Revolutionary Culture and Construction of Progressive International Communication Discourse of the CPC Governance ()
1. Introduction
As the starting place of Chinese revolutionary red boat, the pioneering place of the reform and opening up, and the demonstration area of common prosperity, Zhejiang made a series of achievements in social liberation, political stability, democratic and legal construction, people’s unity and affluent living condition. Zhejiang people’s sense of security, gain and happiness all come from the progressive governance of the CPC, a mission-oriented, learning-centered, and open-minded party that emphasizes social participation. Under the leadership of the Committee, Zhejiang people have made great achievements in revolution of politics, production, education and social governance fields, etc. during the new democratic revolution, socialist revolution and construction, reform and opening up, socialist modernization and new era. The revolutionary process has created a rich and colorful revolutionary culture, which in turn provides guidance for it. The key to constructing progressive international discourse of the Committee governance with Zhejiang revolutionary culture is to clarify its governing idea of putting people first with revolutionary theory, its governing style with revolutionary spirit, and its scientific, democratic, and legal governing approach with revolutionary achievements, so as to effectively answer the mystery, motivation, basis and key to long-term governance.
2. Clarification on People First Governing Idea of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee with Revolutionary Theory
Revolutionary theory is an important part of revolutionary culture, and Marxism revolutionary theory was introduced into and localized in China by Chinese advanced intellectuals after the October Revolution in Russia, which constantly guided the CPC and Chinese people to carry out New Democratic Revolution and Socialist Revolution, and explored the revolutionary road to save and develop China. The governing position was gradually achieved by the CPC under the guidance of revolutionary theory. Entering the period of reform & opening up and socialist construction, the CPC needs revolutionary theory to guide revolution in production field, such as industrial revolution, revolution in social field, such as economic system construction, revolution in mental field, such as inheritance and development of revolutionary spirit ( Song, 2020 ). In the new era, the CPC needs revolutionary theory to guide intelligent revolution in fields of production, education and scientific research, war and social governance. As the starting point of Chinese revolutionary red boat and advance region of reform and opening up, Zhejiang’s pioneering journey outlines a vivid miniature of the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up to prosperity ( Liu, 2020 ). Under the leadership of the Party, Zhejiang people liberated Zhejiang through indomitable and tenacious struggle, established basic socialist system through arduous exploration and hardships, and achieved tremendous achievements in political, economic, social and other fields through vigorous reform and innovation ( Shen, 2019 ). In the new era, guided by revolutionary theory, the Committee always adheres to political consciousness, to governing for people and on people, to development for people and on people, and shares achievements with people, faithfully implements the “Eight-Eight Strategy” (the strategy of making full use of eight advantages and implementing eight major measures) and continuously shows demonstration effect of important window, and constantly reflects the purpose of governing for people in the practice and exploration of high-quality development. It inherits tradition of revolution and cultivates deep feelings for people, develops and constructs common prosperity demonstration area with high quality to meet people’s pursuit of a better life for common prosperity, promotes safe and legal integrated construction of Zhejiang to stimulate creativity and maintain fairness and justice, strengthens the comprehensive leadership and construction of the CPC in Zhejiang to truly achieve the goal of governance coming from people, rooted in people, and serving people. It is this series of social practice and exploration that becomes the best presentation of Marxism revolutionary theory in China in modern times, and also the best proof of the CPC’s progressive governance.
Revolutionary theory profoundly explained the mystery of the CPC’s power taking and long-standing governance, and demonstrates the advanced idea and effective measures of “governing for people” under Marxism with Chinese characteristics for countries in turmoil across the world. Throughout modern history, all governing parties in the world that are leading their people into a new era, especially in the 21st century, are undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Whether a country’s political situation is stable, its people are united, its life condition is improved, and its production is sustainable are all factors to evaluate its political system, and are also important indicators of whether the governing party’s revolutionary theory can succeed in its revolution in various fields in the context of modernization ( Zheng, 2008 ). In recent years, western developed countries have witnessed chaos, political polarization, social fragmentation, class differentiation, populism, etc, and developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have achieved few successes due to interference from developed countries and blind imitation of their modernization models ( Qi, 2022 ). One important reason is that these countries failed to properly handle the relationship between foreign experience in revolutionary theory and their own national conditions in the process of moving towards independent modern political revolution and later modernization construction, and failed to bring senses of gain, happiness and security to their people, which ultimately led to loss of the masses basis. We should clarify to the outside world with revolutionary theory about how the Marxism revolutionary theory in China can provide a sharp ideological weapon for the CPC’ revolution in Zhejiang to illuminate the future of Zhejiang revolution, and how it can provide ideological guidance for the CPC’s modernization construction in Zhejiang to write a new chapter in Zhejiang development. The advanced stories of the CPC in Zhejiang Revolution and its governing for people can provide valuable experience for the vast number of latecomer countries, and can well combine CPC’S revolutionary theory during its governance with revolutions in various fields like politics, society, production, and spirit in their countries, in order to develop a localized development path.
