Realizing cultural power in firm cultural self-confidence
[Study and implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee]
Author: Tong Lianbo, associate professor and doctoral supervisor of Marxism College of Jilin University, Ph.D. candidate of Marxism College of Jilin University, and Wang Fengliang, lecturer of Marxism College of Northeast Agricultural University.
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee adopted the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s Proposal on Formulating the 14th Five-year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-term Target for the Year 2035 (hereinafter referred to as the "Proposal"), which clearly put forward the long-term goal of building a cultural power by 2035, emphasizing the prosperity and development of cultural undertakings and industries during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, improving the country’s cultural soft power and promoting the construction of a socialist cultural power. This is the first time since the Sixth Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed to build a socialist cultural power, the CPC Central Committee has clearly defined the specific timetable and road map for building a cultural power from a strategic and overall perspective, marking that China’s cultural construction has entered a new historical stage and providing a new mission, new direction and new task for promoting the building of a cultural power in the new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way.
First, the new mission of socialist cultural construction in the new era
Culture is an important force for national survival and development. Every leap forward of human society and every sublimation of human civilization is accompanied by historical progress of culture. When Socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era, to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and build a socialist modern power in an all-round way, it will inevitably call for a new mission of building a socialist cultural power.
(A) the basic support for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
Culture makes the country prosperous and the nation strong. Without a high degree of cultural self-confidence and cultural prosperity, there would be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core has attached great importance to the construction of socialist culture, firmly grasped the leadership, management and discourse power of ideological work, vigorously cultivated and practiced socialist core values, improved the ideological and moral level of the whole nation, promoted the all-round prosperity of cultural undertakings and the rapid development of cultural industries, and provided ideological guarantee, spiritual strength and moral nourishment for realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(B) the proper meaning of building a socialist modern power in an all-round way
After long-term struggle and unremitting efforts, we are about to embark on a new journey of building a socialist modern country in an all-round way. Modernization is a process of all-round transformation from traditional society to modern society, which is full of opportunities as well as new contradictions and challenges. The Sixth Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China clearly put forward the goal of "building a socialist cultural power"; The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China further emphasized "solidly promoting the construction of a strong socialist cultural country". General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out that Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great cause of all-round development and all-round progress. Without the prosperity and development of socialist culture, there would be no socialist modernization. This important speech puts cultural construction in a more prominent position from the height of top-level design, puts forward new topics and requirements for promoting the construction of a cultural power in the new journey, and blows the charge to strive to build a socialist cultural power.
(C) the inevitable requirement to promote the building of a community of human destiny
Both history and reality show that human civilization is jointly created by all countries and nationalities in the world. Culture is the accumulation of history and the crystallization of wisdom, which leads the historical direction and the development trend of the times, and shows where human beings come from and where to go. The Communist Party of China (CPC) is a political party for the happiness of the people of China, and it is also a political party for the cause of human progress. The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always regarded it as his mission to make new and greater contributions to mankind. It is clear in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China that Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era through long-term efforts, which is a new historical orientation for China’s development. The world today is experiencing a great change that has never happened in a century. It is full of hope and challenges, and the importance of strengthening cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations is even more prominent. Only by persisting in promoting the communication of civilizations and the integration of cultures and tightening the spiritual ties of mutual respect and understanding among people of all countries can we better build a community of human destiny. To promote the construction of a cultural power at a new historical starting point is to continuously enhance the influence of Chinese culture, actively learn from the outstanding cultural achievements of the world, firmly safeguard the diversity of world civilization, promote the concept of a community of human destiny to be more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and make new and greater contributions to the progress of human civilization.
Second, the new direction of socialist cultural construction in the new era
What ideology and theory should be adhered to as the guidance is the primary issue of cultural construction, which is related to the nature of political parties, the direction of the country, the lifeline of the nation and the cohesion of people’s hearts. The proposal clearly points out the new direction of building socialist culture in the new era.
(A) always adhere to the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field.
Marxism is the theoretical basis for guiding the cause of the party and the people, and it is also the fundamental guide for China’s cultural development. Only by adhering to the guiding position of Marxism in a clear-cut manner can Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s culture be solid and innovative, and keep its vitality forever, otherwise it will lose its soul and lose its direction. Under the new era, adhering to the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field means firmly grasping the direction of advanced socialist culture, consciously holding high the great banner of Marxism, consistently maintaining ideological unity, political unity and action unity, and constantly rejuvenating new strong vitality and combat effectiveness.
(B) always firm cultural self-confidence.
