It has always been the key for Marxists, especially China Marxists, to accurately judge the new historical position, clearly understand the connotation and mission of the new era, and timely formulate and deploy the strategic objectives and strategic layout that are suitable for the new era. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader put forward in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China that Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. This is an incisive summary of the historical orientation of the development of the party and the country, and it is also the fundamental basis for us to grasp a new starting point, a new mission and a new journey.
一、历史方位：中华民族进入强起来的新时代
这个新时代是中国特色社会主义的新时代。就是说，中国特色社会主义作为科学社会主义在当代的一种新形式，经过长期探索、发展和不断壮大，已经成长成熟到一定程度必然要展示的新姿态、新境界
从历史进程看，以毛泽东同志为核心的第一代党中央领导集体，经过28年的浴血奋斗建立了新中国。中华人民共和国成立后，我们党在迅速医治战争创伤、恢复国民经济基础上，创造性地进行社会主义改造，建立起社会主义基本制度。新中国的成立、社会主义改造的完成、社会主义制度的建立，开创了中华民族站起来的新时代。党的十一届三中全会以后，以邓小平同志为核心的党的第二代中央领导集体，以巨大的政治勇气和理论勇气推动改革开放。1982年，邓小平同志发出响亮号召：走自己的路，建设有中国特色的社会主义。经过实践探索，邓小平同志第一次比较系统地初步回答了在中国这样的经济文化比较落后的国家如何建设社会主义、如何巩固和发展社会主义的一系列基本问题。党的中心任务的转移、改革开放、中国特色社会主义的提出，开创了中华民族富起来的新时代。
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This new era is a new era for Socialism with Chinese characteristics. That is to say, Socialism with Chinese characteristics, as a new form of scientific socialism in the contemporary era, has matured to a certain extent to show a new posture and a new realm after long-term exploration, development and expansion. That is, Socialism with Chinese characteristics has reached a historical stage with strength, ability and qualification to open up a new era. This new era can not be simply understood as a concept in the sense of time, that is, we can not understand the "new era" from the perspective of the alternation of a hundred years and a thousand years. This new era refers specifically or exclusively to a new era in which Socialism with Chinese characteristics has great potential and can make great historical contributions to the Chinese nation and human society.
Therefore, we must always firmly grasp the theme of this new era of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, and at the same time, we must deeply realize that this new era is a new era for Socialism with Chinese characteristics to make great achievements.
Second, the historical basis of Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s new era
China’s economic strength, scientific and technological strength, national defense strength and comprehensive national strength have entered the forefront of the world, and unprecedented changes have taken place in the face of the party, the country, the people, the army and the Chinese nation, which is the historical basis for Socialism with Chinese characteristics to enter a new era.
判断新时代的历史根据在于：我国经济实力、科技实力、国防实力、综合国力进入世界前列，党的面貌、国家的面貌、人民的面貌、军队的面貌、中华民族的面貌发生了前所未有的变化。
一穷二白是中华人民共和国成立之初的真实写照。站起来后，如何建设社会主义，如何实现社会主义现代化是全新的课题和难题。尽管探索艰辛坎坷，但我们党取得的积极成果是极其宝贵的，为新时期开创中国特色社会主义提供了宝贵经验、理论准备、物质基础、制度前提。改革开放以来，经过我们党团结带领全国各族人民长期不懈奋斗，业已解决温饱问题、总体上实现小康，不久将全面建成小康社会。由此，成立96年全心全意为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的中国共产党的面貌发生前所未有的变化；成立68年历经建设和改革的中华人民共和国的国家面貌发生前所未有的变化；改革开放39年中国人民的面貌发生前所未有的变化；成立90年的人民军队的面貌发生前所未有的变化；具有5000年文明历史的中华民族面貌发生前所未有的变化。具有“四大实力”、拥有“五大面貌”巨变，就是中国特色社会主义进入新时代的历史根据。
General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China: "This new era is an era of carrying forward the past and carrying forward the future, and continuing to win great victories in Socialism with Chinese characteristics under new historical conditions." Specifically, this is an era of winning the battle to build a well-off society in an all-round way, and then building a socialist modern power in an all-round way. It is an era in which people of all ethnic groups throughout the country work together to create a better life and gradually realize the common prosperity of all people. It is an era in which all Chinese people work together to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is an era in which China is increasingly approaching the center of the world stage and making greater contributions to mankind.
