Friday, December 06, 2019

习近平 坚持、完善和发展中国特色社会主义国家制度与法律制度 [Xi Jinping: "Adhere to, improve and develop the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics"]




The process of developing New Era Through is proceeding at an accelerated pace. I have already written about its effects in the work of the Vanguard Party to contribute to the construction of there ideal Socialist Society, Socialist Culture, Socialist Education and the ideal socialist citizen.

These all represent important transition in the development of the Chinese economic-political-moral model. At its center is the baseline insight of New Era thinking: that China has moved to a stage in its historical development where the process of going out and emancipating the mind has reached its fullest development. As a consequence the New Era requires China to take what it has learned to to use it to build its own system which are true to its context and political model. And from that it will be time for China not to receive knowledge form outside but to present its more fully developed Socialist model to the world. This has become very clear from both the publications and statements of leading CCP organs, but in the focus of the work of the leading elements and organs of official CCP intellectual development as well.


In that context, Xi Jinping is playing an increasingly decisive role. That role appears now targeted to the leading organs for the debates of the intelligentsia in producing knowledge useful to the CCP's project of moving its political-economic model forward into the New Era. Principal among then now appears to be 《求是》[“Qiú shì”], Seeking Truth, a journal widely circulated amongst high-level Communist Party officials. The title originates from the quote shí shì qiú shì (实事求是), which means "seeking truth from facts".

On 1 December Qiu She again published in essay form an address given by Xi Jinping during the 17th collective study of the 19th Central Political Bureau on September 24, 2019, immediately before Fourth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, a meeting whose communique is also worth a careful read (see my observations here). That essay, 习近平 坚持、完善和发展中国特色社会主义国家制度与法律制度 [Xi Jinping: "Adhere to, improve and develop the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics"] adds an important element to the construction of New Era Thought. Here Xi Jinping turns from the construction of moral and cultural baselines to the structuring of the institutional apparatus of the state and party.

The essay in the original Chinese and a crude English translation follows along with brief comments.




Reflections on Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System and Legal System with Chinese Characteristics."
Larry Catá Backer

With this essay, the CCP¡s political work continues, with a signal from the very top of the political-state hierarchy, of an intention to both fill in the gaps of New Era thought, and to further elaborate Marxist Leninist theory with Chinese characteristics. In that respect, the essay cannot be read in isolation, but rather must be read together with the substantial number of interventions from the highest levels of the Chinese core of leadership deliberately framed around the 4th Plenum (to which is essay is explicitly connected). That, in turn, was made more important in the context f the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic.  I have written about a few of these (see 习近平 学习马克思主义基本理论是共产党人的必修课 [Xi Jinping: "Learning the basic theory of Marxism is a compulsory course for communists"]--Text and Analysis; 坚持和完善繁荣发展社会主义先进文化的制度 [Adhere to and Improve the System of Prospering and Developing Socialist Advanced Culture]; An All-Around Cultivation of Socialist Morality--中共中央 国务院印发 [Issued by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party]: 《新时代公民道德建设实施纲要》[The Outline of the Implementation of the Construction of the Moral Citizen in the New Era]). 

In contrast to President Xi’s prior Qiu Shi essay, this one, the essay form of the  speech delivered  during the 17th collective study of the 19th Central Political Bureau on September 24, 2019 moves the focus from the development of political theory to the elaboration of that theory in the work of aligning advances in theory with the further development of the administrative apparatus of state. Like the last speech-essay, this one was meant for broad circulation among CCP cadres, and more generally among the mass of the population with leadership roles beyond the core. And this the exhortation of the editors of this speech that “we all learn together” from its text.

 It is in that context that the elaboration of these texts within collective learning” settings should not be ignored. That context is meant both to perform and to emphasize the fundamental political theory building block of the “core-collective” relationship that has been the baseline principle of New Era theory from the beginning of the leadership of Xi Jinping.  Indeed, one cannot understand these essays (of which this one is but one intervention) except within the meta-theoretical construction of the premise of “core-collective” in the construction of the CCP, the state, the relationship among and between both, and their collective relationship to the masses (first) and the international community (more broadly). 

