Explaining the Deep-Level Logic of Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

The theme of Chapter 1 of *An Introduction to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era* is "socialism with Chinese characteristics," and all three sections revolve closely around this theme. The most fundamental and core teaching content running through them is how to understand the deep-level logic of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: "The great social transformation in contemporary China is not a simple continuation of our historical and cultural template, not a simple application of the templates envisioned by classical Marxist writers, not a reprint of the socialist practices of other countries, and not a copy of foreign modernization development. It is impossible to find a ready-made textbook." [1]1 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Conference Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Marx" (4 May 2018). The unique connotation and distinctive features of socialism with Chinese characteristics are attributable to the support of its deep-level logic, which is established upon the historical logic, cultural logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic behind it. Clearly and thoroughly explaining this key and difficult point in Chapter 1 not only helps guide students to deeply grasp the historical context, cultural genes, and theoretical characteristics of socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also enables students to correctly understand the objective inevitability of socialism with Chinese characteristics entering the New Era and its practical direction.

《习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论》第一章的主题是“中国特色社会主义”，三节内容都紧紧围绕这个主题展开，贯穿其中的最基本、最核心的教学内容是如何理解坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的深层次逻辑。习近平反复强调：“当代中国的伟大社会变革，不是简单延续我国历史文化的母版，不是简单套用马克思主义经典作家设想的模板，不是其他国家社会主义实践的再版，也不是国外现代化发展的翻版，不可能找到现成的教科书。”中国特色社会主义的独特内涵与鲜明特点，归因于其深层次逻辑的支撑，建立在其背后的历史逻辑、文化逻辑、理论逻辑和现实逻辑之上。在第一章中讲清楚、讲透彻这个重难点，不仅有助于引导学生深刻把握中国特色社会主义的历史脉络、文化基因和理论特质，更能够帮助学生正确认识中国特色社会主义进入新时代的客观必然性及其实践走向。

I. The Historical Logic of Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

一、坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的历史逻辑

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has profound historical origins. It is a new historical stage in the development of world socialism and a major historical achievement obtained by the Chinese Communist Party leading the people through long-term exploration and struggle. To explore the deep-level logic of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, the primary task is to thoroughly reveal its historical logic.

中国特色社会主义有深厚的历史渊源，是世界社会主义发展的历史新阶段，是中国共产党领导人民经过长期探索和奋斗取得的重大历史性成果。探究坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的深层次逻辑，首要的是深入揭示其历史逻辑。

Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the result of the long-term evolution and development of world socialism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics began in the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, but its ideological origins go back much further. In spatial terms, it was founded in China, but it has never deviated from the main path of the world socialist movement. Understanding the historical context of its emergence and development from the perspective of the 500-plus-year evolution of socialism is conducive to a deeper grasp of its historical inevitability and scientific truth. In 2013, at a seminar for newly elected members and alternate members of the Central Committee on studying and implementing the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping pointed out: "An analysis of the historical process of socialist thought from its inception to the present is conducted from six time periods, including the emergence and development of utopian socialism, Marx and Engels founding the theoretical system of scientific socialism, Lenin leading the October Revolution to victory and practicing socialism, the gradual formation of the Soviet model, our Party's exploration and practice of socialism after the founding of New China, and our Party's historic decision to carry out reform and opening up and to initiate and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics." [2]2 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Seminar for Newly Elected Members and Alternate Members of the Central Committee on Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 18th National Congress of the CPC" (5 January 2013). This periodization not only takes time as a clue but also achieves a spatial shift. The evolution of socialism does not occur naturally and spontaneously but is based on the logical function under certain temporal and spatial conditions. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is founded upon the ideological exploration and practical pioneering of the first five time periods. It is a new form and new trend in the development of world socialism. However, viewed from the macro-historical perspective of several centuries, criticizing the evils of capitalism and pursuing social fairness and justice have been consistent propositions of socialism. In teaching, on the one hand, it is necessary to clearly explain how socialism with Chinese characteristics achieved historical generation within the history of socialist development; on the other hand, it is also necessary to clearly explain how it achieved logical justification within the laws of socialist development. At the same time, it is also necessary to reveal, from a comparative perspective, the connections between socialism with Chinese characteristics and other socialist ideas, as well as the ways in which the former transcends the latter.

中国特色社会主义是世界社会主义长期发展演进的结果。中国特色社会主义开启于改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，但其思想渊源则要久远得多；在空间上创立于中国，但从来没有偏离世界社会主义运动的发展大道。从社会主义500多年的演进历程中来理解其产生发展的历史脉络，有利于更加深刻地把握它的历史必然性和科学真理性。2013年，习近平在新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员学习贯彻党的十八大精神研讨班上指出，“从6个时间段分析了社会主义思想从提出到现在的历史过程，内容包括空想社会主义产生和发展，马克思、恩格斯创立科学社会主义理论体系，列宁领导十月革命胜利并实践社会主义，苏联模式逐步形成，新中国成立后我们党对社会主义的探索和实践，我们党作出进行改革开放的历史性决策、开创和发展中国特色社会主义”。这个分期不仅以时间为线索，也实现了空间转换。社会主义的演进不是自然而然发生发展的，而是基于一定时空条件下的逻辑作用。中国特色社会主义奠基于前五个时间段的思想探索和实践开拓，是世界社会主义发展的新形态与新动向，但以数百年大历史视角观之，批判资本主义的罪恶、追求社会的公平正义是社会主义的一贯主张。在教学中一方面要讲清楚中国特色社会主义在社会主义发展史中如何实现历史生成，另一方面也要讲清楚其在社会主义发展规律中何以实现逻辑证成。同时，还有必要在比较视域中揭示中国特色社会主义与其他社会主义思想的联系以及前者对后者的超越之处。

Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a fundamental achievement obtained by the Party and the people through countless hardships and struggles. Adhering to an independent path of our own is the foothold of all the CPC's theories and practices, and it is an extremely important law-based understanding that runs through the Party's history of over a hundred years. The failure of the First Great Revolution [3]3 The First Great Revolution (1924–1927) refers to the first period of the Chinese Communist Party's cooperation with the Kuomintang in a united front against warlords and imperialism, which ended in failure due to the Kuomintang's right-wing coup. raised a new issue of the times: how to find a revolutionary path different from the Russian Revolution and suited to China's actual conditions. The theoretical answer to this question laid the basic premise for the Chinese revolution, and its practical results laid the foundation of democratic political power for China's development. After the establishment of the basic system of socialism, China gradually explored its own path of socialist construction. After reform and opening up, our Party initiated and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics on the basis of reflecting on historical experiences and lessons. This is essentially also a process of exploring our own development path. How to clearly explain within the historical context that socialism with Chinese characteristics was not easily obtained, that it is a precious achievement obtained at great cost, is an important teaching issue. Correctly understanding this issue allows us to understand how the Party and the people chose socialism with Chinese characteristics through repeated comparisons, and to deeply grasp the value proposition that "socialism with Chinese characteristics is a conclusion of history and a choice of the people." Of course, socialism with Chinese characteristics itself is also in a process of continuous development and improvement, and it must be examined with a diachronic mindset. In this regard, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great piece of writing. Comrade Deng Xiaoping set its basic ideas and basic principles for it. The Party's third-generation central leadership collective with Comrade Jiang Zemin at its core and the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary have all written brilliant chapters in this great piece of writing. Now, the task of our generation of Communists is to continue writing this great piece of writing." [4]4 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the First Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee" (15 November 2012).

