On the Confidence of the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics ()
1. Introduction
In early 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic broke out and quickly swept across China as a large number of people moved during the “Spring Festival Travel rush”. The rapid spread of COVID-19 and the wide range of infection are the “fastest” since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the epidemic prevention and control work is facing a huge test. More than 30 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government have launched first-level responses to major public health emergencies. Under such critical circumstances, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that “life is more important than Mount Tai. The epidemic is an order, and prevention and control are a responsibility. We should make epidemic prevention and control the most important task at present.” [1] The comprehensive leadership and prompt deployment of the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core have led the Chinese people in working together to overcome difficulties. We achieved decisive results in the battle to defend Wuhan and Hubei. We have turned the tide of the epidemic situation and achieved orderly economic and social development while preventing and controlling COVID-19. Through the test of the epidemic, it has proved that the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an effective system suited to China’s national conditions. While highlighting the advantages of the system, it also gives the Chinese people more confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The success of the epidemic prevention and control work reflects the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in many aspects. This article focuses on the advantages of the Communist Party of China’s centralized and unified leadership, the insistence on concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks, and the adherence to the basic economic system with public ownership as the main body.
2. The System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and System Confidence
2.1. The Connotation of the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the need to strengthen the “four confidence”, confidence in the system is an important part of it. In order to strengthen our confidence in the system and make the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics the basic adherence of all Chinese people under the new historical conditions, we need to clarify the basic concepts of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
System is the foundation of a country, and institutional advantage is the biggest advantage of a country. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics was established under the guidance of Marxism, and the Communist Party of China has perfected it on this basis and in light of China’s actual conditions. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a rigorous and complete scientific institutional system, which can be divided into economic, political, cultural, social, ecological civilization, military, foreign affairs and other aspects according to the specific contents.
According to their levels, they can be divided into fundamental system, basic system and important system. Among them, the fundamental system has the character and function of macro guidance; The basic system is the important support of the whole system. The important system involves every aspect of social life, is the fundamental system and the basic system specific elaboration. The eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China in the report pointed out that “the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, is the fundamental political system of the people’s congress system, the communist party of China leads the multi-party cooperation and political consultation system, system of regional national autonomy and grass-roots mass self-government system such as the basic political system, the legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, The basic economic system with public ownership as the mainstay and various forms of ownership developing side by side, as well as the economic, political, cultural, social and other specific systems based on these systems”. [2]
The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental guarantee of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Together with the path, theory and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, it constitutes the basic elements of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They are all united in the great practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. [3] Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics we have adhered to reflects our recognition and practice of the transition from fantasy to science, from theory to reality, and from the unitary model to the pluralistic model of scientific socialism. Similarly, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is a socialist system with China’s unique brand formed through continuous exploration and innovation in the concrete practice of China’s revolution, construction and reform. From the founding of the People’s Republic of China, to reform and opening up, and then to socialism with Chinese characteristics entering a new period, the development of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has gone through a long process and has been influenced by practical experience at each stage.
2.2. The Connotation of System Confidence
So what is institutional confidence? System confidence is the product of society, in terms of its essence, it is the system subject including system suppliers and system consumers, in the social system practice, to obtain positive cognition and evaluation of the system. Confidence in the system is the positive psychological state and firm political belief of the Party and the people in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the positive practice under this state of confidence. [4] Confidence in the system is not only the recognition and respect for the system, but also the practice, development and maintenance of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Confidence in the system comes from the belief in and confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics.
2.3. The Significance of Institutional Confidence
Marxism holds that material determines consciousness and consciousness has a active reaction to material. As a state of mind and a positive consciousness, institutional confidence can have an impact on material and people’s practice. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, we will build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the middle of the century, and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Strengthening confidence in our system will provide strong support for us to unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “for a long time, various hostile forces have never stopped implementing the strategy of Westernization and differentiation in China, never stopped subverting and sabotaging the leadership of the CPC and the socialist system in China, and have always attempted to plot a ‘color revolution’ in China.” [5] In the face of such pressure, it is all the more important for us to strengthen our confidence in our system, recognize its advantages, practice its arrangements, and uphold the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.
3. Institutional Strengths Demonstrated in the Fight against COVID-19
Although system confidence is a kind of spiritual power, it has objective material basis. [6] Marxism emphasizes that social existence determines social consciousness. To enhance the masses’ confidence in the system, we must have real results to prove the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. To discuss institutional confidence from the perspective of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, it is necessary to point out the role of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in epidemic prevention and control, and find out the objective basis for strengthening institutional confidence.
The fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) highlighted 13 significant strengths in the socialist system and governance system with Chinese characteristics. The COVID-19 prevention and control work mainly reflects the following aspects: adhering to the centralized and unified leadership of the Communist Party of China, concentrating resources to handle major tasks, and adhering to the basic economic system dominated by public ownership.