As is usual in these essays, one starts with a framing metaphor or expression.  For this one, it is “The country is ordered by the people, and its system is right.” This ancient expression, of course, is redolent with ambiguity, and thus with meaning usefully extracted for any current stage of history.  It points to the measurability of a system, and thus to accountability of the core by the collective.  It pints to the fundamental principle of legitimacy in state organization—and thus to a principle of illegitimacy with severe consequences to a core of leadership that fails in its obligation both to account (to the people) and to order fulfill their duties with a reference to the people and their needs. It points to the mass line—but not as it has been utilized—but rather how it might be utilized as the premise through which the advanced forces of society might produce and maintain a system ordered by the people—and thus a right (correct; legitimate) system.  All of these layers of meaning are built into that dense ancient expression.  And those connections are not lost on the essayist:

In the 70 years since the founding of New China, our party has led the people to continue to explore and practice, and gradually formed a socialist country system and legal system with Chinese characteristics, which provides a fundamental guarantee for the development and progress of contemporary China, and also provides a boost to the construction of the national system and legal system in the new era. Important experience. (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

For this essay, however, Xi chooses to focus on only one crucial aspect of these principles—the relationship of the CCP to the people through law and the state expressed through the construction of a socialist legal system administered through collective popular organs under the leadership of the political core. To that end he offers three principal insights.

1. “First, the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics have been formed through long-term practical explorations, and are a great creation in the history of human institutional civilization.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System)

Xi Jinping first laces the development of the New Era theory within a long arc of Chinese history.  But that arc is substantially molded from out of the experiences of the quasi-colonial period of the 19th century when the decay and corruption of the imperial system exposed China to exploitation by foreign powers whose own people centered systems were at the time far more robust. “After the Opium War, the feudal autocracy, which lasted for more than 2,000 years, has become rotten, and it is difficult to cope with the growing political crisis and ethnic crisis.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

But from out of that corruption, Xi emphasizes, a leadership core emerged (prefiguring the CCP itself) who sought to move China past that stage in its history toward a more positive one.  That develop, as well, was rational (“scientific”) and itself foreshadowed the scientific approach of Marxist-Leninist theory. But the foreshadowing provided a valuable lesson for Chinese development—all such efforts ended in failure precisely because they failed to adopt the rational scientific approach of Marxist Leninism. The failures, however, were essential, as setting the stage for “correct” development from after the time of the founding of the CCP in the 1920s.  That view of history—directed, progressive, and inevitably rational in a pointed way—becomes the essential foundation of the political historicism on which New Era Theory is built.

Yet the point Xi is making is more subtle.  He suggests that scientific rationality evidenced through historical development always points to a pattern of development in which the core of leadership (of the state, of social forces, of politics) must experiment in the face of changes in historical context.  And it is only from out of the lessons of failures that innovation and success may be obtained—that is that the “right system” can be elaborated.  More than that, however, is the idea that such “right system” may only be right for the historical stage of development for which it is discovered.  That leads to the further principle implied in the historicism of scientific rationalism—the idea that Marxist Leninism must continue to evolve to meet the needs of the times if it is to remain both rational and “ordered by the people.” 

It is only in this context that the subtleties of the description of the CCPs work on developing “the future state system” before the establishment of the People’s Republic  can be fully appreciated.  That pattern continued after the CCP transformed its role from a revolutionary vanguard to that of the party in power. “With regard to important systems in various aspects, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has been continuously improved, and the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has also been continuously improved.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System). This provides the background to the efforts, undertaken from the 18th CCP National Congress, to return to the issue of rationalizing the state system and its structures of legality in light of the advances in Marxist Leninism.  These are described in some detail in the form of its policy consequences for state administration. 

The advances in both theory and state organization, however, must be understood through the lens of people centeredness. To those ends, the essay illustrated the expression of Socialist People’s Consultative Democracy by an example. (“From November 2 to 3, 2019, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission visited Shanghai. On the afternoon of the 2nd, Xi Jinping exchanged cordially with representatives of the community residents who were participating in the legislative opinions consultation at the Gubei Citizen Center in Hongqiao Street, Changning District.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System)).



