IV. Strengthening Party-Building and Improving Party Leadership
We must follow the basic line of the Party unswervingly for a long time to come; we must rapidly carry out the socialist reform, the opening to the outside world and the modernization programme; and we must maintain long-term stability and make our country prosperous and strong. The key to all this is our Party, a party armed with Comrade Deng Xiaoping's theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
For more than seven decades the Communist Party of China has united the Chinese people of all nationalities and led them in a struggle to overcome all difficulties and hardships and make a fundamental change in their status, in the direction of Chinese history and in the image of Chinese society. Since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, it has led the people in an effort to create a new situation of reform, opening up and modernization in every field of endeavour. The great, glorious and correct Communist Party of China, which led the people to victory in the revolution, can also lead them to victory in the reform and in economic development. It would be absolutely wrong and harmful for anyone to doubt, weaken or negate the Party's position in power and its leading role.
In the new historical period there have been major changes in the environment in which our Party functions and in the tasks it undertakes. Ideologically, politically, organizationally and in terms of work style, it is faced with many new situations and problems. In light of the new realities and in compliance with the Party's basic line, we must adhere to the principle that the Party handles Party affairs, being strict with its members, improving Party building and exercising more effective power and leadership. This will make it possible for our long-tested Marxist Party to function better as the force at the core providing leadership in the reform, the opening to the outside world and the drive for modernization.
1. We should study the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and increase our awareness of the need to firmly carry out the Party's basic line.
Our Party is the vanguard of the working class, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought are the guides to our action. Marxism is a science that is deeply rooted in practice and developed through practice. The theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics is the latest product of the integration of Marxism with Chinese reality. It is a Marxist theory for present-day China. It is a powerful ideological weapon that will enable us to fulfil our new historical mission. When we talk about the need to study Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, we mean in essence the need to study that theory. Leading Party members, high-ranking cadres in particular, should be the first to study it and apply it in practice. We should try to understand Comrade Deng Xiaoping's strategy, theories and viewpoints and to emulate his scientific approach in examining new situations and his creativity in solving new problems by applying the Marxist stand, viewpoint and method. We should learn the basic theories, integrate them with practice, and know how to use them effectively. We hope that through study, all our Party cadres will acquire a firm faith in socialism and communism, constantly raise their political level and their ability to solve practical problems, and transform their consciousness into tremendous material strength that will serve to accelerate the reform, the opening up and the drive for modernization.
Emancipating our minds and seeking truth from facts are the essence of the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and a "magic weapon" guaranteeing that our Party will always be vigorous. The two precepts are identical. They mean that we should keep our understanding in line with current realities, that under the guidance of Marxism we should break the shackles of traditional conceptions and subjective prejudices and overcome our habit of following the beaten track and rejecting new things. We must not simply cling to certain Marxist principles, to a dogmatic interpretation of certain theories, to an unscientific or distorted understanding of socialism or to ideas that are wrong because in the primary stage of socialism they are premature. Instead, we must try to analyse and solve problems with the world outlook and methods of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, adapting our thinking to changing circumstances. In the course of reform and economic development, leading organs and leading cadres at all levels should integrate the Party's line, principles and policies with the actual conditions in their localities or departments. They should courageously explore new ways, conduct bold experiments, frequently review their experience and seek creative solutions to problems.
We should be keenly aware that because modern science and technology are progressing rapidly and the socialist market economy is constantly expanding, there are many new things we need to understand and become familiar with. All our Party comrades must regard it as an urgent, long-term task to learn through practice. We should study not only political affairs but also economic affairs, advanced techniques of production and management, and modern science and culture. We should work hard to gain professional proficiency and become skilled in our work.
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