We Cannot Slacken or Weaken in Ideological Work Even for One Moment – Earnestly Study and Implement the Spirit of the National Propaganda and Ideology Work Conference

Editorial from today’s Qiushi Magazine.

The Party Centre convened the National Propaganda and Ideology Work Conference, which was an important conference dealing with the overall situation after the 18th Party Congress, and dealt with five years. General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important speech at the conference, which stood on the heights of the overall work of the Party and the State, deeply elaborated a series of major theoretical and practical issues relating to the long-term development of propaganda and ideology work, and further clarified the principles and policies for propaganda and ideology work under new circumstances, it contained a series of new thoughts, new viewpoints and new arguments, and had a very strong strategic nature, perspicacious nature, focused nature and guiding nature. All levels’ Party Committees and the comrades in the entire Party must earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech, and strive to initiate a new picture for propaganda and ideology work under the guidance of the spirit of the speech.

Our Party has always given much attention to ideological work, and being good at propaganda and ideology work is the special skill and political superiority of our Party. Since reform and opening up, our Party has continuously stressed that economic construction is the central work of the Party, and ideological work is an extremely important work of the Party. Fundamentally speaking, without solid development results, there would not be incessant improvement of the people’s lives, and it would be empty talking about ideals and convictions, empty talking about the superiority of the Socialist system and empty talking about ideological and moral construction, and in the end, it would be difficult to obtain good results in ideological work. Persisting in putting economic construction central, concentrate spirits to improve economic construction and improve the people’s lives, is the basic requirement for resolving all of China’s present problems, as long as no fundamental change occurs in general domestic and international trends, this work centre cannot and should not be changed. At the same time, this does not mean that doing economic work well allows to hide a hundred ugly things with one beautiful thing. History and reality have repeatedly proven that, whether or not it is possible to do ideological work well, relates to the future destiny of the Party, relates to the long-term peace and order of the country, and relates to the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation. The Party’s mass basis and governance basis includes both material and spiritual aspects. Losing the mass basis on the spiritual side, must result in problems in the end as well. Only by doing both material civilization construction and spiritual civilization construction well, can the country’s material strength and spiritual strength both increase, can the material lives and spiritual lives of the people of all ethnicities in the entire country be improved, and can the undertaking of Socialism with Chinese characteristics be successfully pushed ahead.

With regards to this rationale, and with regards to the position of economic work and ideological work, the understanding of the entire Party should be clear, but it occurs in some places that how to correctly grasp both kinds of work in practice is clear to say it but unclear to do. To do propaganda and ideology work well, first and foremost, this problem must be resolved well.

Now, the situation in the ideological area is very complex. Internationally, the trial around development models and value views becomes more prominent every day, the exchange, blending and clashing between all sorts of ideologies and cultures becomes more dynamic every day, the struggle of infiltration and counter-infiltration in the ideological area is sharp and complex. Following China’s economic successes, the influence of China’s development model is expanding every day. A number of Western forces, although they cannot but recognize China’s economic achievements, have never and will never approve of China’s political system, instead, they believe that China’s successes may threaten the Western system, model and value view. As a Socialist country under the leadership of the Communist Party, China will face the pressure of Western containment and forcible change for a long time, and ideological infiltration is the main method of Western hostile forces to implement a strategy of westernization and division in our country.

Domestically, progress in national development is universally recognized, the achievements of reform and opening up have brought benefits to national citizens, the entire Party’s self-confidence about the path, self-confidence about theory and self-confidence about the system is strengthening incessantly, the level of identification with the path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics is rising among all walks of society, including thinking circles and knowledge circles, ever more people understand that China marches a successful development path, the self-confidence and cohesion of the nation are greatly strengthening, and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has become the strongest main melody in the realm of social thought. At the same time, under the conditions of profound social change and incessant broadening of openness to the outside world, all sorts of social contradictions and problems are piling up and emerge in concentration, the independence, difference, diversity and variability of people’s thoughts and concepts increases daily, a number of mistaken viewpoints emerge every now and then, some propagate Western value views, some use the Party’s history or the country’s history to write articles about historical nihilism, some deny reform and opening up, some deny the Four Cardinal Principles, some decadent and backward thinking and culture gains the upper hand, Mammonism, hedonism and extreme individualism are thriving somewhat, etc.