3. Clarification on Truth-Seeking and Pragmatic Governing Style of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee with Revolutionary Spirit
Revolutionary spirit is the essence and embodiment of revolutionary culture, and the spiritual prop, guidance, and wealth that revolution relies on for its sustainability and development. Revolutionary spirit genealogy, with distinctive national characteristics and era connotation, runs through the great journey of the CPC’s forging ahead for a hundred years since its birth, which has been deeply integrated into the blood and soul of the Chinese nation, and constantly enriched and nourished the Chinese national spirit ( Zhao, 2021 ). Zhejiang, with rich revolutionary traditions, is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese revolution. Looking at the centennial Party history, there are 13 kinds of revolutionary spiritual resources that have survived and are still playing a role, which symbolizes and confirms centennial struggle, performance and glory of Zhejiang people, displaying footprints and achievements of the CPC in relying on people, uniting people and serving people in this hot land of Zhejiang, and vividly depicts active exploration and fruitful innovation locally under the CPC’s leadership ( Qu & He, 2023 ). The pioneering and daring spirit of Red Boat, ideal-holding and self-improving spirit of Red Thirteen Army Group, mission-committed and truth-seeking spirit of Southwest Zhejiang Revolution, resolute and determined spirit Yijiangshan Island, striving and innovative spirit of Dachen Islands Reclamation, struggling and persevering spirit of Xiaoshan Reclamation, difficulty-overcoming and excellence-seeking spirit of Mayi Island, bravely-advancing and courageously practising spirit of Women in Qianhe Village, self-reliant and hard-working spirit of Nanbao Village, inspirational and dedicated spirit of Haixia Island, fearless and courageous spirit of Entrepreneurship, diligent and pragmatic spirit of Zhejiang Merchant, and even hard-working and time-leading spirit of Zhejiang, all continuously guide the CPC to be loyal, dedicated, and serving to people in Zhejiang, and inspire Zhejiang people to be pioneering, responsible and striving under the CPC’s leadership, which jointly promote high-quality and rapid development of various undertakings. In the new era, the majority of party members and cadres in Zhejiang always implement the important thought of “Eighth-Eight Strategy”, continuously consolidate the foundation of the CPC’s governance, and thus enhance their governance skills. Zhejiang, with balanced regional development, sound economic vitality, excellent social order, high income for the masses, and good ecological environment, enables Zhejiang people to have a strong sense of security, happiness, and gain. This is closely related to the strong establishment and implementation of truth-seeking and pragmatic governance style by all previous the Committee.
Revolutionary spirit vividly interprets the driving force of the CPC’s governance, and forms a spiritual force that goes through time & space and hits the soul directly. The CPC always adheres to the purpose of “People First, Life First”, puts people at the center, and shares a common future with people. On the contrary, the purpose of Western political parties is to maintain and consolidate political will and interests of the bourgeoisie, not for happiness and liberation of people. The Two-party or Multi-party system, which once played a long-term role in political life of Western countries, exposed various shortcomings in recent years with political polarization, money democracy, debt economy, financial crisis, government shutdown and other chaos, resulting in the decline of government credibility, weak cohesion, lack of executive power, and thus unable to form effective national governance ( Mao, 2017 ). We should construct international communication discourse based on revolutionary spirit of Zhejiang, and demonstrate the firm ideal and faith, strong will quality, and lofty spiritual realm of Zhejiang Communists through revolutionary spirits of Red Boat, Red Thirteen Army Group, Southwest Zhejiang Revolution, Yijiangshan Island, Dachen Islands Reclamation, Xiaoshan Reclamation, Mayi Island, Women in Qianhe Village, Nanbao Village, Haixia Island, Entrepreneurship, Zhejiang Merchant, Zhejiang. We should show the world that in the practice of Zhejiang’s reform and development for more than 40 years, the Committee is relying on these 13 revolutionary spirits to form a truth-seeking and pragmatic governance style and build this barren land without resource and energy advantages into one of the most developed provinces in China’s economic development and a common prosperity demonstration area with high-quality ( Qu & He, 2023 ). It is by consciously understanding, summarizing, and carrying forward Zhejiang spirits, actively adapting to the current situation, seizing opportunities, and preventing risks, comprehensively deploying and promoting strategic layout, resolutely leading and breaking down institutional obstacles, consciously enhancing governance skills and abilities, that the spiritual power to promote the rapid development of Zhejiang has been formed, that Zhejiang that has not superior material conditions becomes a common prosperity and modernization model. It can be said that full display and comprehensive development of revolutionary spirits is an important experience and key to the achievements of Zhejiang’s reform and development.