Xi Jinping then drives home the point of the connection between the scientific rationalism of Chinese Marxist Leninism with the fundamental principles of the mass line and “people-centeredness.” The essay concludes this part by noting: “Practice has proved that our party has combined the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities, and established a new state system that guarantees hundreds of millions of people as the masters of the ancient eastern powers, making the socialist system with Chinese characteristics a significant advantage and strong vitality.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

2. “Second, the socialist national system and legal system with Chinese characteristics are scientifically proven systems of practice and have significant advantages.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

From out of the rationalization of history, the essay can draw on the line of historical development to posit the correctness of the current model. It represents the fruits of the lessons drawn from a long arc of history and the scientific deductions of the insights to be drawn from it to move society closer to a historically contingent perfection. It does more than that, of course.  It also ties that historical rationalization to its legitimation by its connection to the people. Xi Jinping cites Mao Zedong to that effect: 

At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong said with confidence: "Every fact proves that the system of our people's democratic dictatorship is extremely superior to the political system of capitalist countries. On the basis of this system Our people can exert their endless power. This power cannot be defeated by any enemy.”" (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

At the same time, Xi Jinping makes two points worth considering as one situates this essay both in a national context, and in the context in which China sees its role (as the guardian of scientific-rational theory) in the world. The first is that, internally the project of Marxist-Leninist development is far form complete, even as it aligns better with the current stage of historical development. He emphasizes the dangers of mistaking progress and context for perfection. And in that context he reminds readers that the ultimate goal of the system has yet to be attained—the establishment of a communist society in China. As important, externally, he suggests the superiority (for China and perhaps the world—though the later point might conflict with the core principle of non interference), of Marxist-Leninist theory.  It is superior because it is capable of development, and it can rationally draw on foreign systems to make itself better.  Neither of these traits he suggests (though of course the free market camp would disagree and invert the relationship he offers here) can be found in so-called capitalist systems. 

The system is still imperfect and undermined, but in any case, the socialist system is always better than the weak capitalist system and the self-interested capitalist system. Our system will be perfected day by day and it will absorb the progress we can absorb from countries around the world Factor, becoming the best system in the world. This is absolutely impossible for capitalism." (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

Here one finds a quite interesting recharacterization of the generation long initiative of Emancipating the Mind and Reform and Opening Up.  The reference looks sideways at the profound wisdom of Deng Xiaoping without mentioning his name.  That itself is curious. More curious still is the failure to mention either the advances of Jiang Zemin (Sange Daibiao (Three Represents), discussed HERE) and Hu Jintao (harmonious society) leaderships. It is not clear what these omissions signal—though they likely signal something.  Perhaps it is the idea that as core elements of prior era thinking, they must be appreciated as important for their time but now subsumed within New Era thinking.  At any rate the consequences might be made clearer in several years where the more completed project of theoretical reform is unveiled at the 20th CCP Congress.

Xi then moves from premise to practice.  That description, in turn, is meant to underline both the rational utility of core leadership by the CCP, and the central role of the popular collective in governance. He notes first the critical role of the CCP. He then reminds readers of the importance of the connection between the leadership core and the collective role of the people.  But it is in the third point he makes that the essay produces an interesting insight—that is the connection between socialist rule of law and the core principle of democratic centralism. 

The third is to adhere to the advantages of running the country in accordance with the law. Persistence in administering the country according to law, adhering to the construction of a country ruled by law, a government ruled by law, and a society ruled by law have played an important role in emancipating and enhancing social vitality, promoting social fairness and justice, maintaining social harmony and stability, and ensuring the long-term stability of the party and state. The fourth is the advantage of implementing democratic centralism. Democratic centralism is the basic principle of China's state organization and activity methods, and it is a prominent feature of China's state system. Under the leadership of the party, all state organs are a unified whole, which not only rationalizes the division of labor but also cooperates closely, fully promotes democracy and effectively concentrates, and overcomes the bad phenomena of indecision, inaction, and inaction. To avoid the disadvantages of mutual restraint and inefficiency. (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

 From this Xi draws important conclusions.  The first goes to measurability against an ideal but scientific rational baseline. “The measurement of whether a social system is scientific and advanced is mainly based on whether it is in line with national conditions, whether it is effective and effective, and whether it is supported by the people.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System). The second is that measured against the idea, the Chinese path appears to be more viable and better aligned with its ideal than that of competing systems.  That as two implications.  The first is that it would be error to speak in this context of political transitions in China, especially transitions to a form of political organization more compatible with the organizing principles of liberal democracy.  The second is that in a world in which multiple political baseline systems compete for acceptance among the people of the world, it may be possible for Marxist scientific rationalism (modified to suit local context) to displace liberal democracy as the principal form of the organization of political culture.  The first speaks to the legitimacy and superiority of Marxist Leninism within China; the second speaks to a new era communist internationalism that parallels the liberal democratic internationalism of the 1980s. 