Because of this, we cannot slacken or weaken in ideological work even for one moment at the same time as concentrating our spirits on conducting economic construction. We must deeply understand the decisive effect of the economic base for the superstructure, and profoundly understand the counter effect of the superstructure on the economic base. In the end, only when the country develops well, can propaganda and ideology work be done well; conversely, only when propaganda and ideology work is done well, can the country develop well. We must both have hard strengths and soft strengths, we must both realistically do central work well, providing a solid material basis for ideological work, and realistically do ideological work well, providing a powerful guarantee for central work; we can neither overlook ideological work because of central work, nor cut ideological work loose from central work. In this regard, we have learned profound lessons. The disintegration of a regime often starts in the ideological area, political unrest and regime change may occur in one night, bit ideological evolution is a long-term proves. When the ideological front is broken, it is difficult to maintain other fronts. We must grasp the leadership power, management power and discourse power of ideological work tightly in our hands, and cannot let it fall to others at any time, otherwise, irredeemable historical mistakes will be made.

Ideological work must absolutely make revolving around the centre and serving the larger picture into basic duties, keep the larger picture in mind, grasp general trends, fix eyes upon large matters, seek for the correct entry points and focus points for work, and achieve that there is planning according to the circumstances, movement according to the circumstances, and action according to the circumstances

The basic task in propaganda and ideological work is the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological area must be consolidated, and the common ideological basis for the united struggle by the entire Party and the people in the entire country must be consolidated. We must deeply implement the series of important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping after the 18th Party Congress, revolve around persisting in the Chinese path, carrying forward the Chinese spirit and consolidating Chinese strength, fully give rein to the functions of ideological guidance, public opinion promotion, spiritual encouragement and cultural support, in guiding the broad cadres and masses to struggle and realize the “Two Centuries” struggle objective and the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must fix eyes upon persisting in ideals and convictions, deeply launch propaganda and education on Socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese dream, guide the people to strengthen self-confidence about the path, self-confidence about theory and self-confidence about the system; persist in thinking under the bigger picture, acting under the bigger picture, serving the bigger picture, closely grasp the correct public opinion orientation, unify reflecting the Party’s standpoints with reflecting the voices of the people, concentrate positive energy for reform and opening up, and safeguarding social stability; deeply move forward the construction of the Socialist core value system, incessantly cultivate our spiritual garden, and strengthen the cohesion and centripetal force of the entire nation; continue to deepen cultural structural reform, accelerate the pace of cultural development, strive to foster cultural superiority, expand cultural strengths, raise national cultural soft power.

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that the entire Party must set to doing propaganda and ideology work well. All levels’ Party Committees must take up political responsibilities and leadership responsibilities, comprehensively lead the analysis and judgment of major questions in the ideological area and major strategic tasks, and incessantly raise their capacity to lead propaganda and ideology work. We must establish big propaganda work concepts, mobilize all fronts and al departments to work together, and integrate propaganda and ideology work even more closely with administrative management, sector management and social management in all areas. To do ideological work well, propaganda and ideology departments have an extremely important responsibility, they must protect the territory, are responsible for defending the territory and do every thing they can to defend the territory, ensure that principles are upheld, dare to undertake work, reform, innovate, make ideas into reality, construct strong teams, be enthusiastic and press on. We are currently conducting a magnificent struggle that has many new historical characteristics, propaganda and ideology work is very promising, and can certainly do great things, and make new and even greater contributions to seizing new victories for Socialism with Chinese characteristics and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

一刻也不能放松和削弱意识形态工作
—— 认真学习贯彻全国宣传思想工作会议精神
党中央召开的全国宣传思想工作会议，是党的十八大之后一次重要的全局性会议，是要管五年的。习近平总书记在会上发表的重要讲话，站在党和国家全局的高度，深刻阐述了事关宣传思想工作长远发展的一系列重大理论和现实问题，进一步明确了新形势下宣传思想工作的方针原则、目标任务和工作要求，蕴含着一系列新思想、新观点、新论断，具有很强的战略性、前瞻性和针对性、指导性。各级党委和全党同志都要认真学习贯彻习近平总书记重要讲话精神，在讲话精神指引下努力开创宣传思想工作新局面。

我们党历来重视意识形态工作，善于做宣传思想工作是我们党的看家本领和政治优势。改革开放以来，我们党一直强调，经济建设是党的中心工作，意识形态工作是党的一项极端重要的工作。从根本上说，没有扎扎实实的发展成果，没有人民生活不断改善，空谈理想信念，空谈社会主义制度优越性，空谈思想道德建设，最终意识形态工作也难以取得好的成效。坚持以经济建设为中心，集中精力把经济建设搞上去、把人民生活搞上去，这是解决当代中国一切问题的根本要求，只要国内外大势没有发生根本变化，这个工作中心就不能也不应该改变。同时，并不是说经济搞好了就可以一俊遮百丑。历史和现实反复证明，能否做好意识形态工作，事关党的前途命运，事关国家长治久安，事关民族凝聚力和向心力。党的群众基础和执政基础包括物质和精神两方面。精神上丧失群众基础，最后也要出问题。只有物质文明建设和精神文明建设都搞好，国家物质力量和精神力量都增强，全国各族人民物质生活和精神生活都改善，中国特色社会主义事业才能顺利向前推进。

对这个道理，对经济工作和意识形态工作的定位，全党在认识上应该都是清楚的，但如何在实践中正确把握这两项工作，在一些地方和部门就存在着说起来清楚、做起来不清楚的现象。做好宣传思想工作，首先要解决好这个问题。

现在，意识形态领域的情况很复杂。国际上，围绕发展模式和价值观的较量日益凸显，各种思想文化交流、交融、交锋日趋活跃，意识形态领域渗透与反渗透的斗争尖锐复杂。伴随着中国经济上的成功，中国发展模式的影响日益扩大。西方一些势力虽然不能不承认中国的经济成就，但从来没有也不可能认可中国的政治制度，反而认为中国的成功会威胁到西方制度模式和价值观。中国作为共产党领导的社会主义国家，将长期面对西方遏制、促变的压力，而意识形态渗透是西方敌对势力对我国推行西化、分化战略的主要手段。

在国内，国家的发展进步举世公认，改革发展的成果惠及国人，全党的道路自信、理论自信、制度自信不断增强，社会各界包括思想界、知识界对中国特色社会主义道路的认同度不断提高，越来越多的人们认识到中国走出了一条成功的发展道路，民族自信心和凝聚力大大增强，实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦成为社会思想领域最强劲的主旋律。同时，在社会深刻变革和对外开放不断扩大的条件下，各种社会矛盾和问题相互叠加、集中呈现，人们思想观念的独立性、差异性、多样性、多变性日益增强，一些错误观点时有出现，有的宣扬西方价值观，有的拿党史国史做文章搞历史虚无主义，有的否定改革开放，有的否定四项基本原则，一些腐朽落后思想文化沉渣泛起，拜金主义、享乐主义、极端个人主义有所滋长，等等。

因此，我们在集中精力进行经济建设的同时，一刻也不能放松和削弱意识形态工作。要深刻认识经济基础对上层建筑的决定作用，深刻认识上层建筑对经济基础的反作用。说到底，国家发展好，宣传思想工作才好做；反过来，宣传思想工作做好了，国家才能发展得好。既要有硬实力，也要有软实力，既要切实做好中心工作、为意识形态工作提供坚实物质基础，又要切实做好意识形态工作、为中心工作提供有力保障；既不能因为中心工作而忽视意识形态工作，也不能使意识形态工作游离于中心工作。在这方面，我们有过深刻教训。一个政权的瓦解往往是从思想领域开始的，政治动荡、政权更迭可能在一夜之间发生，但思想演化是个长期过程。思想防线被攻破了，其他防线就很难守得住。我们必须把意识形态工作的领导权、管理权、话语权牢牢掌握在手中，任何时候都不能旁落，否则就要犯无可挽回的历史性错误。

意识形态工作一定要把围绕中心、服务大局作为基本职责，胸怀大局、把握大势、着眼大事，找准工作切入点和着力点，做到因势而谋、应势而动、顺势而为。

宣传思想工作的根本任务，就是要巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，巩固全党全国人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础。要深入贯彻党的十八大精神和习近平总书记一系列重要讲话，围绕坚持中国道路、弘扬中国精神、凝聚中国力量，充分发挥思想引领、舆论推动、精神激励和文化支撑作用，引导广大干部群众为实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标和中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而奋斗。要着眼坚定理想信念，深入开展中国特色社会主义和中国梦的宣传教育，引导人们增强道路自信、理论自信、制度自信；坚持在大局下思考、在大局下行动、为大局服务，牢牢把握正确舆论导向，把体现党的主张与反映人民心声统一起来，凝聚促进改革发展、维护社会稳定的正能量；深入推进社会主义核心价值体系建设，不断培植我们的精神家园，增强全民族的凝聚力向心力；继续深化文化体制改革，加快文化发展步伐，着力培育文化优势，壮大文化力量，提升国家文化软实力。

习近平总书记强调，做好宣传思想工作必须全党动手。各级党委要负起政治责任和领导责任，加强对意识形态领域重大问题的分析研判和重大战略性任务的统筹指导，不断提高领导宣传思想工作的能力和水平。要树立大宣传的工作理念，动员各条战线各个部门一起来做，把宣传思想工作同各个领域的行政管理、行业管理、社会管理更加紧密地结合起来。做好意识形态工作，宣传思想部门承担着十分重要的职责，必须守土有责、守土负责、守土尽责，做到有守有为、敢于担当、改革创新、虚功实做、建强队伍、奋发有为。我们正在进行具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争，宣传思想工作大有可为，也一定会大有作为，为夺取中国特色社会主义新胜利、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦作出新的更大贡献。