Decipher the historical logic of Chinese-style modernization from an economic perspective

It is extremely important to have a clear understanding of the historical logic and development logic of Chinese-style modernization and to understand a series of major issues concerning where Chinese-style modernization came from and where it is going.

Yang Mingwei

Chinese-style modernization is a major proposition personally put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping and comprehensively and profoundly expounded, a concept with significant identification of China in the new era, and a core concept in the theme and central task determined in the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

At present, academic circles at home and abroad are trying to analyze some of the key points and focal points of this proposition and concept. Edited by Wang Lisheng, Secretary of the Party Committee and researcher of the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and published by Jiangxi University Press, the four-volume "Economic Exploration of Chinese-style Modernization" can be said to be an important attempt to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and to break the problem of Chinese-style modernization from an economic perspective.

Overall, there are at least two major features of the series. The first is to understand the historical logic and development direction of Chinese-style modernization from a broad perspective, with a broad historical vision and solid theoretical analysis. Second, from the perspective of economic exploration, a series of major issues of where Chinese modernization comes from and where it is going, with fundamental domain characteristics and in-depth professional analysis.

It is extremely important to have a clear understanding of the historical logic and development logic of Chinese-style modernization and to understand a series of major issues concerning where Chinese-style modernization came from and where it is going. In the author's opinion, this series of books answers the following questions from the perspective of economic exploration.

First, by explaining the logic of history and development, it answers the question of where Chinese modernization comes from.

The series of books locates the logical starting point of Chinese-style modernization at the birth of the Communist Party of China and its historical mission, and the four volumes reflect the process corresponding to the four historical periods in which the Communist Party of China explored the path of modernization.

In the first volume, "Choice and Problem Solving", starting from the early conception of the theory of Chinese-style modernization, the new democratic revolution led by the Communist Party of China and the industrialization construction of the Soviet area are taken as the starting point of exploration. It seems to be a presentation of the theme of revolution, but in fact it is an early and arduous exploration of the road to modernization.

In the second volume, "The Beginning and the Foundation", starting from the establishment of the basic socialist system after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese-style modernization is expounded under the framework of the socialist economic system. It seems to be talking about the history of the first 30 years of reform and opening up, but in fact, it makes it clear that Chinese-style modernization is a comprehensive exploration that began on the basis of "one poor and two white" in old China, which not only laid the foundation for Chinese-style modernization, but also "changed China's position in the world".

In the third volume, "Breakthrough and Leapfrogging", starting from the three major theories of the primary stage of socialism, the theory of the essence of socialism, and the theory of socialist market economy, the Chinese-style modernization is explained under the framework of major theoretical innovations and great practical turning points since the reform and opening up. It focuses on the strong impetus and solid foundation created by deepening reform and expanding opening up in this historical stage, and also makes clear the truth that reform and opening up is the only way for Chinese-style modernization.

In the fourth volume of "Promotion and Expansion", from the perspective of the new construction of the theory and practice of Chinese-style modernization by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, it systematically explains how to promote and expand the new realm of Chinese-style modernization theory and practice, especially the issue of how Chinese-style modernization has created a new form of human civilization. It covers the methodological principles, fundamental guarantees, new development concepts, basic economic systems, various relationships and new development patterns that need to be properly handled in our party's leadership of Chinese-style modernization.

From the content of the four volumes, it can be seen that this series of books basically explains the historical logic of Chinese-style modernization from an economic perspective.

The research perspective of the series also enables us to see the development logic of Chinese-style modernization, which can be summarized as three "closely linked".

First, Chinese-style modernization is closely linked to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This means that Chinese-style modernization comes from the mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Our party's exploration of Chinese-style modernization is based on the theme of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Second, Chinese-style modernization is closely linked to China's socialist construction. In other words, Chinese-style modernization comes from the exploration of the road of China's socialist construction. Our party's understanding of Chinese-style modernization has been gradually deepened, and the fundamental foundation is the establishment and development of the socialist system.

Third, Chinese-style modernization is closely linked to the great process of reform and opening up. This means that Chinese-style modernization comes from the path of reform and opening up and the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In particular, since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era, our party has further deepened the grand goal of building a modern socialist country, further enriched and developed theoretical thinking and practical exploration on the issue of modernization, and achieved breakthroughs in some major theoretical and practical issues.

From these "closely linked" relationships, we can clearly see that Chinese-style modernization has its own development logic and historical process. This logic of development fully illustrates our party's profound grasp of the objective law of historical development, and fully proves the irreversibility of the historical process of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization.

Second, through the economic field, we can see the rich connotation of the theory and practice of Chinese-style modernization, and answer the question of where Chinese-style modernization is going.

Of course, the answer to the question of where Chinese modernization is going cannot be fully explained from an economic perspective alone, but the series of books also attempts to provide some clear answers by expanding the economic incision. For example, the fourth volume answers the question of where Chinese modernization is going with the theme of "promotion and expansion" and the content of thirteen chapters.

Combined with some of the contents of this series of books, we can further understand and grasp the uniqueness of Chinese-style modernization, and we can know where Chinese-style modernization is going.

The characteristics of the five aspects of Chinese-style modernization expounded by General Secretary Xi Jinping actually tell us where Chinese-style modernization is going: first, in the direction of bringing the 1.4 billion people into a modern society, second, in the direction of common prosperity for all people, third, in the direction of harmony between material civilization and spiritual civilization, fourth, in the direction of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and fifth, in the direction of peaceful development.

In short, in terms of fundamental direction, Chinese-style modernization must be consistent with the direction of the Party and the people and follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; in terms of basic goals, Chinese-style modernization must go hand in hand with the direction of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and ultimately achieve the goal of strengthening the country. The conclusions of this series of books are in line with historical materialism, which enables us to understand the rich connotations of Chinese-style modernization in a relatively deep way and see clearly the direction of Chinese-style modernization.

Of course, there is still room for further improvement. For example, in terms of framework, we can further enhance the integration between the economic field and other aspects, and enhance the cohesion of the economic and social historical processes. However, as a rare original theoretical monograph that explains Chinese modernization from the perspective of economic history, its academic value and pioneering courage are worthy of full affirmation.

(The author is director and researcher of the Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Bureau of the Central Academy of Party History and Literature)