Enhancing the Discourse Power of Marxist Ideology in the New Era

In 2004, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the *Opinions on Further Prosperity and Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences*, proposing to “implement the Marxist Theory Research and Development Project” (hereinafter referred to as the “M Project”). It has now been 21 years. General Secretary Xi Jinping recently issued important instructions on the Marxist Theory Research and Development Project in the New Era, pointing out that “the Marxist Theory Research and Development Project is a foundational and strategic project for the Party’s ideological and theoretical building. Over the past 20 years, the Project has always centered on the core tasks and served the overall situation, producing a large number of high-quality research results, and playing an important role in studying, learning, propagating, and publicizing the Party’s innovative theories, as well as consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere.” Looking back over the 21 years since the implementation of the “M Project,” especially since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, it has played a significant role in promoting Marxist theoretical innovation, theoretical dissemination, and theoretical practice, achieving remarkable results. It has greatly changed the situation that once existed in the construction of China’s socialist ideological discourse power, where “there were truths but they could not be articulated, they could be articulated but not spread, and they could be spread but not resonate.” It has consolidated the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere and effectively enhanced the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era.

中共中央于2004年发出《关于进一步繁荣发展哲学社会科学的意见》，提出要“实施马克思主义理论研究和建设工程”（以下简称“马工程”），迄今已有21年。习近平总书记近期对新时代马克思主义理论研究和建设工程作出重要指示，指出“马克思主义理论研究和建设工程是党的思想理论建设的基础工程、战略工程。20年来，工程始终围绕中心、服务大局，推出了一大批高质量研究成果，在学习研究宣传党的创新理论、巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位等方面发挥了重要作用”。回顾“马工程”实施21年来，特别是党的十八大以来，在推动马克思主义理论创新、理论传播、理论践行等方面发挥了重要作用，取得了显著成效，极大改变了我国社会主义意识形态话语权建设中一度存在的“有理说不出、说了传不开、传开叫不响”的状况，巩固了马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，有力提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。

Promoting Theoretical Innovation in Marxism

推动马克思主义的理论创新

The “M Project” has promoted theoretical innovation in Marxism, opened up a new realm of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and greatly changed the predicament in the construction of China’s ideological discourse power where “there were truths but they could not be articulated.”

“马工程”推动了马克思主义的理论创新，开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化的新境界，极大改变了我国意识形态话语权建设中“有理说不出”的窘境。

In promoting theoretical innovation in Marxism, the “M Project” has always adhered to scientific methods such as the “Two Integrations” [1]1 感染力 (gǎnrǎn lì): Literally “power of infection,” a standard Chinese term for the emotional or affective impact of ideological or cultural communication, often rendered as “appeal” or “emotional resonance” in English. and the “Six Musts” [2]2 The “Six Musts” (六个必须坚持) refers to six principles for theoretical innovation: must uphold the people-centered approach, must uphold self-confidence and self-reliance, must uphold integrity and innovation, must uphold a problem-oriented approach, must uphold a systems perspective, and must uphold a global vision., continuously advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must adhere to the ‘Two Integrations,’ take root in the Chinese land, continue the Chinese cultural lineage, and deepen the academic foundation.” Adhering to the fundamental method of the “Two Integrations”—integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture—and implementing the innovative method of the “Six Musts”—must uphold the people-centered approach, must uphold self-confidence and self-reliance, must uphold integrity and innovation, must uphold a problem-oriented approach, must uphold a systems perspective, and must uphold a global vision—are the inherent requirements for the “M Project” to promote theoretical innovation in Marxism in the New Era, providing fundamental guidance for continuously advancing Marxist theoretical innovation. The “M Project” adheres to basing itself on the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, promotes the application of the basic tenets, standpoints, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism to analyze the specific realities of contemporary China, studies and resolves major issues raised by the development of social practice, forms new understandings that reflect the new laws of development in the New Era, and promotes original research on adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It also deeply explores the rich connotations and contemporary value of the best of traditional Chinese culture, endowing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times with profound cultural heritage, making Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the New Era more imbued with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner. This has promoted the discourse innovation of Marxist ideology in the New Era and enhanced the attractiveness, appeal, and guiding power of Marxist ideological discourse in the New Era.

