Introduction

Introduction: Marxism in Contemporary China and Marxism in the 21st Century

Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology of the CCP in building the party and the state.

Keeping pace with the times is the theoretical character of Marxism.

There was:

• 19th century Marxism for the 19th century
• 20th century Marxism for the 20th century

There must be:

• 21st century Marxism for the 21st century.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era (Xi Jinping Thought) is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st century Marxism.

The formation and establishment of this ideology as the guiding ideology that the Party and the state must adhere to for a long time, held high the spiritual banner for adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, provided a Chinese solution for world peace and human progress, and was of landmark significance in the history of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the history of the development of Marxism and the progress of human society.

1. The background of the times in which Xi Jinping Thought was formed

Xi Jinping Thought was put forward to answer the questions of the times under the historical conditions of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and complex and profound changes in the world, national and party conditions.

(1) The world is in a major change unprecedented in a century Today’s world is undergoing major changes unprecedented in a century, which is a major strategic judgment put forward and repeatedly emphasized by Comrade Xi Jinping after the 18th National Congress of the CCP by scientifically analyzing the development and changes of the world situation.

Against the background of historic changes in the relations between contemporary China and the world, and the closer connection between the future and destiny of contemporary China and the future and destiny of the world, a profound understanding of this great change will help the whole party and the people of the whole country better grasp the trend of the times and the general trend of the world, better grasp the historical opportunities and risks and challenges, and win the initiative and win advantages in the great changes.

This is an important foothold of Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

The most important trend of the great changes in the world is that the international order and the balance of international power are undergoing fundamental changes. Looking back at history, today’s world pattern is the result of the gradual evolution of the international order after the First World War.

After the First World War, through the Paris Peace Conference and the Washington Conference, the imperialist powers established the “Versailles-Washington system”, which established the imperialist ruling order in Europe, West Asia, Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, and the United States gradually replaced Britain as the leader of the Western camp and the leader of the world order.

After the Yalta system after World War II, the drastic changes in Eastern Europe after the Cold War, the disintegration of the Soviet Union, and the continuous reconstruction of the global order, the United States gradually achieved world domination. Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the development of world multipolarization, economic globalization, social informatization and cultural diversification, emerging market countries and a large number of developing countries have risen rapidly, international influence has been continuously enhanced, the world dominance of Western developed countries has continued to weaken, and the international pattern has shown a relatively balanced development trend. This was the most revolutionary change in the international order and the balance of power in more than a hundred years after World War I.

The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution has promoted the rapid development of productive forces in today’s world, which is an important factor causing great changes in the world. After the first industrial revolution, the second industrial revolution and the third industrial revolution, human society has entered an unprecedented period of innovation and activity. Original breakthroughs in the fields of information, life, manufacturing, energy, space, and oceans have provided more sources of innovation for cutting-edge technologies and disruptive technologies, the transformation speed of scientific and technological achievements has accelerated significantly, the form of industrial organization is undergoing new major changes, and the reconstruction of the global innovation map and the reshaping of the global economic structure have become more prominent.

Science and technology have never been as profound as they are today, profoundly affecting the future and destiny of all countries in the world, the production and life of the people, and profoundly affecting the rise and fall of the strength of various countries. In today’s world changes, the governance deficit, trust deficit, peace deficit and development deficit are particularly prominent. On the centenary of the end of World War I, the world stepped into the era of strategic competition between great powers.

The battle for geostrategy, the battle for high technology, the dispute over “new frontiers” such as the deep sea, polar regions, outer space, and the Internet, the dispute over the dominance of international regulation, and the dispute over national governance models are in full swing.

Regional conflicts and local wars are emerging one after another, security threats are becoming increasingly complex and integrated, and the international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation system is facing new challenges. The process of informatization has reshaped the social and political ecology of various countries, widened the digital divide and gap between the rich and the poor, spread extremism and terrorism, and raised global challenges such as cybersecurity, major infectious diseases, and climate change. Protectionism and unilateralism are on the rise, the global pandemic of the new crown pneumonia epidemic has caused economic globalization to encounter greater headwinds and waves of reversal, and the world economy has fallen into a deep recession.

Countries face many common threats, live in a more unstable and uncertain world, no country can cope with it alone or alone, and the world’s expectations for a new global architecture are becoming more and more urgent.

With a history of more than 5,000 years of civilization, China is the world’s largest developing country and the largest socialist country. Since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, China has gradually moved towards the world. The process of going global is also a process of China’s sustained and rapid development. With the development and growth of economic strength and scientific and technological strength, China’s international status has been significantly improved, its international influence has been significantly enhanced, and it has increasingly approached the center of the world stage. Since the international financial crisis in 2008,

China has contributed more than 30% to world economic growth for many consecutive years, becoming the main source of world economic growth. China has become a decisive factor in the changes in the world pattern and an important stabilizing force in the world’s great uncertainty.

At this time of great development, great change and great adjustment, China is changing, the world is changing, and the relationship between China and the world is also changing. How should China better develop itself and how should it make new and greater contributions to human society?

The questions of the times arising from the great changes require scientific answers from contemporary Chinese communists. Standing at the height of world history and human civilization, Comrade Xi Jinping accurately grasps the pulse of the world’s general trend with a correct view of history, the overall situation and the role, deeply analyzes the law of the evolution of the international pattern, and puts forward a series of pioneering new concepts, ideas and strategies around the questions of the times, providing Chinese wisdom, Chinese ideas and Chinese solutions for the better future of the world.