II. The Basic Task in Building a Socialist Society With an Advanced Culture and Ideology

In building a socialist society with an advanced culture and ideology, the basic task is to help people to become well educated and self-disciplined socialist citizens with lofty ideals and moral integrity, and to raise the ideological and ethical standards of the whole nation as well as its educational and scientific levels - all in the interest of socialist modernization.

The qualities of a people are a historical product that in turn exerts a great influence on history. There is no doubt that under socialism the improvement of the qualities of all citizens will lead to a steady rise in labour productivity, to a constant development of interpersonal relations of a new type (relations based on public ownership) and to profound changes in the physiognomy of the whole society. All this is an indispensable condition for the success of our drive for socialist modernization.

The endeavour to promote an advanced culture and ideology has two aspects: raising the people's ideological and ethical standards; and developing education, science and culture. It permeates the whole process of material advance and manifests itself in the economic, political, cultural and other aspects of social life. This constructive endeavour is the task not only of departments in charge of ideological, cultural and educational work but also other units and professions. It is the common long-term task of the whole Party, of the whole army and of workers, peasants, intellectuals and other working people and patriots of China's various nationalities.

A serious miscalculation our Party made for many years after the basic completion of socialist transformation of private ownership was that it failed to shift the focus of its work to economic construction. Instead, the Party continued to adhere to the principle of taking class struggle as the key link, belittled educational, scientific and cultural undertakings, magnified to the extreme class struggle in the ideological sphere and eventurally launched the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), a decade of domestic turmoil. Summing up the historical experience, the Party has explicitly pointed out that the principal contradiction in Chinese society at the present stage is the one between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the country's backward production. It has stated that class struggle will continue to exist within certain limits for a long time but that it does not constitute the principal contradiction, and that most contradictions in our society do not have the nature of class struggle. In building a socialist society with an advanced culture and ideology, we should bear in mind the historical lessons, handle the various contradictions in society correctly and always employ the methods of discussion, reasoning and criticism and self-criticism in addressing ideological problems - that is, the methods of persuasion and education. We should always keep national construction in the forefront of our thoughts. We should do everything possible to unite the people and bring their socialist enthusiasm and initiative into play, to meet their cultural and intellectual needs, to raise their ideological and ethical standards and to develop education, science and culture. In short, we should do everything possible to facilitate the growth of the productive forces.

The modern history of China and of the world shows that no country can progress if it refuses to accept elements of advanced science and culture from abroad. Closing one's country to external contact results only in stagnation and backwardness. We resolutely reject the capitalist ideological and social systems that defend oppression and exploitation, and we reject all the ugly and decadent aspects of capitalism. Nevertheless, we should do our utmost to learn from all countries (including the developed capitalist countries), to acquire advanced science and technology, universally applicable expertise in economic management and administrative work and other useful knowledge and to verify and develop in practice what we have learnt. Otherwise, we shall remain ignorant and be unable to modernize our own country. As a basic, unalterable state policy, opening to the outside world applies to our efforts to achieve cultural and ideological progress as well as to our work for material progress.

For a long period in the history of ancient civilizations, the great Chinese nation with its long history and cultural tradition stood in the front ranks. But in modern times it has lagged behind, because of a decadent feudal system coupled with imperialist aggression. The Revolution of 1911, the May 4th Movement of 1919 and the great people's revolution led by the Communist Party of China brought about tremendous changes, and the birth of New China ushered in the rejuvenation of the great Chinese civilization on the basis of socialism. The latest period of our historical development, whose beginning was marked by the Third Plenary Session of the Party's 11th Central Committee, has injected a new, powerful vitality into that rejuvenation. The outcome will be a socialist society that has not only a high material level but also an advanced culture and ideology, a culture and ideology that take Marxism as their guide, that incorporate the best from historical tradition yet fully embody the spirit of our times, and that base themselves on China's actual conditions yet keep the whole world in view.

III. Mobilize and Unite the People of All China's Nationalities Through a Common Ideal

To build socialism with Chinese characteristics and make China a modern socialist country having a high degree of democracy and an advanced culture and ideology - such is the common ideal of the people of all our nationalities at the present stage. We shall try to make our country comparatively prosperous by the end of this century and to approach the economic level of the developed countries by the middle of the next. This common ideal embodies the interests and aspirations of all our workers, peasants, intellectuals and other working people and patriots. It is a powerful force that unites the whole people politically, ideologically and morally in the struggle to overcome all difficulties and make our work a success. To realize this ideal we must cherish those ideas and attitudes that promote modernization, national regeneration and the reunification of the motherland, that enhance the unity of our various nationalities, foster social progress and the people's well-being and help to create a happy life through honest labour. Only thus can we do away with narrow-minded views on the question of uniting with all possible forces to build socialism-views that for so long have seriously harmed our cause. Then it will be possible for Party members and non-Party people, Marxists and non-Marxists, atheists and believers, citizens at home and those living abroad - in short, for all our working people and patriots - to rally together and do what they can to make our common ideal a reality.

The ultimate ideal of our Party is to build a communist society that applies the principle "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." For Communists and other advanced people, this ideal has been, and will always be, a source of strength and moral support. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is an indispensable stage in the transition to such a society. As far as Communists are concerned, to work for socialism of the Chinese style is to work for the Party's ultimate ideal. Any Communist who lacks faith and dedication in this practical struggle has deviated, wittingly or unwittingly, from our ideal and has ceased to be a politically conscious communist fighter. Party members, Communist Youth League members and other advanced people should therefore join in the efforts of other workers, peasants and intellectuals and relate the common ideal to the current tasks and objectives of their respective trades and professions, localities and collectives, and to their own job responsibilities and life goals. All should work devotedly at their posts and advance the reform, helping to build our country through thrift and diligence. In our time, honour belongs to those who overcome all difficulties and do exemplary work, contributing to the construction and defence of the motherland.

The more we achieve in socialist modernization, the firmer will be the people's conviction that their common ideal will be realized. We should find effective ways to educate people, making use of the accomplishments in construction and reform and of the immediate experience of the masses to encourage high ideals. At the same time, we should in various ways help the cadres and masses, especially young people, to gain an ever-deeper understanding of the Marxist world outlook and the laws of social development, of the glorious history and revolutionary tradition of our nation, and of its great suffering and heroic struggle against imperialism and feudalism in the century before the birth of the People's Republic. We should help them to understand the contemporary world, with its progress and its contradictions, and also the future of mankind. Thus we will be able to inspire a sense of national pride, self-respect and self-confidence and to place our ideals on a scientific basis.

Our patriotism is closely related to internationalism, and the progress of our country is part of the world's progress. In our contacts with others, we Chinese people adhere to the principles of peace and friendship, equality and mutual benefit, mutual support and learning from each other. China's success in its socialist modernization contributes to the struggle against hegemonism, for the preservation of world peace and for human progress.