CPC: Essence of ideology in changing times
ONE central aspect of time is that it changes, yet humanity remains the same - forever expecting in its productive, albeit, disconnected way. In its capacity to hurt, hate and divide, humankind chases after destruction as individuals quest to outdo each other in a rat race that offers no medals for second place.
Without a shared vision, human beings blindly totter towards the brink of the receding horizon expecting to conquer their fears.
Hence, the push towards other - isms of worship.
Alienated from the collective, individuals expend energy on unproductive enterprises. The need persists, therefore, that meanings are shared, even in their divergent ways, for the greater good of all.
This is why the recently held 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was all the more a learning slate on what constitutes ideology.
In his report to the CPC Congress on October 16, 2022, titled “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects”, General Secretary Xi Jinping - also the People’s Republic of China President, highlighted the essence of ideology in keeping abreast with the ever-changing hand of time for a shared future.
Ideology, as postulated by Cayne et al (1988), is a body of ideas used in support of an economic, political or social theory; the way of thinking of a class, culture or individual.
In Consciencism (1970), Kwame Nkrumah, the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana, makes the observation that there ought to be an ideology, which is all embracing and “total”, “in every society”, reflected in its political, social and moral theories, with at least one “militant segment” being dominant.
He avers: “In communalistic societies, this segment coincides with the whole. This dominant segment has its fundamental principles, its beliefs about the nature of man, and the type of society which must be created for man.”
The above descriptions of ideology dovetail with the theme of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, which is: “Holding high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party, staying confident and building strength, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and striving in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.”
General Secretary Xi put the driving force behind the CPC’s success and the overall prosperity of the Chinese people when he said: “Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and our country are founded and thrive.
“Our experience has taught us that, at the fundamental level, we owe the success of our Party and socialism with Chinese characteristics to the fact that Marxism works, particularly when it is adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of our times.”
Marxism, indeed, “works”, he pointed out, as it had offered the “sound theoretical guidance” that the CPC draws its “firm belief and conviction” from, to enable it to “seize the historical initiative.”
History, class-structure, literature, art and religion are the hallmarks of ideology, without which society disintegrates.
However, for ideology to thrive, it has to be contextualised because each society is unique.
So, why is this crucial in the upholding of peaceful coexistence for the good of humanity?
President Xi said although the CPC has taken a remarkable historical journey since its founding a century ago, China’s economy was “beset by acute structural and institutional problems” in the past decade. The problems mainly hinged on lack of ideological conviction, leading to wanton disregard of fundamental tenets of morality as guided by the law.
“Some people lacked confidence in the socialist political system with Chinese characteristics, and, all too often, we saw laws being ignored or not being strictly enforced,” he underscored.
Devoid of ideological grounding, as has been alluded to earlier on, society begins to shift to other - isms of worship much to the detriment of the greater good. General Secretary Xi drives the point home: “Misguided patterns of thinking such as money worship, hedonism, egocentricity, and historical nihilism were common, and online discourse was rife with disorder. All this had a grave impact on people’s thinking and the public opinion environment.”
When national discourse is “rife with disorder”, owing particularly to hare
brained social media sermons, then the public opinion landscape becomes contaminated. Interestingly, China has a population of over 1,4 billion, yet the CPC accounts for just 96 million members. How then has the party been able to remain connected to the people and link them up to its ideology and theories, when becoming a member is not a mere knock on the door?
Naturally, competing ideologies ensue in every society. Nkrumah (1970) notes that it is “still usual for one ideology to be dominant”, in societies “where there are competing ideologies.”
In such instances, the prevailing ideology is that of “the ruling group.”
He affirms: “Though the ideology is the key to the inward identity of its group, it is in intent solidarist. For an ideology does not seek merely to unite a section of the people; it seeks to unite the whole of the society in which it finds itself in. In its effects, it certainly reaches the whole society, when it is dominant.”
Despite being “largely implicit”, Nkrumah (1970) maintains, ideology unites “the actions of millions towards specific and definite goals”.
As if in response to the African statesman, revolutionary and political scientist, President Xi said, “Now our Marxist party of over 96 million members enjoys greater unity and solidarity than ever.
“We have developed well-conceived and complete strategic plans for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era.”
He underlined that the CPC has “dedicated itself to achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation and committed itself to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity.”
Citing Mazzini, Nkrumah (1970) maintains that it is challenging to unseat a ruling group with a revolutionary history, since there is a “connection between a revolution and an ideology”.
In the wake of the success of the revolution, “the ideology comes to characterise the society,” thus, giving “countenance to the ensuing social milieu.”
Even though China has remained committed to Marxism-Leninism and established its guiding role in the ideological domain, over the past decade the Asian economic powerhouse has also advanced socialist political theories with Chinese characteristics.
Over the last 10 years, the CPC stayed committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and has fully implemented the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as well as the Party’s basic line and basic policy.
“Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is a process of seeking, revealing, and applying truth. With new changes and practical demands emerging both in and outside of China since the 18th National Congress, there was an urgent need for us to provide in-depth theoretical and practical answers to a series of epochal questions on the cause of the Party and the country as well as the Party’s governance of China,” General Secretary Xi said.
Alive to the limitations of rigidity and lethargy, Chinese communists integrated the basic doctrines of Marxism with China’s particular realities and culture and applied Hegelian dialectical and historical materialism to offer answers to major questions of the times, and rejuvenate the timeless ideology.
President Xi explained that taking Marxism as a guide, relates to “applying its world view and methodology” in “solving problems in China”, not merely “memorising and reciting its specific conclusions and lines”, nor “treating it as a rigid dogma.”
He underlined that party members should continue to free their minds, “seek truth from facts” and keep pace with the times as they “take a realistic and pragmatic approach” in solving “real problems.”
Questions will always be raised, either within the country or outside, and they need to be answered.
“We must keep responding to the questions posed by China, by the world, by the people, and by the times; in doing so, we should find the right answers suited to the realities of China and the needs of our day, reach conclusions that are compatible with objective laws, and develop new theories that are in step with the times, so as to provide better guidance for China’s practice,” said General Secretary Xi.
He added that it is only through tapping into the rich historical and cultural soil of China that the truth Marxism embodies can flourish, hence crystallising the wisdom of Chinese civilisation.