“马工程”推动马克思主义理论创新，始终坚持“两个结合”“六个必须坚持” 等科学方法，不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化。习近平总书记指出，“要坚持‘两个结合’，扎根中国大地、赓续中华文脉、厚植学术根基”。坚持马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的“两个结合”根本方法，贯彻必须坚持人民至上、必须坚持自信自立、必须坚持守正创新、必须坚持问题导向、必须坚持系统观念、必须坚持胸怀天下的“六个必须坚持”创新方法，是新时代“马工程”推动马克思主义理论创新的内在要求，为持续推进马克思主义理论创新提供了根本遵循。“马工程”坚持立足中国特色社会主义伟大实践，推动运用马克思主义基本原理和立场观点方法，分析当代中国具体实际，研究解决社会实践发展提出的重大课题，形成反映新时代发展新规律的新认识，推动了马克思主义中国化时代化的原创性研究，并深入挖掘中华优秀传统文化的丰富内涵和时代价值，赋予马克思主义中国化时代化以深厚的文化底蕴，使新时代中国化时代化的马克思主义更加具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派，促进了新时代马克思主义意识形态的话语创新，提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语的吸引力、感染力和引领力。

In promoting theoretical innovation in Marxism, the “M Project” focuses on expanding research on major theoretical and practical issues. Currently, driven by the “M Project,” “the project’s supervisory units have integrated their departmental resources to establish the Research Center for Socialist Democracy, the Research Center for Contemporary Theoretical Trends, the Research Center for International Communication, and the Research Center for Chinese Civilization and the Chinese Path,” focusing on studying the theoretical system, development path, institutional construction, and cultural civilization of socialism with Chinese characteristics, effectively promoting the development and innovation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out the need to “deeply study the major issues in the practice of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.” Adhering to a problem-oriented approach is a distinctive feature of the “M Project.” The “M Project” has successively established over 700 key research topics, deepening theoretical and practical research around deep-seated issues in China’s reform and development, the characteristics and pathways of Chinese-path modernization, the cultivation of new quality productive forces, and other major issues. Based on the forefront of the times, it accurately grasps the general trend of the times, responds to practical needs, solves practical difficulties, continuously develops Marxist theory in solving new problems arising from the development of the times, and produces a large number of high-quality research results. This has deepened the exploration and response to the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, promoted theoretical innovation in Marxism, and enhanced the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era.

“马工程”推动马克思主义理论创新，注重拓展对重大理论和实践问题的研究。当前，在“马工程”的推动下，“工程主管单位整合本部门资源，成立社会主义民主研究中心、当代理论思潮研究中心、国际传播研究中心、中华文明与中国道路研究中心”，以研究中国特色社会主义理论体系、发展道路、制度建设、文化文明为重点，切实推动了对马克思主义中国化时代化的发展与创新。习近平总书记指出，要“深入研究以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业实践中的重大问题”。坚持问题导向是“马工程”的鲜明特点。“马工程”先后设立700多项重点课题，围绕我国改革发展存在的深层次问题、中国式现代化的特征路径、新质生产力培育等重大问题深化理论和实践研究，立足时代发展前沿，准确把握时代大势，回应现实需要，破解现实难题，在解决时代发展新问题中不断发展马克思主义理论，推出了一大批高质量研究成果，深化了中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问的探索与回答，推动了马克思主义理论创新，提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。

In promoting theoretical innovation in Marxism, the “M Project” takes studying, learning, researching, and propagating Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its fundamental task, deepening the systematic and academic research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The “M Project” has established 19 research centers (institutes) for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, focusing on studying the basic theories of Marxism, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthening interpretive research on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Through continuous and in-depth theoretical research and interpretation, it has deepened the understanding and recognition of the broad masses of the people regarding the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, further consolidated the guiding position of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, in the ideological sphere, and effectively enhanced the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era.

