The Status of the Ideological Work

Ideological work is related to the Party’s future and destiny, to the long-term stability of the country, and to national cohesion and centripetal force. While focusing on economic construction, we shall never relax or weaken ideological work. The CPC has always attached great importance to ideological work, raising it to the height of “lifeline” and “extreme importance”. Ideology is an ideological concept system composed of political thought, legal thought, morality, art, philosophy, religion and other ideological forms. It reflects a certain social economic form and political system, and thus also reflects the interests and requirements of a certain class, stratum or social group. A certain social ideology provides a legal argument for the behavior of a certain social class or group, and provides a theoretical basis for its political program, ideology, value orientation, behavioral norms and goal ideals. Ideology, as the sum of ideas, viewpoints, and concepts directly related to the economy and politics of a certain society, has a huge dynamic reaction to the socio-economic structure and its political structure. Ideological work refers to all work related to ideology, including theoretical research on ideology and propaganda and education on ideology. Attaching great importance to and being good at doing propaganda and ideological work or ideological work is the political advantage and fine tradition of the Communist Party of China, and an important magic weapon for gathering strength and overcoming difficulties and obstacles. Mao Zedong pointed out: “Mastering ideological education is the central link in uniting the whole Party for great political struggles”. If this task is not resolved, all the Party’s political tasks cannot be accomplished. Since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee, Deng Xiaoping asked Party committees at all levels to take seriously ideological work while doing a good job in reform, opening up and modernization.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping has given a new explanation of the important position and role of ideological work on the basis of inheriting the fine traditions and valuable experience of the Party. On August 19, 2013, he emphasized in his speech at the National Propaganda and Ideological Work Conference: “Economic construction is the central task of the Party, and ideological work is an extremely important task of the Party”. A correct understanding of the status of ideological work is a prerequisite for strengthening and improving the Party’s leadership over ideological work. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Whether we can do well in ideological work is related to the Party’s future and destiny, to the long-term stability of the country, and to national cohesion and centripetal force”. The disintegration of a regime often begins in the realm of ideology. Political turmoil and regime change may happen overnight, but the evolution of ideology is a long-term process.

Once the ideological line of defense is broken, other lines of defense will be difficult to defend. Only by doing a good job in promoting both material progress and cultural and ideological progress, can the country's material and spiritual strength be strengthened, and the material and spiritual lives of the people of all ethnic groups in the country be improved, and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics be advanced smoothly. In today's world, various ideological and cultural exchanges and confrontations are more frequent, and international ideological and cultural struggles are profound and complicated. Some hostile forces in the West have stepped up their ideological and cultural penetration into China. The struggles and contests in the ideological field are long-term and complex. At the same time, some erroneous views have appeared in China from time to time: some promoted Western values, some discredited the history of the Party and the country, and some denied the “Four Cardinal Principles” . Under the conditions of profound changes in Chinese society and expanding opening up to the outside world, various social contradictions and problems are superimposed and presented in a concentrated manner. The independence, selectivity, variability, and difference of people's ideological activities have increased significantly, and there have been some negative phenomena in the field of ideology and morality that cannot be ignored. In this context, it is extremely necessary to deeply understand the status of ideological work and strengthen ideological work. We shall correctly understand the relationship between ideological work and economic work.

Economic work is the central work, providing a solid material foundation for ideological work, and ideological work provides strong ideological guarantee and spiritual motivation for central work. Ideological work regards centering around the central work and serving the overall situation as its basic responsibilities, and is the fundamental, strategic, overall, and critical work in the Party’s entire cause. Its roles in correct guidance, encouragement and mobilization, public opinion assurance, and strength cohesion, are the key to the success of all the Party’s work. To do well in ideological work, we must promote the main theme and spread positive energy. It is necessary to firmly grasp the leadership and discourse power of ideological work, continuously consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, and consolidate the common ideological foundation of the unity and struggle of the whole Party and the whole people.