Promoting Chinese Modernization through Resolving the Principal Contradiction in Society

ABSTRACT

The primary methodology of Marxism consists of tackling the principal contradiction, and recognizing and addressing the principal contradiction in society is an essential prerequisite for advancing social progress. It is precisely by identifying and actively responding to the evolution of the principal contradiction facing Chinese society that the Communist Party of China has continuously promoted the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the new era, the evolution of the principal contradiction facing Chinse society has triggered changes in the driving forces of Chinese modernization, and the focuses of our work have changed from satisfying the people’s material and cultural needs, to satisfying the ever-growing expectation of the people for a better life; from treating a high input of the factors of production as the main driving force in the economy, to regarding innovation as the primary source of growth; from overcoming the backward state of social production, to strengthening supply-side structural reform; from depending heavily on external circulation by way of the international market, to constructing the “dual circulation” development pattern in which domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the principal element; and from regarding only material incentives as crucial, to emphasizing both material and spiritual incentives.

KEYWORDS:

• Principal contradiction in society
• Chinese modernization
• transformations of driving force

Acknowledgements

This article was translated from the Chinese by Associate Professor Xianfei Li at the School of Marxism, Xiamen University, China.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 See “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century.” http://en.qstheory.cn/2021-11/16/c_682072.htm.

2 See “GDP (China).” https://data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm?cn=C01.

3 The data show that China ranks second in the world by nominal GDP, and has become the largest contributor to growth in the world economy. https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019-07/01/content_5404949.htm.

4 See “In 2013, China Became the World’s Largest Trader of Goods.” https://www.gov.cn/zhuanti/2014-03/02/content_2631549.htm.

Additional information

Funding

This article is a phased research outcome of major project “Research on the Value and Practice of the ‘People First’ System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” (Project No. 20ZDA004) of the National Social Science Fund of China.

Notes on contributors

Xiping Han

Xiping Han is a professor at the School of Marxism, Jilin University. He is also the director of the university’s Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. His research focuses mainly on Marxist theory.

Du Du

Du Du is a lecturer at the School of Marxism, Jilin Jianzhu University. He specializes on the sinicization of Marxism.