Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.7, 2015

 

Statecraft in the Governance of State from the Perspective of Political Philosophy

(Abstract)

 

Zhang Wenxi

 

There is no basis for looking for the foundations of socialist rule in Western concepts. Some would say that in comparison with the changes in administrative rationality, the socialist state, even today, has not yet freed itself from the dilemma of a lack of governance rationality. This kind of Western opinion has to be tackled in a fundamental way. What needs to be stressed is that “we will become better able to govern the country through the socialist system with Chinese characteristics,” which essentially provides the classic argument for the reputation of the socialist road as being independent of liberal capitalism. Only by starting out from an ideology governed by its own principles can we explain governance concepts that have a special sociopolitical meaning. This directly involves the question of whether we can guarantee the revelation of the system of socialist truth and ensure innovation in our state system and our way of life. The essence of sticking to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics lies in taking such “characteristics” as a national principle for innovating the forms of the socialist road and exploring the foundation for the rule of the Chinese socialist state. This brings us to a new starting point that is different from that of capitalist governance techniques.