中国特色社会主义是党和人民历经千辛万苦取得的根本成就。坚持独立自主走自己的路，是中国共产党的全部理论和实践立足点，更是贯通百余年党史的一条极为重要的规律性认识。第一次国内革命战争的失败提出了新的时代课题，那就是如何寻找一条有别于俄国革命的、符合中国实际的革命道路，而对这个问题的理论解答为中国革命奠定了基本前提，其实践成效则为我国发展奠定了民主政权的基础。社会主义基本制度建立后，我国逐步探索中国自己的社会主义建设道路。改革开放以后，我们党在反思历史经验教训的基础上开创和发展中国特色社会主义，这本质上也是探索自己的发展道路的过程。如何在历史脉络中讲清楚中国特色社会主义来之不易，是付出巨大代价才取得的宝贵成果，是一个重要的教学问题。正确理解这个问题，我们就能明白党和人民如何经过反复的比较选择了中国特色社会主义，深入把握“中国特色社会主义是历史的结论、人民的选择”的价值命题。当然，中国特色社会主义本身也处于一个不断发展完善的过程之中，要用历时态的思维来审视。对此，习近平指出：“坚持和发展中国特色社会主义是一篇大文章，邓小平同志为它确定了基本思路和基本原则，以江泽民同志为核心的党的第三代中央领导集体、以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央在这篇大文章上都写下了精彩的篇章。现在，我们这一代共产党人的任务，就是继续把这篇大文章写下去。”

The socialist practice and exploration before reform and opening up laid an important foundation for the establishment of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is worth emphasizing that the teaching difficulty in the part on the historical logic of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is how to guide students to deeply understand the relationship between the two historical periods before and after reform and opening up. Indeed, "Our Party led the people in socialist construction across two historical periods: before reform and opening up and after reform and opening up. These are two periods that are interconnected yet significantly different, but in essence they are both practical explorations by our Party in leading the people in socialist construction." [5]5 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Conference Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Mao Zedong" (26 December 2013). The relationship between these two historical periods can be briefly summarized as follows: the former period accumulated foundations and conditions for the latter period, and the latter period represents the upholding of what is correct and the innovation of the former period. Students' main confusion is: since these two periods have "significant differences," how is the possibility of a logical connection between them possible? In fact, these two periods are not separated but continuous; they cannot be placed in opposition to each other. Deng Xiaoping said in 1980: "After the Third Plenary Session, we have been restoring those correct things of Comrade Mao Zedong, that is, accurately and completely studying and applying Mao Zedong Thought. The basic points are still those. In many respects, we are now doing what Comrade Mao Zedong had proposed but not done, correcting what he opposed wrongly, and doing well what he did not do well. For a considerable period in the future, we will still be doing this." [6]6 Deng Xiaoping, "Answers to Italian Journalist Oriana Fallaci" (21 and 23 August 1980). Xi Jinping further emphasized: "The socialist practice and exploration before reform and opening up is the starting point for the Party and the people to grasp reality and create the future in the new historical period. Without the positive and negative historical experiences it provided, without the ideological achievements, material achievements, and institutional achievements it accumulated, reform and opening up would not have been smoothly advanced." [7]7 Xi Jinping, "Speech at the Conference Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Mao Zedong" (26 December 2013). If the relationship between the two historical periods before and after reform and opening up lacks correct evaluation and understanding, it is easy to commit the error of historical nihilism, and even produce serious political consequences. In the teaching process, students should be made to realize that some ideological understandings that sever the essential connection between them are actually "the drinker's heart is not in the cup" [8]8 A Chinese idiom from the Song Dynasty, meaning one's apparent actions or words conceal a different, often ulterior, motive., with the aim of attacking and smearing our path and system. This is also an important teaching objective.

改革开放前的社会主义实践探索为中国特色社会主义的创立奠定重要基础。值得强调的是，坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的历史逻辑部分的教学难点，是如何引导学生深刻理解改革开放前后两个历史时期的关系。诚然，“我们党领导人民进行社会主义建设，有改革开放前和改革开放后两个历史时期，这是两个相互联系又有重大区别的时期，但本质上都是我们党领导人民进行社会主义建设的实践探索。”这两个历史时期的关系，可以简要归纳为：前一个时期为后一个时期积累了基础和条件，后一个时期是对前一个时期的守正与创新。学生的困惑主要是，既然这两个时期存在“重大区别”，那么，它们之间的逻辑联系的可能性何以存在？事实上，这两个时期不是割裂的而是连续的，不能把彼此置于对立面。邓小平在1980年就说：“三中全会以后，我们就是恢复毛泽东同志的那些正确的东西嘛，就是准确地、完整地学习和运用毛泽东思想嘛。基本点还是那些。从许多方面来说，现在我们还是把毛泽东同志已经提出、但是没有做的事情做起来，把他反对错了的改正过来，把他没有做好的事情做好。今后相当长的时期，还是做这件事。”习近平进一步强调：“改革开放前的社会主义实践探索，是党和人民在历史新时期把握现实、创造未来的出发阵地，没有它提供的正反两方面的历史经验，没有它积累的思想成果、物质成果、制度成果，改革开放也难以顺利推进。”对改革开放前后两个历史时期的关系如果缺乏正确的评价和认识，容易犯下历史虚无主义的错误，甚至产生严重的政治后果。在教学过程中应让学生认识到，一些割裂它们之间的本质联系的思想认识，其实是“醉翁之意不在酒”，目的是要攻击抹黑我们的道路和制度。这也是一个重要的教学目的。

II. The Cultural Logic of Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

二、坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的文化逻辑

Socialism with Chinese characteristics not only has a profound historical logic but also contains a unique cultural logic. Clearly explaining the cultural logic of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is conducive to a further deep understanding of its historical inevitability, development space, and spiritual and cultural support.

