. [2]2 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024; its Decision outlined major reforms, including in cultural systems. On the new journey of the New Era, we must fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought, further improve the ideological work responsibility system, and firmly keep the leadership, management, and discursive power of ideological work in the hands of the Party.

意识形态工作是党的一项极端重要的工作，是为国家立心、为民族立魂的工作。习近平总书记指出：“我们中国共产党人能不能在日益复杂的国际国内环境下坚持住党的领导、坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，这个还需要我们一代一代共产党人继续作出回答。做好意识形态工作，做好宣传思想工作，要放到这个大背景下来认识。”能否做好意识形态工作，事关党的前途命运、事关国家长治久安、事关民族凝聚力和向心力。党的十八大以来，我国意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变，但意识形态工作面临的形势依然复杂严峻。党的二十届三中全会《决定》聚焦建设社会主义文化强国，将“完善意识形态工作责任制”作为深化文化体制机制改革的重要方面。新时代新征程，我们要全面贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，坚持以习近平文化思想为引领，进一步完善意识形态工作责任制，把意识形态工作的领导权、管理权、话语权都牢牢掌握在党的手中。

Uphold the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere. Marxism is the banner and soul of socialist ideology and the fundamental guiding thought for our Party and nation. In the New Era, to uphold and consolidate the guiding position of Marxism, the most important thing is to uphold and consolidate the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate minds and forge souls, improve the work system for arming the entire Party, educating the people, and guiding practice with the Party’s innovative theories, perfect the study system for the theoretical study central groups of Party committees (Party leadership groups), and promote the normalization and institutionalization of studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. [3]3 “Theoretical study central groups” (党委理论学习中心组) are regular study sessions for leading Party cadres at each level, mandated by Party regulations. Unswervingly use Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought to guide the reform of the cultural system and mechanisms, and consciously implement this important thought throughout the entire process and in all aspects of the reform of the cultural system and mechanisms. Innovate the project on the study and development of Marxist theory, implement the innovation project for philosophy and social sciences, take China as the reference and the times as the reference, and in revealing the great logic and great trends of China’s social development and the development of human society, construct an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences, so that philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics truly stand tall in the world’s academic forest.

坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位。马克思主义是社会主义意识形态的旗帜和灵魂，是我们立党立国的根本指导思想。在新时代，坚持和巩固马克思主义指导地位，最重要的就是坚持和巩固习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指导地位。要坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，健全用党的创新理论武装全党、教育人民、指导实践工作体系，完善党委（党组）理论学习中心组学习制度，推动学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想常态化制度化。坚定不移用习近平文化思想指导文化体制机制改革，自觉把这一重要思想贯彻落实到文化体制机制改革全过程各方面。创新马克思主义理论研究和建设工程，实施哲学社会科学创新工程，以中国为观照、以时代为观照，在揭示我国社会发展、人类社会发展的大逻辑大趋势中构建中国哲学社会科学自主知识体系，使中国特色哲学社会科学真正屹立于世界学术之林。

Improve the institutional mechanisms for cultivating and practicing core socialist values. The core values commonly recognized by the entire society are the most enduring and deepest force in ideology. Cultivating and practicing core socialist values is a foundational project for consolidating souls, gathering energy, strengthening foundations, and solidifying roots. To improve the institutional mechanisms for cultivating and practicing core socialist values, we must promote the normalization and institutionalization of ideal and belief education, continuously carry out propaganda and education on the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the Chinese nation’s development, and guide the people to understand history and love the Party, to understand history and love the nation. [4]4 The “four histories” (党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史) are a standard set of historical narratives promoted by the CPC; “the history of the Chinese nation’s development” (中华民族发展史) is sometimes added as a fifth. Improve and innovate the working mechanisms for the cultivation of civilized behavior, civilized practice, and the creation of civilized communities, implement the project for building civilized rural customs, advocate the scientific spirit, and promote new trends and upright practices. Innovate the organizational mechanisms for patriotic education and various mass-themed activities, optimize the mechanisms for publicizing and learning from heroic models, and promote a society that respects heroes, remembers martyrs, and strives to be pioneers. Construct a system for inheriting traditional Chinese virtues, improve the institutional mechanisms for building social ethics, professional ethics, family virtues, and personal morality, improve the long-term mechanism for building integrity, resolutely oppose money worship, hedonism, extreme individualism, and historical nihilism, and educate and guide the entire society to consciously abide by the law and follow public order and good customs. [5]5 Historical nihilism (历史虚无主义) is a term used by the CPC to criticize approaches that allegedly deny or distort the Party’s official historical narrative. Form a targeted and precise implementation mechanism for online ideological and moral education, and enhance its persuasiveness and appeal. Establish and improve a collaborative governance mechanism for prominent issues in the moral domain, improve the long-term mechanism for “eliminating pornography and illegal publications,” and resolve moral issues that arouse strong public concern. [6]6 “Eliminating pornography and illegal publications” (扫黄打非) is a long-standing campaign against pornographic and illicit materials.

