The Establishment of the Theory of the Primary Stage of Socialism

Reform and opening up has brought out tremendous changes to China. Since the Third Plenum of the 11th CPC Central Committee, held in late 1978, China’s social productivity, its overall national strength, and people’s incomes and living standards have all experienced steady and rapid improvement. At the same time, China has become increasingly influential in global affairs, a status commensurate with its growing economic power. The basic driver behind these remarkable achievements is the fact that the Party has, on the basis of summing up the experiences and lessons of China’s socialist construction, had a clear understanding of and accurately grasped the country’s national conditions; gradually formulated and developed the theory of the primary stage of socialism; correctly made the scientific judgment that China is in the primary stage of socialism and will be in such a stage for a prolonged period of time; and continued to promote economic development through reform and opening up in accordance with this basic judgement. The theory of the primary stage of socialism is an accurate generalization of China’s contemporary national conditions, and hence a basic prerequisite for building socialism with Chinese characteristics.