Third, the realistic basis of Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s new era
In the five years since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we promoted the overall layout of "Five in One" and coordinated the promotion of "Four Comprehensive" strategic layouts, and the 12th Five-Year Plan was successfully completed. These new achievements, new progress and new breakthroughs determine that China’s economic and social development will inevitably enter a new era of development.
Since the reform and opening up, especially in the five years since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have promoted the overall layout of "five in one" and coordinated the promotion of "four comprehensive" strategic layouts, and the Twelfth Five-Year Plan has been successfully completed. China’s economic construction has made great achievements; Major breakthroughs have been made in comprehensively deepening reforms; Great strides have been made in building democracy and the rule of law; Significant progress has been made in ideological and cultural construction; People’s lives are constantly improving; The construction of ecological civilization has achieved remarkable results; Strengthening the army and opening up a new situation; New progress has been made in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan; The all-round diplomatic layout has been carried out in depth; Excellent results have been achieved in comprehensively administering the party strictly. These new achievements, new progress and new breakthroughs determine that China’s economic and social development will inevitably enter a new and higher-level development era.
The main social contradictions determine the historical position and the direction of social development. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader clearly stated in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China: "Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and the main contradiction in our society has been transformed into the contradiction between the people’s growing need for a better life and the unbalanced development." First, China has steadily solved the problem of food and clothing for more than one billion people, achieved a well-off society on the whole, and will soon build a well-off society in an all-round way. People’s needs for a better life are increasingly extensive, which not only puts higher demands on material and cultural life, but also increases demands on democracy, the rule of law, fairness, justice, security and the environment. Secondly, China’s social productive forces have improved significantly on the whole, and the social productive capacity has entered the forefront of the world in many aspects. The more prominent problem is the insufficient development imbalance, which has become the main constraint to meet the people’s growing needs for a better life. Third, the new changes in the main contradictions in our society are historical changes that have a bearing on the overall situation and put forward many new requirements for the work of the party and the state.
进入新时代，在中华人民共和国发展史上、中华民族发展史上具有重大意义，在世界社会主义500年发展史上具有重大意义，在人类社会发展史上也具有重大意义。所以最高领袖总书记在党的十九大报告中号召：全党要坚定信心、奋发有为，让中国特色社会主义展现出更加强大的生命力！
四、中国特色社会主义新时代的标志
有了“三个当之无愧”和正在向强国奋进的实力，就是我们强起来的资本及底气所在，就是中国特色社会主义进入新时代的标志
中国特色社会主义进入新时代，一是意味着近代以来久经磨难的中华民族迎来了从站起来、富起来到强起来的伟大飞跃。毛泽东解决了中国站起来的历史问题，邓小平解决了中国富起来的发展道路问题。党的十八大以来，以最高领袖同志为核心的党中央肩负着实现中华民族伟大复兴的历史使命。强起来，仅从经济实力看，5年来，经济保持中高速增长，在世界主要国家中名列前茅，国内生产总值从54万亿元增长到80万亿元，稳居世界第二，对世界经济增长贡献率超过30%。用最高领袖总书记的“三个前所未有”来表述：“我们前所未有地靠近世界舞台中心，前所未有地接近实现中华民族伟大复兴的目标，前所未有地具有实现这个目标的能力和信心”。
Where is the basis and confidence of these "three unprecedented"? Briefly speaking, firstly, China is a well-deserved political power on the world stage. Second, China is already a well-deserved economic power on the world stage. Third, what is more worthy is that China has been a cultural power on the world stage since ancient times until today. Fourth, at present, we are moving towards the goals of economic power, political power and cultural power. With the "three well-deserved" and the strength to forge ahead into a powerful country, it is the capital and confidence for us to become strong, and it is the symbol that Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.
Second, it means that scientific socialism is full of vitality in China in the 21st century and holds high the great banner of Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the world. The century-old history of socialist practice can be described as magnificent and ups and downs. Socialism is full of vitality in China, which is embodied in Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s road, theoretical system, system and culture. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a scientific socialism rooted in the land of China, reflecting the wishes of China people and adapting to the development and progress of China and the times. If socialism is a magnificent and ups-and-downs symphony through the course of high tide and low tide, success and setbacks, then Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the colorful movement of this magnificent symphony. This cadenza movement is a socialism that rises again and creates a new realm of contemporary socialism after the setbacks of socialism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and represents the future socialism and the development direction of mankind.