中国特色社会主义不仅具有深刻的历史逻辑，也蕴含独特的文化逻辑。讲清楚坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的文化逻辑，有利于进一步深刻理解其历史必然性、发展空间和精神文化支撑。

“Taking our own path” is determined in its origin by the unique cultural genes of the Chinese nation. In modern times, during the process of the eastward transmission of Western learning, the advanced intellectuals of the Chinese nation profoundly reflected on the relationship between Chinese and Western civilizations. This was a reflection on civilization, and also a reflection on modernization. Under the impact of Western modern industry and modernity, how the Chinese nation could find a development path suited to its national conditions, and how it could catch up with world modernization, became a major issue of the times. To resolve the “dispute between the ancient and the modern, China and the West,”[9]9 “古今中西之争” (dispute between the ancient and the modern, China and the West) refers to a prolonged intellectual debate in modern China over how to reconcile traditional Chinese culture with Western modernity, a central theme in Chinese thought since the late 19th century. the Communist Party of China, after long exploration and at great cost, and on the basis of exploring the path of socialist revolution and construction, found a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since reform and opening up, we have placed greater emphasis on the practical foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Entering the New Era, we are more capable and have more conditions to consolidate the cultural foundation of our own development path. At the 2013 National Conference on Propaganda and Thought Work, Xi Jinping put forward important theses such as “each country and nation has different historical traditions, cultural accumulations, and basic national conditions, so their development paths must necessarily have their own characteristics” and “socialism with Chinese characteristics is rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese culture.” On March 22, 2021, Xi Jinping emphasized in his speech during an inspection at the Zhuxi Garden in Fujian: “Without the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, where would Chinese characteristics come from? Without Chinese characteristics, how could we have such a successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics today?” He further emphasized at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development: “The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must take its own path.” “Fundamentally” indicates a decisive significance, while “must” reveals the regular connection behind it. The creative revelation of the essential connection between culture and path is an important intellectual contribution. So, why do we need to particularly emphasize consolidating the cultural foundation of the Chinese path today? This is a difficult issue for teaching. If it is a natural law of human development that people will correspondingly generate spiritual needs after satisfying material needs, then it is a natural law of national development that China’s development, after its material foundation has been consolidated, will more urgently call for a spiritual foundation. The rapid economic and social development proves that socialism with Chinese characteristics works and is correct, but for this path to be stable and well-trodden, it cannot do without the nourishment of culture and the support of civilization.

“走自己的路”在本源上是由中华民族独特的文化基因决定的。近代以来，在西学东渐的进程中，中华民族的先进知识分子深刻反思中西文明的关系问题。这是文明之思，也是现代化之思。在西方现代工业和现代性的冲击下，中华民族如何找到一条适合国情的发展道路，如何才能赶上世界现代化，成为一个重大时代课题。为破解“古今中西之争”，中国共产党经过长期探索，付出重大代价，在探索社会主义革命和建设道路的基础上，找到了一条中国特色社会主义道路。改革开放以来，我们更多地强调中国特色社会主义道路的实践基础。进入新时代，我们更有条件和必要筑牢自身发展道路的文化根基。在2013年全国宣传思想工作会议上，习近平就提出“每个国家和民族的历史传统、文化积淀、基本国情不同，其发展道路必然有着自己的特色”“中国特色社会主义植根于中华文化沃土”等重要论断。2021年3月22日，习近平在福建朱熹园考察时的讲话中强调：“如果没有中华五千年文明，哪里有什么中国特色？如果不是中国特色，哪有我们今天这么成功的中国特色社会主义道路？”他在文化传承发展座谈会上进一步强调：“中华文明的连续性，从根本上决定了中华民族必然走自己的路。”“从根本上”说明的是决定性意义，而“必然”则揭示了背后的规律性关联。对文化与道路的本质联系的创造性揭示，是一个重要的思想贡献。那么，今天我们为何要特别强调筑牢中国道路的文化根基？这是一个教学难点问题。如果说人们在满足了物质需要后会相应地产生精神需要，是人的自然发展规律，那么，中国的发展在物质基础夯实后会更加迫切地呼唤精神基础，则是国家自然发展的规律。经济社会的快速发展证明中国特色社会主义走得通、走得对，但要使这条道路走得稳、走得好，离不开文化的滋养和文明的支撑。

The “Two Integrations” have opened up a comprehensive innovation space for socialism with Chinese characteristics, reflecting a profound grasp of the laws of development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping emphasized: “Why is our socialism different? Why can it be vigorous and full of vitality? The key lies in Chinese characteristics. The key to Chinese characteristics lies in the ‘Two Integrations.’” Socialism with Chinese characteristics is, in its connotation, an organic unity of the path form, theoretical form, institutional form, and cultural form. The “Two Integrations,” especially the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, not only enables us to take the initiative in spiritual culture, expands the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, but also provides a basic pathway for new theoretical creation and institutional innovation. From this perspective, the “Second Integration” is another ideological emancipation, because it provides a broad cultural space for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and lays new possibilities for promoting the comprehensive innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The deep-level rationale to be clarified behind this is that the comprehensive innovation, development, and prosperity of socialism with Chinese characteristics require the awakening of cultural subjectivity consciousness as support. If culture stands, the nation and the people stand; if culture is strong, the nation and the people are strong. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Civilization, especially ideology and culture, is the soul of a country and a nation. No matter which country or nation, if it does not cherish its own ideology and culture, and loses this soul of ideology and culture, this country and this nation cannot stand up.” Whether one can “stand up” concerns the issue of cultural subjectivity. The confirmation of cultural subjectivity requires not only tracing the unique connotations and prominent characteristics of Chinese culture itself but, more importantly, tracing back to the historical subjects who created the culture. Culture is a product created by people in labor production and real life. Once created, it embodies the essence of people’s perceptual activities and becomes a mode of existence and a distinct marker of a nation. With cultural subjectivity, one can possess a firm self in a cultural sense, ensure spiritual independence and autonomy, and continuously advance the innovative development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the awakening and consciousness of culture.

“两个结合”打开了中国特色社会主义的综合创新空间，体现了对中国特色社会主义发展规律的深刻把握。习近平强调：“我们的社会主义为什么不一样？为什么能够生机勃勃、充满活力？关键就在于中国特色。中国特色的关键就在于‘两个结合’。”中国特色社会主义在内涵上是道路形态、理论形态、制度形态、文化形态的有机统一体。“两个结合”特别是马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化的结合，不仅使我们掌握了精神文化上的主动，拓展了中国特色社会主义道路的文化基础，而且为新的理论创造和制度创新提供了基本途径。从这个意义上看，“第二个结合”是又一次的思想解放，因为其为坚持和发展中国特色社会主义提供了广阔的文化空间，为推进中国特色社会主义的综合创新奠定了新的可能性。这背后要讲清楚的深层次根据是，中国特色社会主义的综合创新和发展繁荣需要以文化主体性意识的觉醒为支撑。文化立则国家立民族立，文化强则国家强民族强。习近平指出：“文明特别是思想文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂。无论哪一个国家、哪一个民族，如果不珍惜自己的思想文化，丢掉了思想文化这个灵魂，这个国家、这个民族是立不起来的。”能不能“立”起来，关乎的是文化的主体性问题。而对文化主体性的确认，既要追寻到中华文化本身的独特内涵和突出特性，更要溯源到创造文化的历史主体。文化是人们在劳动生产和现实生活中创造的产物，其一经创造出来，就体现人的感性活动的本质，并成为一个民族的存在方式和鲜明标识。有了文化主体性，才能具备文化意义上坚定的自我，才能保证精神上的独立自主，才能在文化的觉醒和觉悟中不断推进中国特色社会主义的创新发展。