“马工程”推动马克思主义理论创新，将学习研究宣传习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想作为根本任务，深化对习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的系统化、学理化研究阐释。“马工程”成立了19家习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心（院），以研究马克思主义基本理论，特别是研究习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为重点，加强对习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的阐释性研究，通过持续深入的理论研究阐释，加深了广大人民群众对于马克思主义中国化时代化的理解和认识，进一步巩固了马克思主义中国化时代化，特别是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想在意识形态领域的指导地位，有力提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。

Promoting Theoretical Dissemination of Marxism

推动马克思主义的理论传播

The “M Project” has promoted the theoretical dissemination of Marxism, enhanced the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era, and helped solve the problem in the construction of China’s ideological discourse power where “they could be articulated but not spread.” Currently, “China’s comprehensive national strength and international status are continuously rising, and the international community’s attention to China is unprecedented, but China’s image in the world is largely ‘shaped by others’ rather than ‘self-shaped.’ We are sometimes still in a situation where there are truths but they cannot be articulated, and they can be articulated but not spread.” Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the capacity building for disseminating China’s mainstream ideology and enhance the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era. The “M Project” is precisely an important project for promoting the theoretical dissemination of Marxism and enhancing the influence of Chinese discourse.

“马工程”推动了马克思主义的理论传播，提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权，有利于解决我国意识形态话语权建设中“说了传不开”的问题。当前，“我国综合国力和国际地位不断提升，国际社会对我国的关注前所未有，但中国在世界上的形象很大程度上仍是‘他塑’而非‘自塑’，我们在国际上有时还处于有理说不出、说了传不开的境地”。因此，要加强我国主流意识形态传播能力建设，提升新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。而“马工程”正是推动马克思主义理论传播、增强中国话语影响力的重要工程。

In promoting the theoretical dissemination of Marxism, the “M Project” first focuses on disseminating Marxism to young students through the main channel of courses. To improve the teaching quality of Marxist theoretical dissemination, the “M Project” has unified the organization, compilation, and publication of nationally unified textbooks for ideological and political theory courses, and organized the compilation and publication of over 110 high-quality key textbooks for humanities and social science majors in universities, cultivating a backbone team of Marxist theoretical research and teaching composed of veteran, middle-aged, and young scholars, laying a good foundation for strengthening ideological and political theory education for young students. The “M Project” always adheres to using Marxism, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, to forge souls and educate people, effectively promoting the integration of Marxist theory into textbooks, into classrooms, and into students’ minds, promoting the resolution of the talent cultivation issue of “for whom to cultivate people, what kind of people to cultivate, and how to cultivate people,” cultivating socialist builders and successors with firm Marxist beliefs, profound Marxist theoretical literacy, and firm ideals and convictions, and consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the field of education and the ideological sphere of universities.

“马工程”推动马克思主义理论传播，首先注重通过课程主渠道向青年学生传播马克思主义。“马工程”为了提高马克思主义理论传播的教学质量，统一组织编写出版了全国思想政治理论课的统编教材，并组织编写出版了110多种质量上乘的高校文科专业课重点教材，培养了一支老中青相结合的马克思主义理论研究和教学骨干队伍，为加强对青年学生的思想政治理论教育奠定了良好基础。“马工程”始终坚持用马克思主义，特别是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人，切实推进马克思主义理论进教材、进课堂、进学生头脑，推动解决“为谁培养人、培养什么人、怎样培养人”这一人才培养问题，培养了具有坚定马克思主义信仰、深厚马克思主义理论素养和坚定理想信念的社会主义建设者和接班人，巩固了马克思主义在教育领域和高校意识形态领域的指导地位。

The “Marxist Project” has promoted the social dissemination of Marxism. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the “Marxist Project” must “focus on enhancing the pertinence and effectiveness of study and propaganda, and make the Party’s innovative theories more deeply rooted in the people’s hearts.” The “Marxist Project” directly addresses the concerns of the broad masses of the people and strives to answer the questions they care about. Over the past 21 years, relying on the Theoretical Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department, the “Marxist Project” has annually published the popular theoretical reader *Theoretical Hotspots Face to Face*, with total distribution reaching tens of millions of copies. Works such as *Marx Is Right*, *Poverty Alleviation on the March*, *The Only Way*, and *We Are on the Great Road* have sparked nationwide viewing frenzies and enthusiastic responses, enhancing the attractiveness, persuasiveness,感染力 [n1], and leadership of Marxist ideological discourse in the New Era. The “Marxist Project” has strengthened innovation in the dissemination methods of Marxist theory, utilizing digital platforms such as Xinhuanet, People’s Daily Online, Guangming Online, CCTV.com, Xuexi Qiangguo, People’s Think Tank, and Communist Party Member Network. By employing all-media means, popular language, and digital-intelligent methods, it has carried out comprehensive, multi-level, targeted, segmented, and interactive theoretical propaganda and popularization, promoting the Party’s innovative theories to enter the mind and heart, greatly enhancing the attractiveness and leadership of China’s mainstream ideological discourse, and facilitating the resolution of the problem that “our discourse is spoken but not spread.”