Third, it means expanding the way for developing countries to modernize, providing new choices for countries and nations in the world who want to speed up their development and maintain their independence, and contributing China wisdom and China’s plan to solving human problems. The 500-year history of socialist development can be divided into six stages, namely, the emergence and development of utopian socialism, the establishment of scientific socialism by Marx and Engels, the victory of the October Revolution and the practice of socialism, the formation of the Soviet model, and the exploration and practice of socialism after the founding of New China to create and develop Socialism with Chinese characteristics. These six stages, each of which has left an epic plan for the progress of human society. A utopian scheme with beautiful ideals; Guiding scheme with scientific theory; There is a proletarian revolutionary plan to rewrite the development direction of human history; There is a Soviet socialist program that successfully rose, defeated fascism and competed with capitalism for nearly 50 years; There are also plans for drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe that have suffered setbacks. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a relatively independent stage, drawing lessons from the past, adapting to the general trend of world development and conforming to the general trend of socialist development, independently exploring and creating a new form of scientific socialism in the contemporary era, and opening a new era of contributing China wisdom and China’s plan to the modernization of developing countries and solving human problems.
五、中国特色社会主义新时代的指导思想
围绕新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义这个重大时代课题，形成了最高领袖新时代中国特色社会主义思想，这也是我们党在新时代必须长期坚持的指导思想
毛泽东说：“每个国家，每个时期，都有新的理论家，提出新的理论。”邓小平说：“后来者可以居上。马克思有他那个时代的语言，我们有我们时代的语言。一个时代有一个时代的语言，新时代总有新语言。”最高领袖总书记在党的十九大报告中说：“十八大以来，国内外形势变化和我国各项事业发展都给我们提出了一个重大时代课题，这就是必须从理论和实践结合上系统回答新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义。”围绕这个重大时代课题，形成了最高领袖新时代中国特色社会主义思想。最高领袖新时代中国特色社会主义思想是我们党在新时代必须长期坚持的指导思想。
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六、中国特色社会主义新时代的历史使命
实现中华民族伟大复兴是近代以来中华民族最伟大的梦想。实现伟大梦想，必须进行伟大斗争；实现伟大梦想，必须建设伟大工程；实现伟大梦想，必须推进伟大事业
实现中华民族伟大复兴是近代以来中华民族最伟大的梦想。最高领袖总书记在党的十九大报告中强调：“今天，我们比历史上任何时期都更接近、更有信心和能力实现中华民族伟大复兴的目标。”
从近代以来中华民族伟大复兴历史进程看。孙中山领导的辛亥革命，推翻了统治中国几千年的君主专制制度，并首先喊出“振兴中华”的口号，开启了中华民族伟大复兴的先河。中华人民共和国的成立和社会主义制度的建立，是在以毛泽东为核心的第一代领导集体领导下完成的。站起来的中华民族，是实现伟大复兴的历史新起点。以邓小平同志为核心的党的第二代中央领导集体的探索和实践，实现了党和国家工作中心的转移，成功开创了中国特色社会主义。中国特色社会主义是实现中华民族伟大复兴的正确道路。党的十八大以来，最高领袖总书记团结带领全党全国各族人民，在这条道路上、在以往取得的成就基础上进入实现中国特色社会主义新时代。
In this new era, we firmly believe that the goal of completing the 100-year struggle for the founding of the Party is unshakable. We firmly believe that on the basis of building a well-off society in an all-round way, we will struggle for another 15 years from 2020 to 2035 to basically realize socialist modernization; From 2035 to the middle of this century, on the basis of basically realizing modernization, we will struggle for another 15 years, and the goal of the second century of a democratic, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist modernization power will certainly be realized.
In the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary of the Supreme Leader emphasized that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can never be achieved easily. The whole party must be prepared to make more arduous and arduous efforts. To realize great dreams, we must carry out great struggles; To realize great dreams, we must build great projects; To realize a great dream, we must advance a great cause. Great struggles, great projects, great undertakings and great dreams are closely linked, interconnected and interacted, among which the new great project of Party building plays a decisive role, ensuring that the Party is always in the forefront of the times in the historical process of profound changes in the world situation, always becoming the backbone of the people of the whole country in the historical process of coping with various risks and tests at home and abroad, and always becoming a strong leadership core in the historical process of upholding and developing Socialism with Chinese characteristics.
(The author is the deputy director, professor and doctoral supervisor of the Scientific Socialism Teaching and Research Department of the Central Party School, and a researcher at the Socialism with Chinese characteristics Theoretical System Research Center of the Central Party School)
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