Fine traditional Chinese culture contains important resources for governing the country that are useful for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping pointed out: “China’s today has developed from China’s yesterday and the day before yesterday. To govern today’s China well, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of China’s history and traditional culture, and also to actively summarize the explorations and wisdom of ancient China’s state governance.” It can be said that one of the outstanding contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, is to place greater emphasis on excavating the ideological essence of Chinese culture, particularly the wisdom of state governance contained therein. From the dimension of promoting comprehensive social development, cultural construction is an important component of the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” for socialism with Chinese characteristics and a key focus for promoting high-quality development. From the dimension of realizing comprehensive human development, culture is an important factor in meeting the people’s growing needs for a better life, and educating people through culture is an important pathway for cultivating talent. From the perspective of the strategic needs of socialist modernization, enriching the people’s spiritual life is an important manifestation of the essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization; culture is an important element in the coordinated advancement of the “Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy” and a significant source of strength for opening up new horizons in the cause of development. The reason why culture has such important value for state governance is mainly that the views on the cosmos, the world, society, and morality in fine traditional Chinese culture contain rich resources for solving the problems faced by contemporary people and offer profound insights for people to understand and transform the world. The teaching of this part can be conducted by way of examples. For instance, the ideological tradition of “the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is stable, the state is secure” is the source of the people-centered development thought and the important idea that “the country is the people, and the people are the country”; the governance concept of “combining rites and law, with virtue as the principal and punishment as the supplement” provides important inspiration for correctly understanding the relationship between rule of virtue and rule of law and taking the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics; the ecological concept of “harmony between man and nature, and all things growing together” contains rich wisdom for building a socialist ecological civilization; the spirit of discarding the old and embracing the new embodied in “if you can renew yourself for one day, do so daily, and continue anew” has important methodological significance for carrying forward the spirit of reform and opening up and further deepening reform comprehensively; the social ideal of “upholding justice and seeking great harmony” shares value compatibility with the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a better world; the ideological concept of “appointing people on their merit, and governing the country by first governing officials” provides an important historical mirror for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era; and so on. Teaching these contents well is greatly beneficial for students to understand the cultural genes of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

中华优秀传统文化蕴含建设中国特色社会主义的重要治国理政资源。习近平指出：“中国的今天是从中国的昨天和前天发展而来的。要治理好今天的中国，需要对我国历史和传统文化有深入了解，也需要对我国古代治国理政的探索和智慧进行积极总结。”可以说，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想特别是习近平文化思想的突出贡献之一，就是更加重视挖掘中华文化中的思想精髓特别是其中蕴含的治国理政智慧。从推动社会全面发展的维度来看，文化建设是中国特色社会主义“五位一体”总体布局的重要构成，是推动高质量发展的重要着力点。从实现人的全面发展的维度看，文化是满足人民不断增长的美好生活需要的重要因素，以文化人是育人的重要途径。从社会主义现代化建设的战略需求来看，丰富人民精神生活是中国式现代化的本质要求的重要体现，文化是协调推进“四个全面”战略布局的重要内容，也是打开事业发展新天地的重要力量来源。文化之所以具有如此重要的治国理政价值，主要是因为中华优秀传统文化中的宇宙观、天下观、社会观、道德观等，蕴藏着解决当代人面临难题的丰富资源，对人们认识世界和改造世界有深刻启示。该部分内容的教学可以通过举例说明的方式来进行。比如，“民为邦本、本固邦宁”的思想传统是以人民为中心的发展思想和“江山就是人民、人民就是江山”重要思想的来源；“礼法合治、德主刑辅”的治理观念，对正确认识德治与法治的关系、走好中国特色社会主义法治道路具有重要启发；“天人合一、万物并育”的生态理念蕴含社会主义生态文明建设的丰富智慧；“苟日新，日日新，又日新”的革故鼎新精神对弘扬改革开放精神、进一步全面深化改革具有重要方法论意义；“崇正义、求大同”的社会理想与推动构建人类命运共同体、建设更加美好世界的理念具有价值相通性；“任人唯贤、治国先治吏”的思想观念为全面从严治党、推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程提供重要的历史镜鉴；等等。讲好这些内容，对学生理解中国特色社会主义的文化基因大有裨益。

III. The Theoretical Logic of Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

三、坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的理论逻辑

Socialism with Chinese characteristics not only has a profound historical and cultural foundation but also has scientific theoretical sources. Theoretically, upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics conforms to the logic of scientific socialism, and at the same time achieves the unity of scientificity and value at the level of understanding regularities.

中国特色社会主义，既有深刻的历史文化基础，也有着科学的理论来源。从理论上看，坚持和发展中国特色社会主义符合科学社会主义的逻辑，同时在规律性认识层面实现了科学性与价值性的统一。

Socialism with Chinese characteristics conforms to the theoretical logic of scientific socialism. Xi Jinping pointed out: “In recent years, some domestic and international opinions have raised questions about whether what China is practicing now is still socialism. Some call it ‘capitalist socialism,’ and others simply label it ‘state capitalism’ or ‘new bureaucratic capitalism.’ These are all completely wrong.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics,” in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, vol. 1 (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024), p. 67. The emergence of these misconceptions is influenced by multiple complex factors, but in the final analysis, it stems from a failure to recognize the socialist nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the root cause is the neglect of the essential consistency between socialism with Chinese characteristics and the theoretical logic of scientific socialism. How to clearly explain in teaching the proposition that “socialism with Chinese characteristics is the dialectical unity of the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of China’s social development” is a difficult teaching issue, reflecting the common confusion of students. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is first and foremost socialism; its fundamental distinction from capitalism lies in the fundamental differences in their superstructure and relations of production. In terms of the political superstructure, our Party emphasizes that socialism with Chinese characteristics has many features, but its most essential feature is upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China. This conforms to the Marxist political principle of political parties that the socialist cause can only be led by the proletarian party. Of course, the system of leadership by the Communist Party of China differs not only from the system of leadership by capitalist political parties but also from the Soviet-style system of Party leadership, embodying China’s national conditions and localized characteristics. The people’s democratic dictatorship as the state system and the system of people’s congresses as the form of government, established on this system, are fundamentally different from the state structure and representative system of Western countries. In terms of the ideological superstructure, our Party adheres to Marxist ideology and takes this guiding ideology as the spiritual banner for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is markedly different from Western bourgeois political parties and also completely distinct from democratic socialist or social democratic parties that have abandoned or revised Marxism. In the Party’s history of over a century, the Communist Party of China has always upheld the faith and conviction of Marxism. The reason for this is that Marxist political parties have always regarded ideology and theory as a spiritual bond and action program, fully recognizing the destructive effect of “ideological chaos” on political stability. In terms of relations of production, our Party adheres to the socialist system of ownership and distribution. Productive forces do not have class attributes, but relations of production do. Scientific socialism has two core principles in its conception of the economic structure: first, to organize production on the basis of public ownership of the means of production; second, to implement the principle of distribution according to work, where equal labor receives equal products. The socialist market economy system established and developed in China is a unique creation based on China’s actual conditions. This not only does not constitute an abandonment of the principles of public ownership and distribution according to work but, on the contrary, optimizes resource allocation and improves efficiency through market mechanisms, further consolidating and strengthening the dominant position of the public-owned economy, while highlighting the distribution system with distribution according to work as the mainstay and multiple forms of distribution coexisting. In summary, the important teaching task for educators is to clearly explain from these three aspects that “socialism with Chinese characteristics not only adheres to the basic principles of scientific socialism but also endows them with distinct Chinese characteristics according to the conditions of the times. That is to say, socialism with Chinese characteristics is socialism, not any other ‘ism.’”