3. “Third, the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics need to be adhered to and implemented well, and they need to be constantly improved and developed.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

Here, Xi returns to the opening theme of the essay and seeks to drive home the point: Marxist Leninist scientific rationalism produces the most contextually aligned theoretical expression of the political order that best meets the expectations of the people. Thus, expectations are both dynamic but most efficiently expressed through law in the transposition of theory to governance. Law, then, is both an expression of politics, and the means by which politics is applied and rationalized.   Law does not constrain politics but expresses it as the language through which people can relate to the administrative bodies of the state that themselves embody and rationalize the political leadership of the CCP. Law, then, is rationalized politics.  It is a cage of order, and a protection against individual abuse, but one in which politics remains the master. 

Yet, like theory, this rationalization is a work in progress.  It is only for this point that Xi Jinping mentions Deng Xiaoping by name. That, in turn, served as the discursive form of reminding the audience of the CCP’s plans to modernize the legal system by 2035. “The growing good life requires the necessary institutions. It is necessary to summarize the good experiences and practices in practice in a timely manner, and mature experiences and practices can be upgraded to systems and transformed into laws. We must actively learn from the beneficial results of human system civilization, but we must not shake or abandon the foundation of our system.” (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System). That development, in turn, is meant to re-emphasize the connection between the leadership core and the popular collective—an endless loop.  It draws the reader back to the fundamental insight with which the speech was framed--"The country is ordered by the people, and its system is right."

And that brings Xi to his final points.  The first relates to the domestic agenda—the strengthen and advance the theoretical development of Marxist Leninism and ts practical application through the state organs and Socialist law. 
It is necessary to strengthen the theoretical research on the socialist country system and legal system with Chinese characteristics, summarize the successful experience of China's institutional construction in the past 70 years, build the academic system, theoretical system, and discourse system of Chinese institutional construction theory, and provide theoretical support for firm institutional self-confidence. It is necessary to strengthen institutional publicity and education, especially for young people, to guide people to fully understand that we have embarked on the road to success in building a socialist system with Chinese characteristics. (Xi Jinping, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System).

The second goes to not just communist internationalism, but to the substantial viability of Chinese Marxist Leninism as a system worthy of understanding and recognition. 

__________

《求是》杂志发表习近平重要文章:坚持、完善和发展中国特色社会主义国家制度与法律制度
12月1日出版的第23期《求是》杂志发表中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平的重要文章《坚持、完善和发展中国特色社会主义国家制度与法律制度》。小编现将全文刊登如下,让我们共同学习。


坚持、完善和发展中国特色社会主义国家制度与法律制度
习近平

再过几天,我们将迎来中华人民共和国成立70周年。今天,中央政治局以“新中国国家制度和法律制度的形成和发展”为题进行集体学习,目的是回顾新中国成立70年来党领导人民推进国家制度和法律制度建设的历程,总结成就和经验,坚定道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信,继续沿着党和人民开辟的正确道路前进。

中央政治局决定今年10月召开党的十九届四中全会,重点研究坚持和完善中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的若干重大问题。这次集体学习,有利于我们深入思考这个问题。

古人说:“经国序民,正其制度。”意思说,治理国家,使人民安然有序,就要健全各项制度。新中国成立70年来,我们党领导人民不断探索实践,逐步形成了中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度,为当代中国发展进步提供了根本保障,也为新时代推进国家制度和法律制度建设提供了重要经验。

第一,中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度是在长期实践探索中形成的,是人类制度文明史上的伟大创造。建立什么样的国家制度,是近代以来中国人民面临的一个历史性课题。鸦片战争以后,延续了2000多年的封建专制制度已经腐朽不堪,难以应对日益深重的政治危机和民族危机。无数仁人志士为寻求改变中华民族前途命运的道路进行了努力,历经了从技术层面、社会革命层面、实业层面到制度层面、文化层面的反复探索,尝试了君主立宪制、议会制、多党制、总统制等各种制度模式,但都以失败而告终。

