By Adetoro Banwo

The 105 years anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party, CPC, brings to the fora the fundamental principles that have shaped the party in historical and modern times. A party that was founded by a group of intellectuals such as Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao built a new China through the struggles of the masses, peasants and intellectuals. The foundation of the CPC will be examined and explained, first the notion of pragmatic cooperation came into interplay when the CPC joined hands with the nationalist party Kuomintang to expel foreign forces that threatened the existence of their nationhood. Second is the concept of ideologies, the CPC was founded by the concept of Marxist- Leninism which was later evolved systematically by Chinese leaders into the natural conditions of their nation state, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, Jiang Zemin’s Three Represents, Hu Jintao’s Scientific Outlook and Xi Jinping Thought have all been integrated into the Chinese social, economic and political realities in modern times.

Chairman Mao’s success in guerilla warfare, civil war, national unification, national restoration coupled with his capabilities and charisma to mobilize and identify with the masses led to him arguing for a mass line approach (群众路线; qúnzhòng lùxiàn) to governance. Chairman Mao was of the opinion that the masses hold a crucial part of governance, he opined that the people and the people alone are the motive force in the making of world history. He called on the CPC to identify with the people because they are the real heroes with boundless creative power. He asserted that they can drive a revolution that can liberate them from their imperialists, cooperate to socially transform the country, embedded with an enthusiastic spirit and hold an impeccable and irrevocable power. He proposed two principles for governance, identifying the needs and wishes of the masses, inferring that the CPC must leadership should learn and study from the masses and transform their ideas into actions. Therefore, Chinese party cadres lived with the masses to identify their problems of land, labour and well-being, these information became one of the core agendas of the CPC in the future years.

Deng Xiaoping’s second generation leadership was marked with a clear focus of moving the country from the revolutionary stage to the economic development path. His speech at the at the CPC central work conference in December 1978 from his speech “Emancipate the Mind, Seek Truth from Facts and Unite as one in Looking to the Future” led to the concept seen as Socialism with Chinese Characteristics 中国特色社会主义 Zhōngguó tèsè shèhuìzhǔyì. Deng Xiaoping was focused on the socialist modernization of the country through the four modernization of agriculture, industry, science and technology and national defense while maintaining and preserving the CPC’s ideological framework and power structure. The theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics can be summarized under nine headings which are seen as China’s ability to build a socialist society by carving out its own path which should be devoid from copying, imitating or transplanting foreign models. Similarly, identifying that China is at the early stages of socialism and as such boost the productive forces of the economy to achieve development. Its focus must be on liberating the productive forces, developing the productive forces while eliminating exploitation and polarization with the central focal goal of achieving prosperity for all. Arguably, this will lead to reforms that would ensure the modernization and industrialization of China. This can be only achieved through the enhancement of the productive forces, tackling of the development imbalances in the economy, improving the economic base and continuous reforms. Additionally, promoting and pushing for peaceful development as one of the core factors for the building of a prosperous, civilized and harmonious world. This is encapsulated in a trilogy seen as striving for a peaceful international environment, achieving development through innovation, conforming to economic globalization to achieve a harmonious and prosperous society. His strategic plan for the country includes experimental and pragmatic projects as seen in “Crossing the river by feeling the stones” ( 摸着石头过河 mòzhe shítou guòhé).

Jiang Zemin (1993-2003) postulated the theory of three represents ( 三个代表重要思想 Sān Gè Dàibiǎo Zhòngyào Sīxiǎng) and argued for the development of China’s productive forces, the explicit advancement of Chinese culture and the comprehensive interests of the Chinese people. It holds a continuum between the existing theories of the Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. It rests on the notion of building Chinese socialism, strengthening the party through the adoption of policies that champion scientific and technological methods, economic development, modernization and productivity. Similarly, the attainment of cultural innovation through nationalism, patriotism, education and culture remains fundamental to this theory. Jiang Zemin’s speech in Guangzhou also aims to adopt the political and economic elites into the party to facilitate the economic modernization of the Chinese state. He observed the importance of the working class as a key strata that has engineered the productive forces in China. Therefore, the party had the responsibility of protecting the working class since they held a key component of facilitating Chinese modernization. Jiang Zemin was keen on developing the country through science and education, he stated “preserve in the principle of education orientation, place science and technology and education in a core position of the national social and economic development of the country. We should enhance the country’s technological strength and its capability of transforming science and technology into practical productive forces”. He also promoted the technological innovation in science and technology, he mentioned, “no innovations, no development, no vitality”. To him, innovation has the ability to enhance and perform fundamental, crucial and strategic functions in technology, national defense, economic and social development. He also identified that innovation can be found in talents, to him human resources are the first resources, technological progress, social development and economic boom that can be achieved when the quality of workers are improved. Intellectuals hold a strategic position in the country. He posited that we should respect talented and knowledgeable people as well as labor. Similarly, Jiang Zemin argued that technology should serve human kind, it should help the people to escape poverty, ignorance and violence while ensuring world peace and development.