3.1. Upholding the Advantages of Centralized and Unified Leadership of the Communist Party of China
Adherence to the leadership of proletarian political parties is one of the basic principles of scientific socialism. After the proletariat establishes the people’s political power through the revolutionary struggle, it is necessary to adhere to the leadership of the proletarian party in the process of establishing the communist society. Only by unswervingly adhering to the leadership of the Party in all work and constantly exploring governing rules and improving governing ability in the course of social practice can we achieve the success of the socialist cause.
The decision adopted at the fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee also pointed out that “Leadership by the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and the PARTY is the highest force for political leadership… The Party exercises leadership over everything. We must resolutely uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee and ensure that party leadership is exercised in all areas, aspects and links of state governance.” [7]
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally commanded and made arrangements. The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held collective meetings on multiple occasions to formulate precise epidemic prevention and control strategies and give a series of important instructions. It is thanks to the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core that the whole country has been able to form a united epidemic control situation. Under the centralized and unified leadership and dispatch of the Communist Party of China, the epidemic prevention and control work across the country has been more effectively communicated and coordinated. Nineteen provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities provided assistance to 16 cities and prefectures except Wuhan, and more than 40,000 medical workers rushed to help. Party members fulfilled their responsibility to serve the people, and ensured that every place with a serious task was under the leadership of a Party organization, thus ensuring smooth implementation of the major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee. All regions, departments, communities and villages have fully implemented joint prevention and control measures to build a tight line of mass prevention and control. Medical workers, Party cadres, community workers, volunteers and other groups are in the forefront. The Party, government, military and other fronts are actively responding, and the epidemic prevention and control work is progressing in an orderly manner.
3.2. The Advantage of Focusing on the Main Task
Under the socialist system, the interests of the proletariat political party and the interests of the masses are in line, so that the whole country can play a chess game and concentrate its efforts on major tasks. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “Our greatest strength is that our socialist system can concentrate resources to accomplish major tasks. This is the key to our success.” [8]
The COVID-19 pandemic is raging, and people are facing a huge threat to their lives and health. The Party and the state responded quickly, implemented a series of epidemic prevention and control measures, and mobilized the whole country to focus on epidemic prevention and control. In more than ten days, we have built Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital, quickly built more than 600 centralized isolation areas, and quickly organized support teams across the country.
Excellent medical personnel, urgently needed medical equipment, and various epidemic prevention materials have been dynamically balanced in the shortest period of time. Companies, enterprises and other social groups donated money and materials to support epidemic prevention and control work; 1.4 billion people actively responded to home quarantine arrangements to contribute to the fight against the epidemic. In the face of the epidemic disaster, the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics in concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks have been fully demonstrated.
3.3. The Advantages of the Basic Economic System with Public Ownership as the Main Body
Marx and Engels believe that private ownership is the total source of capitalist exploitation and inequality. They pointed out that socialism should organize production on the basis of public ownership of the means of production, with the aim of production meeting the needs of all members of society. The basic economic system of our country is “public ownership as the main body, diversified ownership economies develop together, labor distribution as the main body, and various distribution modes coexist”. This basic economic system inherits scientific socialism theory.
The economic system with public ownership as the mainstay organically combines the socialist system with the market economy and constantly liberates and develops the productive forces. Under this economic system, China has made major achievements in economic development, greatly improved productivity, maintained a medium-high rate of economic growth, and become the world’s second largest economy. This has laid a solid material foundation for our fight against COVID-19.
The basic economic system with public ownership as the main body also ensures that the existing material foundation can be used by the people. The basic economic system with public ownership as the main body reflects the socialist nature of production and determines that the ownership of the means of production belongs to the people. Producers are masters and practitioners of social interests, so the starting point of their wealth (commodity) production must be to realize the social interests that people need. [9] In the face of the epidemic, the Party and the state made a decisive decision to suspend production, putting people’s lives and safety first. In addition, for Chinese citizens who are unfortunate enough to contract COVID-19, they will receive free medical treatment subsidized by the state budget, which has relieved patients’ concerns. At the same time, we can get the COVID-19 vaccine for free. All these measures have ensured that national wealth is shared by all and ensured social equity and justice.
4. Conclusion
From the establishment of the socialist system in China to the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has taken deep roots in China. The great test of COVID-19 has once again proved that the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental guarantee to withstand risks and challenges and improve the effectiveness of national governance. In the new era, we must uphold and improve the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, modernize China’s system and capacity for governance, use institutional strength to respond to risks and challenges, and create a better future in practice.
5. Limitations
The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a vast institutional system that covers every aspect of our social life. However, this paper only makes a rough generalization and explanation of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, “self-confidence” is a complex concept, which can be interpreted from the aspects of psychology, sociology, culturology, etc., and this article only interprets it from the superficial level of psychology. Due to my limited ability and knowledge, I do not have enough research on the above two aspects, and I still need to carry out deeper research on the above two issues in the future.