我们党自成立之日起就致力于建设人民当家作主的新社会,提出了关于未来国家制度的主张,并领导人民为之进行斗争。土地革命时期,我们党在江西中央苏区建立了中华苏维埃共和国,开始了国家制度和法律制度建设的探索。抗日战争时期,我们党建立以延安为中心、以陕甘宁边区为代表的抗日民主政权,成立边区政府,按照“三三制”原则,以参议会为最高权力机关,建立各级立法、行政、司法机关。

新中国成立后,我们党创造性地运用马克思主义国家学说,为建设社会主义国家制度进行了不懈努力,逐步确立并巩固了我们国家的国体、政体、根本政治制度、基本政治制度、基本经济制度和各方面的重要制度,中国特色社会主义制度不断完善,中国特色社会主义法律体系也不断健全。

党的十八大以来,我们推进全面深化改革,健全党的领导体制机制,加强人民当家作主制度建设,完成宪法部分内容修改,推动社会主义协商民主广泛多层制度化发展,深化党和国家机构改革,深化经济体制改革,深化司法体制综合改革,深化生态文明体制改革,深化国防和军队改革,建立国家监察制度,中国特色社会主义制度日趋成熟定型,中国特色社会主义法治体系不断完善,为推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革发挥了重大作用。


2019年11月2日至3日,中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平在上海考察。这是2日下午,习近平在长宁区虹桥街道古北市民中心,同正在参加立法意见征询的社区居民代表亲切交流。 新华社记者 谢环驰/摄

实践证明,我们党把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际结合起来,在古老的东方大国建立起保证亿万人民当家作主的新型国家制度,使中国特色社会主义制度成为具有显著优越性和强大生命力的制度,保障我国创造出经济快速发展、社会长期稳定的奇迹,也为发展中国家走向现代化提供了全新选择,为人类探索建设更好社会制度贡献了中国智慧和中国方案。

第二,中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度是被实践证明了的科学制度体系,具有显著优势。中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度,植根于中华民族5000多年文明史所积淀的深厚历史文化传统,吸收借鉴了人类制度文明有益成果,经过了长期实践检验。

新中国成立之初,毛泽东同志就满怀信心地说:“一切事实都证明:我们的人民民主专政的制度,较之资本主义国家的政治制度具有极大的优越性。在这种制度的基础上,我国人民能够发挥其无穷无尽的力量。这种力量,是任何敌人所不能战胜的。”改革开放初期,邓小平同志指出:“我们的党和人民浴血奋斗多年,建立了社会主义制度。尽管这个制度还不完善,又遭受了破坏,但是无论如何,社会主义制度总比弱肉强食、损人利己的资本主义制度好得多。我们的制度将一天天完善起来,它将吸收我们可以从世界各国吸收的进步因素,成为世界上最好的制度。这是资本主义所绝对不可能做到的。”

中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度在实践中显示出巨大优势,以下几个方面最为重要。一是坚持党的领导的优势。70年来,正是因为始终在党的领导下,集中力量办大事,国家统一有效组织各项事业、开展各项工作,才能成功应对一系列重大风险挑战、克服无数艰难险阻,始终沿着正确方向稳步前进。二是保证人民当家作主的优势。我们国家的名称,我们各级国家机关的名称,都冠以“人民”的称号,这是我国社会主义国家政权的基本定位。我国国家制度深深植根于人民之中,能够有效体现人民意志、保障人民权益、激发人民创造力。三是坚持全面依法治国的优势。坚持依法治国,坚持法治国家、法治政府、法治社会一体建设,为解放和增强社会活力、促进社会公平正义、维护社会和谐稳定、确保党和国家长治久安发挥了重要作用。四是实行民主集中制的优势。民主集中制是我国国家组织形式和活动方式的基本原则,是我国国家制度的突出特点。在党的领导下,各国家机关是一个统一整体,既合理分工,又密切协作,既充分发扬民主,又有效进行集中,克服了议而不决、决而不行、行而不实等不良现象,避免了相互掣肘、效率低下的弊端。

衡量一个社会制度是否科学、是否先进,主要看是否符合国情、是否有效管用、是否得到人民拥护。中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度是一套行得通、真管用、有效率的制度体系。