“马工程”推动了马克思主义的社会传播。习近平总书记指出，“马工程”要“着力增强学习宣传的针对性、实效性，推动党的创新理论更加深入人心”。“马工程”直面广大人民群众关切，着力回答人民群众关心的问题。21年来，“马工程”依托中宣部理论局，每年推出通俗理论读物《理论热点面对面》，发行总量已达数千万册，推出的《马克思是对的》《脱贫攻坚在路上》《必由之路》《我们走在大路上》等在全国范围引发追片热潮和热烈反响，增强了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语的吸引力、说服力、感染力和引领力。“马工程”加强马克思主义理论传播方式的创新，通过新华网、人民网、光明网、央视网、学习强国、人民智库、共产党员网等数字平台，运用全媒体手段、大众化语言、数智化方式，全方位、多层次开展对象化、分众化、互动化的理论宣传普及，推动了党的创新理论入脑入心，极大提高了我国主流意识形态话语的吸引力和引领力，促进我国意识形态话语“说了传不开”问题的解决。

The “Marxist Project” has promoted the international dissemination of Marxism. Over the 21 years since its implementation, the “Marxist Project” has deeply engaged in foreign exchanges, “organizing and implementing the Marxist Literature Archiving Project to systematically collect and reproduce the manuscripts of classical writers’ works and precious historical archives of the Chinese Communist Party held overseas.” It has conducted multi-level, multi-scope, multi-language, and multi-carrier dissemination of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, advancing the display and promotion of Marxist achievements on international platforms, deepening the understanding and knowledge of people around the world regarding adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, enhancing the international influence of Chinese-path modernization and its achievements, and raising China’s international discourse power in ideology.

“马工程”推动了马克思主义的国际传播。“马工程”实施21年来，深入开展对外交流，“组织实施马克思主义文献典藏工程，系统化收藏、复制经典作家著作手稿和海外藏中共珍贵历史档案”，对马克思主义中国化时代化进行多层次、多范围、多语种、多载体的传播，推进了马克思主义在国际平台的成果宣传展示，加深了世界人民对于马克思主义中国化时代化的了解和认识，提升了中国式现代化道路和成就的国际影响力，提高了我国意识形态的国际话语权。

Promoting the Practical Application of Marxist Theory

推动马克思主义的理论践行

The “Marxist Project” has promoted the practical application of Marxist theory, thereby enhancing the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era. In the New Era, mastering the discourse power of Marxist ideology must ultimately be grounded in practice. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times must not only interpret the world but also change the world. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times originates from practice, guides and drives practice, and is tested and developed in practice. This is the inevitable path for the theoretical development of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and it is also the inevitable path for enhancing the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era. If adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times remains only at the theoretical level without being put into practice, it will be difficult to establish the guiding role of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the overall situation of China’s social development and the ideological sphere. Marxist ideological discourse will also find it hard to take root among the masses and in social practice, becoming a discourse widely recognized by the people, widely practiced in social life, and truly influential both within the whole society and even internationally. Over the past 21 years, the “Marxist Project” has continuously transformed the theoretical discourse, ideological discourse, and academic discourse of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times into policy discourse, mass discourse, life discourse, and online discourse, turning them into discourses that the masses consciously accept and practice. This has greatly promoted the understanding, recognition, and practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times among the broad masses, enhancing the effectiveness of building the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era.