Cultural self-confidence is a more basic, deeper and more lasting force in the development of a country and a nation. We say we should strengthen Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s road confidence, theoretical confidence and institutional confidence. In the final analysis, we should strengthen cultural confidence. Looking back at history, the cultural self-confidence that the Communist Party of China (CPC) led the people of China during the revolutionary war was further enriched and consolidated in the process of reform and construction in Socialism with Chinese characteristics. More than 40 years of reform and opening up is not only a great course for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to lead the people of China to take the road of Socialism with Chinese characteristics with firm cultural self-confidence and build a socialist modern power, but also a great course for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to lead the people of China to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture, inherit revolutionary culture, develop advanced socialist culture, stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the whole nation, and make cultural self-confidence more firm. We should maintain a high degree of confidence in the ideals and values, vitality and creativity of Chinese culture, stick to the position of Chinese culture, take root in Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s great practice and create culture, vigorously develop a national, scientific and popular socialist culture facing modernization, the world and the future, strive to build a cultural power with firm cultural self-confidence, and constantly enhance cultural self-confidence in building a cultural power.
(C) Always adhere to the socialist core values to lead cultural construction.
Core values bear the spiritual pursuit of a nation and a country, embody a social value standard for judging the merits, and are an important stabilizer of a country. Core values are the deep core of culture, which determines the nature and direction of culture and embodies the cultural ideal and spiritual height of a country and a nation. An important purpose of leading the cultural construction system with socialist core values is to establish common ideals and beliefs. Ideals and beliefs are the pillars of spirit and the source of strength. In various historical periods of revolution, construction and reform, our party can unite and lead the people to overcome difficulties and obstacles and create a miracle among individuals, relying on the cohesion and encouragement of values with common ideals and beliefs. In contemporary China, our nation and country should adhere to the core values of "Three Advocates", that is, to advocate prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony, freedom, equality, justice, the rule of law, patriotism, professionalism, honesty and friendliness. Only by adhering to the socialist core values can we ensure that the cultural construction system develops and improves in the right direction and along the right track.
Third, the new task of socialist cultural construction in the new era
(A) efforts to improve the level of social civilization
Civilization is a remarkable symbol of a modern country. Improving the level of social civilization is an important task of building a strong cultural country. In order to promote the formation of ideas, mental outlook, civilized fashion and behavioral norms that meet the requirements of the new era, it is necessary to carry out in-depth study and education of Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought of the Supreme Leader in the new era and promote the research and construction project of Marxist theory. Promote the normalization and institutionalization of the education of ideals and beliefs, strengthen the education of patriotism, collectivism and socialism by strengthening the "four history education", carry forward the great spirit formed by the struggle of the party and the people in various historical periods, guide people to strengthen the "four self-confidences", do a good job in two maintenance, and enhance people’s confidence and determination to stick to their common ideals and realize their common dreams.
(two) focus on improving the modern cultural industry system and improving the level of public cultural services.
To develop cultural industry, we should put social benefits in the first place and unify social and economic benefits as the primary value orientation, deepen the reform of cultural system, improve the planning and policies of cultural industry, strengthen the construction of cultural market system and expand the supply of high-quality cultural products. Adhere to the fundamental direction of serving the people and socialism, let a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend, and fully prosper the press and publication, radio, film and television, literature and art, philosophy and social sciences. Adhere to the people-centered creative orientation of literary and artistic works, implement the quality improvement project of literary and artistic works, strengthen the creation and production of realistic themes, continuously introduce literary and artistic products that reflect the new atmosphere of the times and eulogize the new creation of the people, and continuously improve the level of public services.
(C) efforts to strengthen cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
The process of building a strong cultural country is not only a process of inheriting and carrying forward Chinese culture, enhancing its vitality and influence, but also a process of absorbing the essence of foreign cultural civilization and promoting the continuous enrichment of Chinese culture. We must uphold the concept of openness, tolerance, mutual learning and mutual learning, carry out in-depth cultural exchanges and cooperation with other countries with a more confident attitude and a broader mind, extensively participate in the dialogue of world civilizations, promote the understanding, appreciation and reference of each other’s cultural civilizations, and let the people of all countries better understand China and the people of China better understand the world. We should focus on telling the story of China, introduce and explain China’s ideas, China’s road and China’s ideas, show a true, three-dimensional and comprehensive China, and constantly enhance understanding and expand recognition. We should innovate and promote international communication, stick to being close to China’s reality, international concerns and foreign audiences, and make more use of the other side’s understandable and acceptable discourse system and expression, so as to build a bridge for effective interaction between the people of China and people of other countries and make the world better understand China.