当今世界正面临百年未有之大变局,国与国的竞争日益激烈,归根结底是国家制度的竞争。中国发展呈现出“风景这边独好”的局面,这其中很重要的原因就是我国国家制度和法律制度具有显著优越性和强大生命力。这是我们坚定“四个自信”的一个基本依据。

第三,中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度需要坚持好、实施好,也需要不断完善和发展。早在1949年,毛泽东同志就说过:“中共二十八年,再加二十九年、三十年两年,完成全国革命任务,这是铲地基,花了三十年。但是起房子,这个任务要几十年工夫。”1992年,邓小平同志曾经指出:“恐怕再有三十年的时间,我们才会在各方面形成一整套更加成熟、更加定型的制度。”我在党的十九大报告中提出从2020年到本世纪中叶分两个阶段来安排的战略部署,提出制度建设的目标是:到2035年“各方面制度更加完善,国家治理体系和治理能力现代化基本实现”,到本世纪中叶“实现国家治理体系和治理能力现代化”。

我们要在坚持好、巩固好已经建立起来并经过实践检验的根本制度、基本制度、重要制度的前提下,坚持从我国国情出发,继续加强制度创新,加快建立健全国家治理急需的制度、满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要必备的制度。要及时总结实践中的好经验好做法,成熟的经验和做法可以上升为制度、转化为法律。我们要积极吸收借鉴人类制度文明有益成果,但决不能动摇或放弃我国制度的根基。



“纵有良法美意,非其人而行之,反成弊政。”制度的生命力在于执行。现在,有的人对制度缺乏敬畏,根本不按制度行事,甚至随意更改制度;有的人千方百计钻制度空子、打擦边球;有的人不敢也不愿遵守制度,极力逃避制度的约束和监管,等等。要强化制度执行力,加强制度执行的监督,切实把我国制度优势转化为治理效能。各级党委和政府以及领导干部要增强制度意识,善于在制度的轨道上推进各项事业。广大党员、干部要做制度执行的表率,引领全社会增强制度意识,自觉维护制度权威。

要加强对中国特色社会主义国家制度和法律制度的理论研究,总结70年来我国制度建设的成功经验,构筑中国制度建设理论的学术体系、理论体系、话语体系,为坚定制度自信提供理论支撑。要加强制度宣传教育,特别是要加强对青少年的制度教育,引导人们充分认识我们已经走出了建设中国特色社会主义制度的成功之路,只要我们沿着这条道路继续前进,就一定能够实现国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。要结合新中国成立70周年系列庆祝活动,讲好中国制度故事,扩大中国制度的影响力和感召力,增进国际社会对我国制度的认识和认同。

(这是习近平总书记2019年9月24日在十九届中央政治局第十七次集体学习时的讲话。)


综合  新华社、《求是》杂志
编辑  罗梦丹

__________


"Seeking Truth" Magazine Published Xi Jinping's Important Article: Adhering to, Perfecting and Developing the Socialist State System and Legal System with Chinese Characteristics
The 23rd issue of Qiushi, published on December 1, published an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, "Insist, Improve and Develop the Socialist State System and Legal System with Chinese Characteristics." The editor will now publish the full text as follows, let us learn together.


Adhere to, improve and develop the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics

Xi Jinping



In a few days, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Today, the Central Political Bureau conducts collective learning under the title of "Formation and Development of the State System and Legal System of the New China". The purpose is to review the process of the party leading the people to promote the construction of the national system and the legal system in the 70 years since the founding of New China, and to summarize their achievements and experiences. We will continue to follow the correct path pioneered by the party and the people, with a firm path of self-confidence, theoretical self-confidence, institutional self-confidence, and cultural self-confidence.

The Politburo of the Central Committee decided to convene the Fourth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in October this year, focusing on the study of several major issues in adhering to and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capabilities. This collective study will help us to think deeply about this issue.

The ancients said, "The country is ordered by the people, and its system is right." It means that to govern the country and keep the people in order, we must improve the various systems. In the 70 years since the founding of New China, our party has led the people to continue to explore and practice, and gradually formed a socialist country system and legal system with Chinese characteristics, which provides a fundamental guarantee for the development and progress of contemporary China, and also provides a boost to the construction of the national system and legal system in the new era. Important experience.

