Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 11, 2021

A Centennial Exploration of the Communist Party of China’s Leading China towards Prosperity and Strength

(Abstract)

Zhang Xiaojing

The path of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past century is a history of unremitting struggle, sacrifice and creation to realize the Chinese dream of seeking prosperity and strength and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The “new democratic revolution” led by the Party prepared the fundamental social conditions for the pursuit of prosperity. The establishment of the People’s Republic of China and the basic socialist system laid the political premise and institutional foundation for seeking wealth and strength. Since reform and opening up, the idea that “poverty is not socialism” has broken the mental shackles that had restricted people’s pursuit of wealth. The establishment and improvement of the socialist market economic system has stimulated great enthusiasm across the whole of society for the creation of wealth, and national wealth has grown at an unprecedented rate. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and comprehensive national strength, as measured by the total economic output and stock of wealth, has increased significantly. The elimination of absolute poverty and the realization of a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way have laid a solid foundation for common prosperity and a strong modernized country. The Party’s basic experience in uniting and leading the people of the whole country in the pursuit of national strength and common prosperity can be summarized under four headings: first, independent exploration is the key to achieving  late-mover catch-up growth and making the country stronger and the people prosperous; second, the thinking of people-centered development reflects the value orientation of common prosperity and national strength; third, constantly emancipating and developing the productive forces enables all sources of social wealth to flow freely; and fourth, the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics sets the right direction for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.