中国特色社会主义符合科学社会主义的理论逻辑。习近平指出：“近些年来，国内外有些舆论提出中国现在搞的究竟还是不是社会主义的疑问，有人说是‘资本社会主义’，还有人干脆说是‘国家资本主义’、‘新官僚资本主义’。这些都是完全错误的。”这些误区的产生受到多种复杂因素的影响，但归根到底是因为对中国特色社会主义的社会主义性质认识不清，根源是忽视了中国特色社会主义与科学社会主义理论逻辑的本质一致性。如何在教学中讲清楚“中国特色社会主义，是科学社会主义理论逻辑和中国社会发展历史逻辑的辩证统一”的命题，是一个教学疑难问题，反映了学生的普遍困惑。中国特色社会主义首先是社会主义，与资本主义的根本区别在于它们的上层建筑和生产关系是根本不同的。在政治上层建筑方面，我们党强调中国特色社会主义有许多特征，但最本质的特征是坚持中国共产党领导。这符合社会主义事业只能由无产阶级政党来领导的马克思主义政党政治原理。当然，中国共产党领导的制度既不同于资本主义政党领导的制度，也不同于苏联式的党领导的制度，而是体现了中国的国情和本土化特质。建立在这种制度之上的人民民主专政的国体和人民代表大会制度的政体，从根本上有别于西方国家的政权结构和代议制。在观念上层建筑方面，我们党坚持的是马克思主义意识形态，并把这一指导思想作为建设中国特色社会主义的精神旗帜。这与西方资产阶级政党有着显著的区别，同时也迥异于放弃或修正马克思主义的民主社会主义或社会民主主义政党。在党的百余年历史中，中国共产党始终坚持马克思主义的信仰信念。之所以如此，是因为马克思主义政党从来都把思想理论和意识形态作为精神纽带和行动纲领，充分认识到“思想搞乱”对政权稳定的破坏作用。在生产关系方面，我们党坚持了社会主义的所有制和分配制度。生产力不具备阶级属性，但生产关系则不同。科学社会主义在对经济结构的设想上有两条核心原理，一是要在生产资料公有制基础上组织生产，二是要实行等量劳动领取等量产品的按劳分配原则。我国所确立和发展的社会主义市场经济体制，是基于中国实际的独特创造，这不仅不是对公有制和按劳分配原则的背弃，反而通过市场机制优化资源配置、提高效率，进一步巩固和加强了公有制经济的主导地位，同时彰显了以按劳分配为主体、多种分配方式并存的分配制度。总的来说，教师重要的教学任务是要从这三个方面讲清楚“中国特色社会主义，既坚持了科学社会主义基本原则，又根据时代条件赋予其鲜明的中国特色。这就是说，中国特色社会主义是社会主义，不是别的什么主义”。

The principles of Marxist laws of social development constitute the source of the scientific nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The thought on the laws of human social development is an important component of Marxism, and socialism with Chinese characteristics possesses a conformity to laws that aligns with the theoretical logic of this thought. This can be explained in depth in teaching from the following two aspects. First, the comprehensiveness of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics conforms to the historical law that social basic contradictions drive social development. Xi Jinping emphasized, “Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a socialism of comprehensive development,” and it is necessary to “coordinate the advancement of political construction, cultural construction, social construction, ecological civilization construction, and other aspects of construction on the basis of continuous economic development.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Meeting Celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2016. Promoting continuous economic development essentially means taking the continuous development of productive forces as the fundamental driving force of social development, promoting changes in relations of production and changes in the political superstructure, ideological superstructure, and other aspects, thereby achieving the coordinated development of the social organism. The new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization opened a new great journey for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and China’s socialist reform is the inevitable result of applying the universality of the law that social basic contradictions drive social development to the particularity of Chinese society. The reason why socialism with Chinese characteristics, with reform as its endogenous driving force, has achieved major accomplishments is “fundamentally because we have continuously adjusted relations of production to unleash the vitality of social productive forces, and continuously improved the superstructure to adapt to the requirements of the economic base.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Explanatory Notes to the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform,’” November 9, 2013. Second, the inevitability of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics conforms to the regular trend of human society ultimately moving toward communism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the unity of the Party’s maximum program and basic program. The Party’s maximum program is the highest ideal of communism revealed by Marx and Engels according to the dialectical law of historical movement. This ideal is a historical process gradually achieved through many stage-based goals, built on the premise and foundation of the full development of socialist society. The basic program of socialism with Chinese characteristics is to build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. This is a development goal determined according to China’s basic national conditions and reality, and it does not depart from the Party’s highest ideal. These two programs are unified. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Our current efforts and the continuous efforts of many future generations are all aimed at advancing toward the great goal of ultimately realizing communism. At the same time, it must be recognized that realizing communism is a very long historical process. We must base ourselves on the Party’s goals for the current stage and advance our cause down to earth. If we lose sight of the lofty goal of us Communists, we will lose our direction and degenerate into utilitarianism and pragmatism.” [13]13 Xi Jinping, “Hard Work Must Be the Most Glorious,” in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, vol. 1 (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024), p. 120. Overall, how to make socialism with Chinese characteristics develop more in conformity with laws is an important goal and pursuit of Chinese Communists.