First, the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics have been formed through long-term practical explorations, and are a great creation in the history of human institutional civilization. What kind of national system is established is a historical issue facing the Chinese people in modern times. After the Opium War, the feudal autocracy, which lasted for more than 2,000 years, has become rotten, and it is difficult to cope with the growing political crisis and ethnic crisis. Countless people with lofty ideals have worked hard to find a way to change the future and destiny of the Chinese nation. After repeated explorations from the technical level, the social revolution level, the industrial level to the system level, and the cultural level, they tried the constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system, multi-party system, and presidential system. And other institutional models, but all ended in failure.

Since the founding of our party, our party has been committed to building a new society in which the people are the masters of the country. It has put forward propositions about the future state system and led the people to fight for it. During the Agrarian Revolution, our party established the Chinese Soviet Republic in the Central Soviet Area of ​​Jiangxi Province, and began to explore the construction of national and legal systems. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, our party established an anti-Japanese democratic regime centered on Yan'an and represented by the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, set up a border region government, and established the legislative and administrative levels at all levels in accordance with the "three, three systems" principle, with the Senate as the highest authority Judiciary.

After the founding of New China, our party creatively applied the Marxist state theory and made unremitting efforts to build a socialist state system, gradually establishing and consolidating the state system, government system, fundamental political system, basic political system, basic economic system, and With regard to important systems in various aspects, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has been continuously improved, and the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has also been continuously improved.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have promoted comprehensive deepening of reforms, improved the party ’s leadership system and mechanisms, strengthened the building of the people ’s ownership system, completed revisions to some parts of the constitution, promoted the extensive and multilayered institutional development of socialist negotiated democracy, and deepened the party and the state. Institutional reforms, deepening economic system reforms, deepening comprehensive judicial system reforms, deepening ecological civilization system reforms, deepening national defense and military reforms, establishing national supervision systems, socialist systems with Chinese characteristics are becoming more and more mature, and socialist legal systems with Chinese characteristics are constantly being improved. It has played a major role in promoting the historic achievements and historic changes of the party and state.



From November 2 to 3, 2019, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, State President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission visited Shanghai. On the afternoon of the 2nd, Xi Jinping exchanged cordially with representatives of the community residents who were participating in the legislative opinions consultation at the Gubei Citizen Center in Hongqiao Street, Changning District. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi / photo

Practice has proved that our party has combined the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities, and established a new state system that guarantees hundreds of millions of people as the masters of the ancient eastern powers, making the socialist system with Chinese characteristics a significant advantage and strong vitality This system guarantees China to create a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. It also provides a new option for developing countries to modernize, and contributes to China's wisdom and Chinese solutions for human beings to explore and build a better social system.

Second, the socialist national system and legal system with Chinese characteristics are scientifically proven systems of practice and have significant advantages. The socialist national system and legal system with Chinese characteristics are rooted in the profound historical and cultural traditions of the Chinese nation over 5,000 years of civilization. They have learned from the beneficial results of human institutional civilization, and have been tested by long-term practice.

At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Comrade Mao Zedong said with confidence: "Every fact proves that the system of our people's democratic dictatorship is extremely superior to the political system of capitalist countries. On the basis of this system Our people can exert their endless power. This power cannot be defeated by any enemy. "In the early days of reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out:" Our party and people have worked hard for many years and established a socialist system. Despite this, The system is still imperfect and undermined, but in any case, the socialist system is always better than the weak capitalist system and the self-interested capitalist system. Our system will be perfected day by day and it will absorb the progress we can absorb from countries around the world Factor, becoming the best system in the world. This is absolutely impossible for capitalism. "

The socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics show great advantages in practice. The following aspects are the most important. First, adhere to the advantages of party leadership. Over the past 70 years, it has been precisely under the leadership of the party that it has concentrated its efforts on major issues, and that the country has unified and effectively organized various undertakings and carried out various tasks in order to successfully cope with a series of major risk challenges, overcome countless hardships and obstacles, and always follow the correct direction. Move forward steadily. The second is to ensure that the people have the advantage of being the masters of the country. The name of our country, and the names of state organs at all levels, all bear the title of "people". This is the basic positioning of the political power of our socialist country. Our national system is deeply rooted in the people and can effectively reflect the will of the people, protect their rights and interests, and stimulate their creativity. The third is to adhere to the advantages of running the country in accordance with the law. Persistence in administering the country according to law, adhering to the construction of a country ruled by law, a government ruled by law, and a society ruled by law have played an important role in emancipating and enhancing social vitality, promoting social fairness and justice, maintaining social harmony and stability, and ensuring the long-term stability of the party and state. The fourth is the advantage of implementing democratic centralism. Democratic centralism is the basic principle of China's state organization and activity methods, and it is a prominent feature of China's state system. Under the leadership of the party, all state organs are a unified whole, which not only rationalizes the division of labor but also cooperates closely, fully promotes democracy and effectively concentrates, and overcomes the bad phenomena of indecision, inaction, and inaction. To avoid the disadvantages of mutual restraint and inefficiency.

The measurement of whether a social system is scientific and advanced is mainly based on whether it is in line with national conditions, whether it is effective and efficient, and whether it is supported by the people. The socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics are a set of workable, effective and efficient systems.

The world today is facing unprecedented changes in a century, and competition between countries is becoming increasingly fierce. In the final analysis, it is the competition of national systems. China's development is showing a situation of "only good scenery". The important reason for this is that China's national and legal systems have significant advantages and strong vitality. This is a basic basis for our firm "four confidences".

Third, the socialist state system and legal system with Chinese characteristics need to be adhered to and implemented well, and they need to be constantly improved and developed. As early as 1949, Comrade Mao Zedong said: "The 28 years of the Communist Party of China, plus 29 years and 30 years, to complete the revolutionary tasks of the country. This is the foundation shovel, which took 30 years. But the house This task will take decades to complete. "In 1992, Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out:" I am afraid that it will take another 30 years for us to form a more mature and more stereotyped system in all aspects. " The report of the Nineteenth National Congress of the People's Republic of China proposed a strategic deployment in two stages from 2020 to the middle of this century, and proposed that the goal of system construction is: By 2035, "all aspects of the system will be more complete, and the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity will be basically realized. By the middle of this century, "realize the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity."

On the premise of adhering to and consolidating the basic system, basic system, and important system that have been established and tested in practice, we must continue to strengthen system innovation based on China's national conditions, accelerate the establishment of a soundly needed system for national governance, and satisfy the people The growing good life requires the necessary institutions. It is necessary to summarize the good experiences and practices in practice in a timely manner, and mature experiences and practices can be upgraded to systems and transformed into laws. We must actively learn from the beneficial results of human system civilization, but we must not shake or abandon the foundation of our system.

"While there is good law and good intentions, it is not for others to do it, but it will lead to bad government." The vitality of the system lies in its implementation. At present, some people lack the awe of the system, do not act according to the system at all, or even change the system at will; some people do everything possible to dig into the system and scratch the ball; some people are afraid to abide by the system and try to escape the constraints and supervision of the system. ,and many more. It is necessary to strengthen the implementation of the system, strengthen the supervision of the implementation of the system, and effectively transform China's system advantages into governance effectiveness. Party committees and governments at all levels and leading cadres must strengthen their awareness of the system and be good at advancing various causes on the track of the system. The majority of party members and cadres should set an example for the implementation of the system, lead the whole society to strengthen the awareness of the system, and consciously maintain the authority of the system.


It is necessary to strengthen the theoretical research on the socialist country system and legal system with Chinese characteristics, summarize the successful experience of China's institutional construction in the past 70 years, build the academic system, theoretical system, and discourse system of Chinese institutional construction theory, and provide theoretical support for firm institutional self-confidence. It is necessary to strengthen institutional publicity and education, especially for young people, to guide people to fully understand that we have embarked on the road to success in building a socialist system with Chinese characteristics. As long as we continue to follow this path, we will certainly be able to realize the country. Governance system and governance capabilities are modernized. In conjunction with a series of celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, tell the story of the Chinese system, expand the influence and appeal of the Chinese system, and increase the international community's understanding and recognition of our system.

(This is the speech of General Secretary Xi Jinping during the 17th collective study of the 19th Central Political Bureau on September 24, 2019.)
Xinhua News Agency, Qiushi Magazine
Editing Luo Mengdan

No comments: