Socialism is constantly developing and characterized by periodical features.We should recognize it from the perspective of historical materialism. It is a truth that all things develop through quantitative changes to qualitative ones.The periodical features of development could be illustrated through partial qualitative changes while fundamental properties keep stable in the process of quantitative changes.The preliminary stage of socialism is defined by the fundamental principles of historical materialism,which suggests the following implications.First,withholding socialism requires economically adhering to public ownership of the means of production;secondly,we should start from the reality that we are still at the preliminary stage of socialism rather than transcend the stage.The preliminary stage of

socialism is not constant since we are bound to marching into a superior stage of socialism. At a more advanced stage of socialism, the productivity might possibly be far from utterly eliminating private ownership.We might still need non-public economy as a supplement for socialism economy.That is to say, the non-public sector could increase in quantity,but the public sector would develop even faster.The proportion of public ownership in the whole national economy would be elevated to a great extent, making state-owned economy larger, stronger, and better.

Editor: Zhong Yao

Studies On Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping Theories.2017.No.1.