General Line for Socialist Construction

In May 1958, on the initiative of Mao Zedong, the Second Session of the Eighth National Congress of the CPC adopted the general socialist construction line of "building socialism with greater, faster, better and more economical results."

This general line was gradually formed in the practice of socialist construction.

At that time, the basic points of the general line were as follows: Mobilize all positive factors and correctly handle contradictions among the people; consolidate and develop socialist ownership by the whole people and collective ownership, consolidate the dictatorship of the proletariat and the international unity of the proletariat; while continuing to complete the socialist revolution on the economic, political and ideological fronts, we should gradually realize the technological and “Cultural Revolution”; under the condition of giving priority to the development of heavy industry, industry and agriculture should be developed simultaneously; under the conditions of centralized leadership, comprehensive planning and division of labor and cooperation, the central and local industries should be developed at the same time, and large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises should be developed at the same time; through these, we can build our country into a great socialist country with modern industry, modern agriculture, modern science and culture as soon as possible.

“Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China” points out that the general line of socialist construction and its basic points adopted at the Second Session of the Eighth National Congress of the Party are correct, which reflects the general desire of the broad masses of the people to change the backward situation of China's economy and culture, and its disadvantage is that it ignores the objective economic laws.