Hu Jintao’s theory on the Scientific Outlook on Development and the Harmonious Socialist Society (科学发展观 kē xué fā zhǎn guān) focused on development with a people-oriented approach with a coordinated, comprehensive and sustainable development. It builds on Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the Theory of the Three Represents. He opined the party must have the priority in governing and rejuvenating the country to build a moderate prosperous society. The party’s central aim is economic development, construction and development of the production forces as well as rejuvenating the country through science and education, training personnel and adopting a strategy of sustainable development.

Socialism with Chinese characteristics must be achieved through serving the people first and seek the well-being of the people. The party must not deviate from safeguarding and expanding the fundamental interest of the people. The peoples rights and their political responsibilities should be preserved, their creativity must be allowed to flourish with the party promoting all round development and championing prosperity. The party must recognize that development is for the people, by the people and them sharing the benefits and its outcome with them.

Hu Jintao also stressed that the party must be concerned about the environmental and ecological conditions of the country, build an environmental friendly, resource-conserving society that coordinates the economic growth rate with a sound economic structure that achieves efficiency and quality productions that the people can benefit from and develop in a sustainable way. Therefore, urban and rural developments, regional developments, social and economic developments, domestic and national development, central and local authorities developments, man and nature developments, must be the core focus of the party. They must be conscious of the challenges and risks imminent in our word today, plan effectively to achieve breakthroughs on all issues that will affect the public interests of the country.

Xi Jinping Thought focuses on the nation rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation with the strengthening of the role of the CPC and dissuading of foreign thoughts and ideologies which might influence the people. His thoughts are carefully encapsulated in the 14 points of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Chinese (习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想 Xí Jìnpíng xīn shídài zhōngguó tèsè shèhuì zhǔyì sīxiǎng). Its combines the Marxist-Lenin Theory, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, The Theory of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development. He pushes for the elevation of scientific socialism adapted to the peculiar situations of China. His thoughts are embedded in the fourteen guiding principles and commitments which emphasizes the Communist Party leadership over every level of the society while adopting a people centered approach to achieve common prosperity and inherently reducing wealth inequalities in the society. Similarly, he argues for the deepening of reforms to boost economic efficiency and attain social stability with the development of new ideas that are innovative, coordinated, open and green that can foster sustainable growth. Furthermore, the thrust of his theory lies in carefully adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics which must be balanced led with the welfare of the people. Welfare, improved living standards and public services policies must be always championed because the people are the true masters of the country. Additionally, he stresses governance must be in accordance with the rule of law, safeguard the law, enhance moral quality and deepen judicial reforms to ensure a just and moral society while upholding legal standards with the party at the center of justice administration and societal governance administration. Equally, ideological commitment of the core socialist values must be maintained to ensure and preserve the national identity of the country. The party should guide the country to achieve a harmonious society, offer common prosperity to the people, improve social welfare, healthcare, education, employment opportunities and coexist with nature as well. President Xi Jinping states that the party is responsible for strengthen national security by readily responding to internal and external threats through the culture of vigilance and enhancement of the nations military capabilities. The nations sovereignty must be safeguarded at all times by coordinating all security parastatals. The party has the absolute authority over the Peoples Liberation Army by ensuring political education, reforms, scientific and technological advancements, legal managements, ideological indoctrination’s and modernization of its military capabilities. The party itself must be discipline, corruption must be eradicated, the party must ensure political purity and must not alienate the masses. High moral and ethical standards must be held by the party members at all times to sustain its legitimacy and effectiveness. Xi states that the party will allow the concept of one country two systems in the governing of Hong- Kong and Macau with the reunification of Taiwan in earnest. The party remains the foremost governing authority all over China while observing regional differences and securing the national sovereignty of the entire political system. Finally is the concept of the Chinese dream, a dream rooted in national rejuvenation of the Chinese state by ensuring shared prosperity, a shared destiny and improved quality of life for the people while systematically leading China to its rightful place in the league of nations as a leading superpower.

At this 105th anniversary, its imperative to state that the Chinese Communist Party agenda has been driven around the thoughts of its leaders such as Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, Jiang Zemin’s Three Represents, Hun Jintao’s Scientific Outlook and Xi Jinping Thought. A central theme reoccurring in their thoughts are the welfare, well-being, living standards and needs of the people which can be achieved through the deepening of reforms and the adoption of science and technology in engineering the productive forces of the state to attain a prosperous and harmonious society. Specifically, the masses, working class and the intellectuals have seamless contributions to the attainment of the CPC’s agenda, government understands that a disjunction mustn’t exist against the needs and desires of the people but a critical alignment that is designed around the people. The CPC has led transformative reforms that has been driven by its Five-year planning and increased its GDP from 557.9B RMB in 1949 to 140.19 trillion RMB and lifted over 800 million people out of extreme poverty. Its accelerated market oriented reforms and entry into the World Trade Organization with an effective supply chain and valued added manufacturing model coupled with technological innovation has made it a super economic global power. Globally, it has introduced Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative have ushered in new models of development, security frameworks, ideological and cultural frameworks while offering models for reforming global governance.

Adetoro O. Banwo, PhD, is from the
University of Lagos, Nigeria