Four Cardinal Principles

One of the two basic points of the Party’s basic line in the primary stage of socialism is to adhere to the socialist path, the people’s democratic dictatorship, the CPC’s leadership, Marxism and Mao Zedong Thought. The four cardinal principles are the foundation of the country, the political cornerstone of the survival and development of the Party and the country, and the fundamental guarantee for the correct progress of reform, opening up and modernization along the socialist direction. After the downfall of the Gang of Four, some ideological trends appeared in the society and within the Party, which caused some people’s ideological confusion.

In response to this situation, on March 30, 1979, Deng Xiaoping delivered a speech entitled “Adhering to the Four Basic Principles” on behalf of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, emphasizing that the four basic principles must be adhered to to realize the four modernizations. The four cardinal principles are to uphold the socialist path, the dictatorship of the proletariat, the CPC’s leadership, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. In December 1982, the “Constitution of the People’s Republic of China” adopted at the 5th Session of the 5th National People’s Congress wrote the four cardinal principles into the general program.

In October 1987, the 13th CPC National Congress included the four cardinal principles into the basic line of the Party in the primary stage of socialism: leading and uniting the people of all ethnic groups in China, focusing on economic construction, adhering to the four cardinal principles, persisting in Reform and Opening-up, being self-reliant and hard-working, and striving to build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic and civilized modern socialist country (that is, “one center, two basic points”). On October 18, 1992, the 14th CPC National Congress put the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Party’s basic line of “one center and two basic points” into the Party Constitution. On November 14, 2002, the Party Constitution adopted at the 16th CPC National Congress emphasized that the four cardinal principles are the foundation of our country. Adhere to the path of socialism, because modern Chinese history proves that only socialism can save China, only socialism can develop China, and China has no other way to go except the path of socialism. Adhere to the people’s democratic dictatorship, because it is in line with China’s national conditions. As the national structure of New China and a new socialist democracy, it can help make sure that the people are the masters of the country, and help create and consolidate the political situation of stability and unity. Adhere to the leadership of the CPC, because it is the leading core of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Without its leadership, it is impossible to realize and guarantee the right of the people to be the masters of the country and realize the historical mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Adhere to the leadership of the CPC, because it is the core of adhering to the four cardinal principles.

Adhere to Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, because they are the theoretical basis, guiding ideology and action guide for our revolution and construction. The four cardinal principles are scientific truths repeatedly proved by the practice of Chinese revolution and construction, and can not be shaken at any time. If we swayed in any of them, the whole socialist cause and modernization cause would be shaken. In the whole primary stage of socialism, the four cardinal principles must be implemented in all work. Only by always adhering to the four cardinal principles and clearly opposing bourgeois liberalization can we ensure that reform, opening up and modernization will never deviate from the correct direction of socialism and have a stable political situation and social environment.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has emphasized that doing ideological work well is related to the future and destiny of the Party, relates to a long period of peace for the country, and relates to the nation’s cohesion and centripetal force. While concentrating on economic construction, we cannot relax and weaken ideological work for a moment. We must firmly grasp the leadership and discourse power of ideological work in our hands.