完善培育和践行社会主义核心价值观制度机制。全社会共同认可的核心价值观是意识形态中最持久、最深层的力量，培育和践行社会主义核心价值观是凝魂聚气、强基固本的基础工程。完善培育和践行社会主义核心价值观制度机制，要推动理想信念教育常态化制度化，持续抓好党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史宣传教育，引导人民知史爱党、知史爱国。改进创新文明培育、文明实践、文明创建工作机制，实施文明乡风建设工程，倡导科学精神，弘扬新风正气。创新爱国主义教育和各类群众性主题活动组织机制，优化英模人物宣传学习机制，推动全社会崇尚英雄、缅怀先烈、争做先锋。构建中华传统美德传承体系，健全社会公德、职业道德、家庭美德、个人品德建设体制机制，健全诚信建设长效机制，坚决反对拜金主义、享乐主义、极端个人主义和历史虚无主义，教育引导全社会自觉遵守法律，遵循公序良俗。形成网上思想道德教育分众化、精准化实施机制，增强说服力感染力。建立健全道德领域突出问题协同治理机制，完善“扫黄打非”长效机制，解决好群众反映强烈的道德问题。

Improve the mechanisms for guiding public opinion and the collaborative mechanisms for responding to public sentiment. Public opinion work is an important component of ideological work. If the orientation of public opinion is correct, it can unite people’s hearts, gather strength, and promote the development of the cause; if the orientation of public opinion is wrong, it can shake people’s hearts, undermine morale, and harm the cause of the Party and the people. To improve the mechanisms for guiding public opinion and the collaborative mechanisms for responding to public sentiment, we must adhere to guiding people with correct public opinion, sing the main theme, and strengthen positive energy. Improve the news spokesperson system, and comprehensively enhance the capacity for guiding public opinion. Centering on major time nodes, closely track ideological trends, and resolutely prevent and defuse ideological risks. Adapt to the trends of digitalization, networking, and intelligence, implement the project for building all-media communication, construct a working mechanism and evaluation system adapted to all-media production and dissemination, and enable mainstream ideological public opinion to produce a communication multiplier effect. Scientifically understand the laws of online communication, accurately grasp the mechanisms of the generation and evolution of online public sentiment, improve the level of internet use and governance, and turn this biggest variable of the internet into the biggest increment for the development of the cause.

完善舆论引导机制和舆情应对协同机制。舆论工作是意识形态工作的重要组成部分。舆论导向正确，就能凝聚人心、汇聚力量，推动事业发展；舆论导向错误，就会动摇人心、瓦解斗志，危害党和人民事业。完善舆论引导机制和舆情应对协同机制，要坚持以正确舆论引导人，唱响主旋律，壮大正能量。完善新闻发言人制度，全面提升舆论引导能力。围绕重大时间节点，密切跟踪意识形态动向，坚决防范化解意识形态风险。顺应数字化、网络化、智能化趋势，实施全媒体传播建设工程，构建适应全媒体生产传播工作机制和评价体系，让主流思想舆论产生传播乘数效应。科学认识网络传播规律，准确把握网上舆情生成演化机理，提高用网治网水平，使互联网这个最大变量变成事业发展的最大增量。

Clearly oppose and resist various erroneous viewpoints. Currently, the struggles and contests in the ideological sphere are sometimes still very acute. In the critical period of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, we have no room for any compromise or retreat in the ideological struggle; on the contrary, we must actively engage in battle with the spirit of daring to struggle and the ability to be good at struggling, and firmly grasp the initiative. [7]7 “Chinese-path modernization” (中国式现代化) is the official term for China’s model of modernization, distinct from Western models. Party committees (Party leadership groups) at all levels must place the proper conduct of ideological work in an important position, earnestly assume political and leadership responsibilities, strengthen the analysis and judgment of major issues in the field of propaganda and thought, and strengthen the overall planning and guidance of major strategic tasks. Strengthen the construction and management of positions, prevent providing channels for the dissemination of erroneous ideological viewpoints, and achieve the goals of being responsible for one’s own territory, being accountable for one’s own territory, and fulfilling one’s duties to the fullest on one’s own territory. Enhance political acumen in maintaining ideological security, pay attention to distinguishing issues of political principle, issues of ideological understanding, and issues of academic viewpoint, dare to manage and dare to take a clear stand on various issues of a political, principled, and directional nature, and resolutely wage struggle against statements that maliciously attack the Party’s leadership, attack the socialist system, distort the history of the Party and the nation, and spread rumors.

旗帜鲜明反对和抵制各种错误观点。当前，意识形态领域的斗争和较量有时仍然十分尖锐。在以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的关键时期，我们在意识形态斗争上不但没有任何妥协退让的余地，还要以敢于斗争的精神、善于斗争的本领主动应战，牢牢掌握主动权。各级党委（党组）要把做好意识形态工作摆在重要位置，切实负起政治责任和领导责任，加强对宣传思想领域重大问题的分析研判和重大战略性任务的统筹指导。加强阵地建设和管理，防止给错误思想观点传播提供渠道，做到守土有责、守土负责、守土尽责。增强维护意识形态安全的政治敏锐，注意区分政治原则问题、思想认识问题、学术观点问题，对各种政治性、原则性、导向性问题敢抓敢管、敢于亮剑，坚决同那些恶意攻击党的领导、攻击社会主义制度、歪曲党史国史、造谣生事的言论开展斗争。

[The author is Director and Senior Editor of the Seventh Research Department of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee.]

【作者为中共中央党史和文献研究院第七研究部主任、编审】

Online Editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