马克思主义社会发展规律原理构成中国特色社会主义的科学性来源。关于人类社会发展规律的思想是马克思主义的重要组成部分，中国特色社会主义具有契合这一思想理论逻辑的合规律性。对此，可以从以下两个方面进行深入的教学讲解。其一，中国特色社会主义发展的全面性符合社会基本矛盾推动社会发展的历史规律。习近平强调，“中国特色社会主义是全面发展的社会主义”，要“在经济不断发展的基础上，协调推进政治建设、文化建设、社会建设、生态文明建设以及其他各方面建设”。推动经济不断发展，实质是以推动生产力的不断发展为社会发展的根本动力，推动生产关系的变革及政治上层建筑、观念上层建筑等方面的变革，从而实现社会有机体的协调发展。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期开启了中国特色社会主义新的伟大征程，而中国的社会主义改革是把社会基本矛盾推动社会发展的规律的普遍性运用于中国社会的特殊性的必然结果。以改革为内生动力的中国特色社会主义之所以取得重大成就，“根本原因就是我们通过不断调整生产关系激发了社会生产力发展活力，通过不断完善上层建筑适应了经济基础发展要求”。其二，中国特色社会主义发展的必然性符合人类社会最终走向共产主义的规律性趋势。中国特色社会主义是党的最高纲领和基本纲领的统一。党的最高纲领是马克思、恩格斯根据历史的辩证运动规律所揭示的共产主义最高理想，这一理想是由诸多阶段性目标逐步达成的历史过程，建立在社会主义社会充分发展的前提和基础之上。中国特色社会主义的基本纲领是建立富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化国家，这是根据中国的基本国情和实际确定的发展目标，并没有脱离党的最高理想。这两个纲领是统一的。习近平指出：“我们现在的努力以及将来多少代人的持续努力，都是朝着最终实现共产主义这个大目标前进的。同时，必须认识到，实现共产主义是一个非常漫长的历史过程，我们必须立足党在现阶段的奋斗目标，脚踏实地推进我们的事业。如果丢失了我们共产党人的远大目标，就会迷失方向，变成功利主义、实用主义。”总体上看，如何使中国特色社会主义更加合乎规律地向前发展，是中国共产党人的重要目标和追求。

The historical view that the masses of the people are the creators of history lays the value foundation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is the embodiment of the goal-conformity of socialism with Chinese characteristics. History is not predetermined by God or some mysterious entity, but is created by the practical activities of real people. The identity marker of the historical subject is manifested in the unity of people as both the authors and the actors of history. Marx and Engels pointed out that "history is nothing but the activity of man pursuing his own ends" [14]14 This passage is a quotation from Xi Jinping's speech at the opening ceremony of a study session for leading cadres at the central Party school, January 5, 2018. and "historical action is the action of the masses; the more extensive the historical action, the larger the mass of people who carry it out." [15]15 The "two miracles" refer to rapid economic development and long-term social stability, a formulation frequently used in official CPC discourse to summarize China's achievements since reform and opening up. In teaching, one should proceed from the basic standpoint and theoretical logic of the mass view of history to clearly explain the value connotation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is written by the Chinese people, consistently upholding the people-centered value orientation, and taking seeking happiness for the people as the fundamental value pursuit. This part of the teaching needs to clarify, in general terms, the basic questions of "for whom," "relying on whom," and "by whom it is evaluated" regarding socialism with Chinese characteristics; these are the touchstones for testing its nature. In terms of "for whom," socialism with Chinese characteristics handles affairs for the people and brings benefits to the people, adhering to the dialectical unity of solidly promoting common prosperity and the all-round development of the individual. In terms of "relying on whom," socialism with Chinese characteristics has opened up the correct path of relying on the people to promote historical progress, regarding the people as the firmest foundation and the most profound force for advancing socialist construction. In terms of "by whom it is evaluated," socialism with Chinese characteristics upholds the supremacy of the people's interests, allowing the people to serve as the highest adjudicator and final judge of the effectiveness of socialist construction work. Of course, the value of socialism with Chinese characteristics is not abstract or illusory, but possesses a concrete practical essence. In teaching, some typical cases can be cited for illustration. For example, the state of the ecological environment concerns the survival and peaceful settlement of the people. In response to the numerous ecological and environmental problems accumulated since China's reform and opening up, Xi Jinping emphasized that "various types of environmental pollution are occurring at a high rate, becoming a bane for people's livelihood and a pain in people's hearts. Such a situation must be reversed with great effort." [16]16 This quotation is from Xi Jinping's speech at a ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, July 1, 2016. The phrase "the landscape here is uniquely beautiful" (风景这边独好) is a classical allusion to a poem by Mao Zedong. For example, facing the difficult problem of how to properly distribute the ever-enlarging "cake," Xi Jinping emphasized that "we must expand the middle-income class and gradually form an olive-shaped distribution pattern. In particular, we must increase assistance to the disadvantaged groups and resolutely win the battle against poverty among the rural population." [17]17 The "five necessary paths" (五个必由之路) were articulated by Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022, listing five paths that are essential for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. For another example, regarding the issue of how reform can further uphold social fairness and justice, Xi Jinping emphasized that "the people-centered development philosophy should be embodied in every link of economic and social development, so that whatever the people care about and look forward to, reform will seize upon and advance, bringing the people a greater sense of gain through reform." [18] These issues are all important value-related problems that must be properly resolved in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

人民群众是历史创造者的历史观奠定中国特色社会主义的价值性基础。这是中国特色社会主义的合目的性的体现。历史不是由上帝或某个神秘实体预设的，而是由现实的人的实践活动创造的。历史主体的身份标识，表现在人是历史剧作者与历史剧中人的统一。马克思、恩格斯指出，“历史不过是追求着自己目的的人的活动而已”，“历史活动是群众的活动，随着历史活动的深入，必将是群众队伍的扩大”。在教学中，应从群众史观的基本立场和理论逻辑出发，讲清楚中国特色社会主义的价值性内涵。它是由中国人民书写的，始终坚持人民至上的价值旨趣，把为人民谋幸福作为根本的价值追求。该部分的教学需要从总体上讲清楚中国特色社会主义“为了谁”“依靠谁”“由谁来评价”的基本问题，这是检验其性质的试金石。在“为了谁”方面，中国特色社会主义为民办事、为民造福，坚持扎实推进共同富裕与人的全面发展的辩证统一。在“依靠谁”方面，中国特色社会主义开创了依靠人民推动历史进步的正道，把人民作为推进社会主义建设最坚实的根基、最深厚的力量。在“由谁来评价”方面，中国特色社会主义坚持人民利益至高无上，让人民担当检验社会主义建设工作成效的最高裁决者和最终评判者。当然，中国特色社会主义的价值性不是抽象的、虚幻的，而是具有实实在在的实践本质。在教学过程中可以举一些典型案例来加以说明。例如，生态环境状况关乎人民的生存和安居，针对改革开放以来我国积累的大量生态环境问题，习近平强调“各类环境污染呈高发态势，成为民生之患、民心之痛。这样的状况，必须下大气力扭转”。例如，面对如何把不断做大的“蛋糕”分好的难题，习近平强调“要扩大中等收入阶层，逐步形成橄榄型分配格局。特别要加大对困难群众的帮扶力度，坚决打赢农村贫困人口脱贫攻坚战”。再如，针对改革如何进一步维护社会公平正义的问题，习近平强调“把以人民为中心的发展思想体现在经济社会发展各个环节，做到老百姓关心什么、期盼什么，改革就要抓住什么、推进什么，通过改革给人民群众带来更多获得感”。这些问题都是坚持和发展中国特色社会主义必须解决好的重要价值性问题。

IV. The Realistic Logic of Upholding and Developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

四、坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的现实逻辑

The realistic logic of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics mainly answers the questions of how to view the position, tasks of the era, and vitality of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the actual circumstances of the New Era. This is both a realistic logic and contains a future dimension.

坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的现实逻辑，主要回答的是在新时代的现实境遇中如何看待中国特色社会主义的所处方位、时代任务和生命力等问题。这既是现实的逻辑，也包含着未来的向度。

The entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into the New Era has many distinctive signs of keeping pace with the times. To clearly explain the new historical position of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the key is to analyze exactly what is new about the New Era, which is also a difficult point in teaching. On this issue, teaching can be carried out from multiple aspects. First, the New Era is new in that the principal contradiction in Chinese society has undergone a new change. The principal contradiction has a decisive impact on social development. Currently, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has transformed into the contradiction between the people's ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. This is a major historical change, and its scientific summary reflects our Party's law-based understanding of the stage-specific essence and characteristics of economic and social development, and also indicates that the Party's understanding of the temporal coordinates of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved a new ideological leap. In teaching, it is necessary to clearly explain the Party's cognitive process regarding the principal contradiction in Chinese society, as well as the factual basis for the transformation of the principal contradiction and its overall significance. Second, the New Era is new in that adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has achieved a new leap. The logical starting point of theoretical innovation is the contradictions and problems of the era, and the basic driving force of theoretical innovation is the era's urgent need to resolve these contradictions and problems. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on the major issues of the era in which the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics has reached a new historical stage, adheres to taking the Two Integrations as the fundamental path for theoretical innovation, both creatively advancing Marxism and drawing wisdom for governance from fine traditional Chinese culture, and proceeding from the new reality to establish Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. In teaching, it is necessary to clearly explain the great significance of the establishment of this thought in the history of the development of Marxism and the history of the Party's theoretical innovation. Third, the New Era is new in that the Party has established new goals for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Being adept at strategically planning the development goals of socialist modernization is a prominent advantage of the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since reform and opening up, our Party has planned the "three-step" development strategy and the "new three-step" development strategy for socialist modernization. [19] Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have advanced the expected timeline for basically realizing socialist modernization by fifteen years, clarifying the strategic arrangement for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. This strategic arrangement adapts to the requirements of the new situation and tasks, reflecting profound strategic thinking and forward-looking planning. In teaching, it is necessary to clearly explain that socialist modernization is a relay race, guiding students to understand the "two-step" development strategy of the New Era. [20] Fourth, the New Era is new in that the relationship between China and the world has undergone historic new changes. Enter

中国特色社会主义进入新时代具有许多与时俱进的鲜明标志。讲清楚中国特色社会主义新的历史方位，重点是要解析好新时代究竟新在何处，这同时也是一个教学难点问题。关于这个问题，在教学中可以从多个方面展开。一是新时代新就新在我国社会主要矛盾发生了新变化。主要矛盾对社会发展起决定性的影响，当前我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾。这是一个重大的历史性变化，对其科学概括体现了我们党对经济社会发展的阶段性本质和特点的规律性认识，也表明党对中国特色社会主义发展的时代坐标的理解有了新的思想跨越。在教学中需要讲清楚党对我国社会主要矛盾的认识历程，以及社会主要矛盾转化的事实依据及其全局性意义。二是新时代新就新在马克思主义中国化时代化实现了新的飞跃。理论创新的逻辑起点是时代的矛盾和问题，理论创新的基本动力则是这个时代对解决矛盾和问题的迫切需求。以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足于中国特色社会主义发展到新的历史阶段的重大时代课题，坚持把“两个结合”作为理论创新的根本途径，既创造性地把马克思主义推向前进，又从中华优秀传统文化中汲取治国理政的智慧，从新的实际出发，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想。在教学中需要讲清楚这一思想的创立在马克思主义发展史和党的理论创新史中的重大意义。三是新时代新就新在党确立了中国特色社会主义发展的新的目标。善于对社会主义现代化的发展目标进行战略谋划，是中国特色社会主义发展的一个突出优势。改革开放以来，我们党规划了社会主义现代化建设“三步走”发展战略和“新三步走”发展战略。党的十八大以来，我们把基本实现社会主义现代化的预期时间提前了十五年，明确了新时代中国特色社会主义发展的战略安排。这一战略安排适应了新的形势和任务要求，体现出了深刻的战略思维和前瞻布局。在教学中需要讲清楚社会主义现代化建设是一场接力跑，引导学生理解新时代“两步走”发展战略。四是新时代新就新在中国与世界的关系发生历史性的新的变化。进入新的发展时期，世界大变局下外部环境更加不稳定不确定，这对我国发展既是挑战也是机遇。随着人类社会面临何去何从的抉择，中国特色大国外交日益发挥重要的建设性作用。在教学中需要讲清楚今天不仅中国的发展需要世界，世界也更加需要中国发展的经验、机会和作为，这是一个历史性的变化。五是新时代新就新在中国共产党展现出新的气象。经过持续的发展，中国共产党既取得了巨大的成就，也面临着一些长期积累的严重问题，如反腐败斗争形势依然严峻复杂、在某些领域党的领导被弱化、在某些方面党的执政能力仍需继续提升等。党的十八大以来，我们党勇于推进全面从严治党，深入进行自我革命，推动党的建设工程出现了崭新的面貌。在教学中需要讲清楚党如何以刀刃向内的政治勇气解决自身存在的弊病，系统提升了全面领导能力。

Upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era is a great social revolution. Xi Jinping points out, "Both history and reality tell us that for a social revolution to achieve final victory, it often requires a long historical process," and "socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era is both the outcome of the great social revolution led by our Party and the people and the continuation of that great social revolution, and it must be carried forward consistently." Social revolution carries the meaning of social progress and transformation, encompassing political revolution within itself on a broader scale. In this sense, the more than one-hundred-year history of the Communist Party of China is also a history of social revolution. However, compared with political revolution in the pure sense, social revolution does not necessarily have to be realized through violent struggle; it can be advanced through profound reforms of the socialist system. Hence we often say that reform is China's second revolution. The deep meaning behind this lies in the fact that reform is a systematic adjustment of the fundamental contradictions of society, ultimately aimed at driving economic and social transformation led by productive forces, achieving social progress in a revolutionary sense, and, in particular, carrying out a series of revolutionary changes in socialist construction. In teaching, it is necessary not only to clarify that upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great social revolution, but also to clarify that advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era is likewise a great social revolution. The reason is that "in the New Era, the great social revolution led by our Party and the people is unprecedented in the breadth of fields it covers, the depth of the adjustment of interest structures it touches, the acuteness of the contradictions and problems involved, the difficulty of breaking through institutional and mechanistic obstacles, and the complexity of the circumstances for carrying out the great struggle." [14]14 This passage is a quotation from Xi Jinping's speech at the opening ceremony of a study session for leading cadres at the central Party school, January 5, 2018. Of course, it must also be made clear to students that to carry out this great social revolution in the New Era well, it is necessary to bravely advance the Party's self-revolution. The Party's leadership is the most essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Only when the Party becomes purer and stronger through revolutionary tempering can we better respond to the major risks and challenges facing the New Era and the new journey, and carry the great social revolution through to the end.