4. Clarification on Scientific, Democratic, and Lawful Governing Approach of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee with Revolutionary Achievements
Revolutionary achievements are material carrier of revolutionary culture, ultimate embodiment of revolutionary goals, powerful proof of revolutionary victory, and joint product of revolutionary theory and spirit. Over the past hundred years, Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership made great achievements in New Democratic Revolution in Zhejiang through bloody battles and dauntless efforts, in Socialist Revolution and Construction through self-reliance and struggle, in the past 40 years of reform and opening up through forging ahead, upholding principles and making innovations ( Song & Ma, 2022 ). During the New Democratic Revolution (1921-1949), Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership fought bloody battles of Great Revolution, Land Revolution War, Anti-Japanese War, and Liberation War to liberate Zhejiang and establish a democratic regime. During the Socialist Revolution and Construction period (1949-1978), Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership restored and developed national economy, promoted socialist industrialization process, realized socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts, and capitalist industry and commerce, established basic socialist system, and laid material foundation for industrialization. During the Reform and Opening-up and Socialist Modernization Construction period (1978-2012), Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership focused on economic development, assisted industrial growth and upgrading by opening up to the outside world, and continuously promoted modernization construction. After entering the 21st century, the Committee firmly adhered to implementation of core strategic idea of “Eight-Eight Strategy”, stressed on leveraging the advantages of institutional mechanisms, created a first-class business environment, optimized enterprise ecology, and coordinated economic growth, social development, democratic and legal construction, and cultural-ethical standards. In the new era of Socialism with Chinese characteristics (2012-present), Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership faithfully implemented “Eight-Eight Strategy”, systematically deployed and built important window”, and promoted construction of common prosperity demonstration areas. Under a series of decisions and arrangements made by the Committee, it made the common prosperity Demonstration Zone a solid start, significantly improved quality of economic development, achieved good results again through reform and opening up, significantly improved its innovation and development capacity, set an example for ecological civilization construction, accelerated urban-rural integration, constantly improved people’s well-being, and reached a higher level in safe and lawful Zhejiang construction.
Revolutionary achievements effectively proved legitimacy basis of the CPC’s political power, and also responded to international community concern about the CPC’s future governance approach. After the CPC won the revolutionary victory and founded PRC, especially after reform and opening up, it gradually formed a scientific, democratic and lawful governance approach that conformed to China’s national conditions and had universal value in practice. The significant advantage of the CPC’s governance approach is to adhere to basic connotation of Marxist party’s democratic governance as a guide so as to correctly understand and handle relationship between the party and people, to reform and innovation in country governance in the new era as a principle so as to leading people to formulate and implement the Constitution and laws. On the contrary, looking at ruling characteristics of modern Western political parties, the game between political parties representing the interests of different bourgeois groups led to high cost of national and social governance, and even political polarization and governance disability, which not only deviated from immediate interests of the public, but also resulted in legitimacy crisis of political parties. In response to other countries’ confusion about “secret of China’s rapid rise under the CPC’s leadership”, we should construct international communication discourse with Zhejiang revolutionary achievements, and present to the outside world the course of Zhejiang people’s pursuit of independence, liberation, development, prosperity with those achievements. Since reform and opening up, the Committee has fully carried forward people’s democracy to stimulate sense of ownership of building a beautiful home for Zhejiang people, solidly promoted legal construction throughout the province to effectively improve the level of economic, political, cultural, and social legalization, advanced scientific and democratic legislation to provide legal protection for the reform & opening up and scientific development, exercised the power of handling major local matters in accordance with the law to ensure scientific and democratic process, continuously strengthened self-construction of the Provincial Standing Committee to establish a high sense of mission and responsibility ( Yuan, 2022 ). In the new era, the Committee takes scientific, democratic and lawful governing approach, by guarding tradition of revolution and continuously strengthening political and ideological guidance, by focusing on high-quality development and striving to strengthen legal guarantee for construction of common prosperity demonstration areas, by concerning about people’s livelihood and well-being and striving to promote benefits of development achievements to people, by strengthening legislation and improving the top-level design of Zhejiang’s social governance modernization, by emphasizing development of people’s democracy throughout entire process and fully playing a role of People’s Congress as main channel, and by anchoring target positioning of organizations and continuously enhancing its joint efforts and capabilities.
5. Conclusion
Revolutionary culture has contributed a continuous source of linguistic materials to progressive international discourse construction of the Committee governance, which needs to be condensed and summarized in revolutionary culture. Zhejiang revolutionary culture, which originated from new democratic revolution period, is the constantly enriched conclusion of material and spiritual culture of Zhejiang people under the CPC’s leadership during revolutionary war period, peacefully socialist building period, and the new era, which contains revolutionary theory, revolutionary spirit, and revolutionary achievements and so on. The Committee, based on revolutionary theory, embodies the fundamental purpose of putting people first in the process of governance, and regards efforts to sincerely serve people as the starting point and destination of all work. It, relying on revolutionary spirit, forms a realistic and pragmatic governance style, by continuously improving governance level, enhancing duty-performing ability, and doing their job well. It, taking revolutionary achievements as the driving force, lifts the level of scientific, democratic, and legal governance so as to provide legal guarantees for reform & opening up and scientific development of Zhejiang province. The successful examples of Committee’s revolution in various fields in Zhejiang highlight its progressiveness nature of governance, which provides developing countries with ideas and measures for political party governance, and is of exemplary significance.
Funding
This article is the research project achievement of Zhejiang Federation of Social Sciences (Exploration on Harmonious Discourse in International Communication of Zhejiang Culture from the Perspective of Evaluation Theory, 2023N097).