The Communist Manifesto provides an ideological weapon for us to understand what modernization is and to carry out studies on modernization. The myth of “modernization equals westernization” has its historical, epistemological and ideological roots. It is not only a theoretical issue, but also a practical one whether we can open up a path of modernization that is different from that of the West. The Communist Party of China has successfully explored and opened up the Chinese path to modernization and thus has resoundingly answered the question with practice; the Party has successfully built a theoretical system for the Chinese path to modernization and thus has cleared the fog of bourgeois ideology covering the theory of modernization. China’s revolution and modernization are parts of a consistent unity; the revolution opened up the path to modernization, and the revolutionary goals have been achieved through the modernization. The concept of modernization is developing and changing, and in the process of its formation and development the Party has put forward the concepts of modernization and the Chinese path to modernization and continuously enriched their contents. The meaning and objectives of the Chinese path to modernization are determined by what the Communist Party of China is and what actions the Party is to take. The fundamental nature of the “socialist modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China” determines that the Chinese path to modernization is different from that of the West, and has contributed to the theory and practice of modernization around. The Chinese path to modernization has been successful because it is a socialist one led by the Communist Party of China. The reason why the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics is able to succeed is ultimately predicated by the capability of Marxism and sinicized Marxism in our era. Only by adhering to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the concrete Chinese conditions and the excellent parts of traditional Chinese culture, and by continuously opening up new realms of sinicized Marxism in our era, can we promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in all respects through the Chinese path to modernization.

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Editor: Zhong Yao、Huang He

From: World Socialism Studies. 2023. No.7.