新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义是一场伟大社会革命。习近平指出，“历史和现实都告诉我们，一场社会革命要取得最终胜利，往往需要一个漫长的历史过程”，“新时代中国特色社会主义是我们党领导人民进行伟大社会革命的成果，也是我们党领导人民进行伟大社会革命的继续，必须一以贯之进行下去”。社会革命具有社会进步与变革的意义，它在更广泛的范围内把政治革命囊括在自身之内。在这个意义上，中国共产党一百多年的历史，其实也是一部社会革命的历史。只不过与纯粹意义上的政治革命相比，社会革命并非一定要以暴力斗争的方式来实现，它可以通过社会主义制度的深刻改革来推进。所以我们经常说改革是中国的第二次革命，其背后的深意在于改革是社会基本矛盾的系统调适，其归根结底是要推动以生产力为牵引的经济社会变革，在革命性意义上实现社会的进步，特别是在社会主义建设上进行了一系列革命性变革。在教学中，既要讲清楚坚持和发展中国特色社会主义是一场伟大社会革命，更要讲清楚把新时代中国特色社会主义推向前进也是一场伟大社会革命。原因在于，“在新时代，我们党领导人民进行伟大社会革命，涵盖领域的广泛性、触及利益格局调整的深刻性、涉及矛盾和问题的尖锐性、突破体制机制障碍的艰巨性、进行伟大斗争形势的复杂性，都是前所未有的”。当然，也要向学生讲清楚，要把新时代这场伟大社会革命进行好，必须勇于推进党的自我革命。党的领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征，只有党在革命性锻造中更为纯洁和坚强，我们才能更好地应对新时代新征程面临的重大风险挑战，将伟大社会革命进行到底。

Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only way to realize the great cause of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation. Xi Jinping emphasizes: "Advancing the great cause of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation through Chinese-path modernization is the central task of the Party and the state on the new journey of the New Era, and it is the biggest politics of the New Era." Upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization; the two are consistent in essence. Chinese-path modernization has the distinctive trait of "socialist" modernization, while also possessing "Chinese characteristics" that conform to China's national conditions. In teaching, the two should be unified, and it should be clarified that both are the broad road for contemporary China's development and progress. To realize the great cause of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation, we must take our own development path and must hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics. To clarify this issue, it is necessary to explain at the empirical level the tremendous achievements and superiority of socialism with Chinese characteristics, especially the great transformations of the New Era and their milestone significance. After long-term struggle, socialism with Chinese characteristics has created the "two miracles" of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. [15]15 The "two miracles" refer to rapid economic development and long-term social stability, a formulation frequently used in official CPC discourse to summarize China's achievements since reform and opening up. The Chinese nation has successfully moved toward modernization in just a few decades, opening up a correct path that works and is stable. "It is socialism with Chinese characteristics that has enabled China to develop rapidly... Far from collapsing, China's comprehensive national strength has grown day by day, the people's living standards have continuously improved, and 'the landscape here is uniquely beautiful.'" [16]16 This quotation is from Xi Jinping's speech at a ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, July 1, 2016. The phrase "the landscape here is uniquely beautiful" (风景这边独好) is a classical allusion to a poem by Mao Zedong. Entering the New Era, in stark contrast to the internal contradictions and difficult development of some countries, the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics has undergone historic transformations and achieved development accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. This is the fundamental basis and best example for strengthening confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, confidence in the system, and confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping emphasizes: "In today's world, if any political party, any country, or any nation can be confident, then the Communist Party of China, the People's Republic of China, and the Chinese nation have the most reason to be confident." In teaching, through comparisons between history and reality, and between domestic and international contexts, the strategically favorable conditions for China's development today should be clarified, strengthening students' recognition of the scientific validity of the statement that "socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only way to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," one of the "five necessary paths." [17]17 The "five necessary paths" (五个必由之路) were articulated by Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022, listing five paths that are essential for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

中国特色社会主义是实现强国建设、民族复兴伟业的必由之路。习近平强调：“以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业，是新时代新征程党和国家的中心任务，是新时代最大的政治。”坚持中国特色社会主义是中国式现代化的本质要求，两者具有本质上的一致性，中国式现代化具有“社会主义”现代化的鲜明特质，同时也有符合中国国情的“中国特色”。在教学中，应把两者统一起来，讲清楚它们都是当代中国发展进步的康庄大道。实现强国建设、民族复兴伟业，必须走自己的发展道路，必须高举中国特色社会主义的旗帜。要讲清楚这个问题，需要在实证层面讲清楚中国特色社会主义的巨大成就及其优越性，特别是讲清楚新时代的伟大变革及其里程碑意义。经过长期奋斗，中国特色社会主义创造了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定的“两大奇迹”，中华民族在几十年的时间里成功迈向现代化，开辟出了一条走得通、行得稳的正确道路。“是中国特色社会主义使中国快速发展起来了……中国非但没有崩溃，反而综合国力与日俱增，人民生活水平不断提高，‘风景这边独好’”。进入新时代，与一些国家内部矛盾重重、发展举步维艰的情况迥异的是，中国特色社会主义事业发生了历史性变革，取得了举世瞩目的发展成就。这是坚定中国特色社会主义道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信的根本依据和最佳例证。习近平强调：“当今世界，要说哪个政党、哪个国家、哪个民族能够自信的话，那中国共产党、中华人民共和国、中华民族是最有理由自信的。”在教学中，应在历史与现实、国内与国际的比较中讲清楚我国今天发展所具备的战略性有利条件，强化学生对“五个必由之路”之一的“中国特色社会主义是实现中华民族伟大复兴的必由之路”的科学性的认同。

(The author is an associate professor at the School of Marxism, Fudan University, and a specially invited researcher at the Key Research Base of the National Textbook Construction for Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Higher Education Institutions, Peking University.)

（作者系复旦大学马克思主义学院副教授，北京大学高校思想政治理论课国家教材建设重点研究基地特邀研究员）

Online editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