“马工程”推动了马克思主义的理论践行，提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。新时代，掌握马克思主义意识形态话语权，最终要落脚到实践中去。马克思主义中国化时代化不仅要解释世界，更要改造世界。马克思主义中国化时代化来自实践，指导、推动实践，并在实践中检验和发展，这是马克思主义中国化时代化理论发展的必由之路，也是新时代提升马克思主义意识形态话语权的必由之路。如果马克思主义中国化时代化只停留在理论层面，而不付诸实践，就难以确立马克思主义中国化时代化在我国社会发展全局和意识形态领域的指导地位，马克思主义意识形态话语也难以在人民群众和社会实践中扎根，成为人民群众广泛认同、社会实践广泛践行，真正在全社会乃至国际社会叫得响的话语。21年来，“马工程”不断推动马克思主义中国化时代化的理论话语、思想话语、学术话语转变为政策话语、群众话语、生活话语和网络话语，转化为群众自觉接受和践行的话语，极大推动了广大人民群众对马克思主义中国化时代化的理解、认同和实践，增强了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权建设实效。

The “Marxist Project” focuses on using Chinese theory to explain and guide Chinese practice, promoting the practical application of Marxist theory. The “Marxist Project” integrates the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities, transforming the Party’s innovative theoretical achievements into scientific guidelines for guiding practice. It turns Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times into the Party’s and the state’s lines, principles, and policies, driving theoretical and practical innovation in the same direction. This enables the Party’s innovative theories to be tested and developed in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, consolidating and enhancing the guiding role of Marxism in the field of social practice and the ideological sphere. In the New Era, a series of major theories, concepts, and discourses with originality and distinctiveness—such as people-centered, putting the people first, “innovation, coordination, green, openness, sharing,” the new path of Chinese-path modernization, the Belt and Road Initiative, and a community with a shared future for mankind—have been successively proposed. The “Marxist Project” starts from reality and actively promotes research on these major theories, concepts, and discourses. Thus, in the process of advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, it can use adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to guide society, unite people’s hearts, and drive development. In concrete practice, it has raised the influence of China’s ideological discourse, promoted the resolution of the problem that “our discourse is spoken but not spread,” and enhanced the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era.

“马工程”注重用中国理论阐释中国实践、指导实践，推动马克思主义的理论践行。“马工程”将马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，把党的创新理论成果转化为指导实践的科学指南，使中国化时代化的马克思主义转变为党和国家的路线、方针、政策，推动了理论创新和实践创新同向而行，使党的创新理论能够在中国特色社会主义伟大实践中得到检验和发展，巩固提升了马克思主义在社会实践领域的指导地位和意识形态领域的指导地位。新时代，人民中心、人民至上、“创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享”、中国式现代化新道路、 “一带一路”、人类命运共同体等一系列具有原创性、标识性的重大理论、理念和话语陆续提出。“马工程”从实际出发，积极推动对这些重大理论、理念和话语的研究，从而能够在以中国式现代化推进中华民族伟大复兴的进程中，做到以马克思主义中国化时代化引领社会、凝聚人心、推动发展，并在具体实践中提高了我国意识形态话语的影响力，推动了我国意识形态话语建设中“说了传不开”问题的解决，提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权。

The “Marxist Project” is a key project for enhancing the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era. Through theoretical innovation, theoretical dissemination, and theoretical practice, the “Marxist Project” has changed the passive situation where Marxism was absent in some disciplines, missing in textbooks, and silent in forums. It has altered the real condition of “having reason but being unable to articulate it, articulating it but being unable to spread it, and spreading it but being unable to make it resonate.” The situation in China’s ideological sphere has undergone a comprehensive and fundamental transformation. The guiding role of Marxism in the ideological sphere has been consolidated, the leadership of socialist ideology has been strengthened, and the discourse power of Marxist ideology in the New Era has been greatly enhanced. This provides a powerful force for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

“马工程”是提升新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权的关键工程。“马工程”通过理论创新、理论传播、理论践行改变了马克思主义在一些学科中失语、教材中失踪、论坛中失声的被动局面，改变了“有理说不出、说了传不开、传开叫不响”的现实状况。我国意识形态领域形势发生了全局性、根本性的转变，巩固了马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，强化了社会主义意识形态的引领力，极大地提升了新时代马克思主义意识形态话语权，为以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴提供了强大力量。

(The author is the Chief Expert of the Central Marxist Theory Research and Construction Project and Dean of the Ideological and Political Education Research Institute of Wuhan University.)

（作者系中央马克思主义理论研究和建设工程首席专家、武汉大学思想政治教育研究院院长）

Online Editor: Huihui

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