Four Cardinal Principles

The Four Cardinal Principles (simplified Chinese: 四项基本原则; pinyin: Sì-xiàng Jīběn Yuánzé) are a set of principles formulated by Deng Xiaoping in 1979 to orient the economic and political development of China. After the "Gang of Four" was smashed, some ideological trends emerged in society and within the Party, which caused confusion among some people. In response to this situation, on March 30, 1979, Deng Xiaoping, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, delivered a speech entitled "Adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles" at a theoretical work retreat held in Beijing. In his speech, Deng Xiaoping put forward the "four basic principles" that must be adhered to.

4 posters detailing the 4 cardinal principles

In October 1987, the Thirteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China included the "Four Cardinal Principles" as an important content in the party's basic line in the primary stage of socialism. On October 18, 1992, the new party constitution adopted by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China established the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics as the guiding ideology of the party. After Deng Xiaoping's death in 1997, it was written into the party constitution as a guiding ideology.

The four principles are:

1. Upholding the socialist path.
2. Upholding the People's Democratic Dictatorship
3. Upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China
4. Upholding Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought

Background of the Four Cardinal Principles

After smashing the "Gang of Four", some ideological trends emerged in society and within the Party. On the one hand, among some people, there is still a state of rigid or semi-rigid thinking, which hinders the implementation of the line of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee; The difficulties caused by the "Cultural Revolution" to the party and the country, advocating the ideas of anarchism and bourgeois liberalization, opposing the socialist system, opposing the leadership of the Communist Party, opposing the regime of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and opposing the guiding position of Mao Zedong Thought, from the right. Some parties distort and oppose the line of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee. Under the influence of these two ideological tendencies, some young people have been confused. In response to this situation, on March 30, 1979, Deng Xiaoping, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, delivered a speech titled "Adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles" at a theoretical work retreat held in Beijing.

The Historical Status of the Four Cardinal Principles

In June 1981, the resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Party further clearly stipulated that the four basic principles are the common political basis for the unity of the whole party and the unity of the people of all ethnic groups in the country, and they are also the basis for the smooth development of the cause of socialist modernization. Guaranteed at all. All speeches and actions that deviate from the four cardinal principles are wrong, and all speeches and actions that deny or damage the four cardinal principles cannot be tolerated.

The "Constitution of the People's Republic of China" adopted and affirmed the four basic principles in 1982, and clearly stipulated that the Chinese people will continue to adhere to the four basic principles and strive to realize the fundamental tasks of the new era.

In October 1987, the Thirteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China included the "Four Cardinal Principles" as an important content in the party's basic line in the primary stage of socialism. Namely: to lead and unite the people of all nationalities in the country, construction as the center, adherence to the four basic principles, adherence to reform and opening up, self-reliance, hard work, and strive to build China into a prosperous, democratic, and civilized modern socialist country (ie: one center, two basic points).

On October 18, 1992, the new party constitution adopted by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China formally included the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and the party's basic line of "one center, two basic points"

On October 21, 2007, the party constitution of the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China stated the four basic principles: "Adhering to the socialist road, upholding the people's democratic dictatorship, upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China, upholding Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. These four basic principles are the foundation of our country."

Specific content on the 4 cardinal principles

In his speech, Deng Xiaoping summarized the ideological and political principles that the Communist Party of China has always emphasized as "four basic principles", which are adhere to the socialist road, uphold the people's democratic dictatorship, adhere to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and adhere to Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought." He also pointed out that "this is the fundamental prerequisite for the realization of the four modernizations."

Deng Xiaoping reminded the whole party to pay attention to the trend of doubting the Four Cardinal Principles spreading among a small group of people. He pointed out that the CPC must continue to firmly eliminate the pernicious poison of the 'Gang of Four', help some comrades who are still poisoned to come to their senses, and attack the reactionary remarks that slander the Party Central Committee spread by a very small number of people.

Deng Xiaoping also discussed the four basic principles as a complete guiding principle, and discussed its core. He pointed out: The core of adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles is to uphold the leadership of the Communist Party. He also emphasized that every member of the Communist Party is not allowed to waver in the slightest in this fundamental position.

After discussing the four basic principles one by one, Deng Xiaoping said:

"In short, in order to realize the four modernizations, we must adhere to the socialist road, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Communist Party, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought."

The Communist Party should never be allowed to deny or oppose the four basic principles. If any one of these four basic principles is undermined, it will undermine the entire cause of socialism and modernization. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China believes that the four basic principles will always be the foundation of China's founding, governance, and power.

Guiding significance

On April 2, 2001, Jiang Zemin emphasized that in the entire historical process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, one must always adhere to the road of socialism, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. Adhering to these four basic principles is the main sign that today's China is fundamentally different from the old feudal China and capitalist countries in history. Without the Four Cardinal Principles, China cannot be a socialist country and cannot build Socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is the fundamental political significance of China's adherence to the four cardinal principles.

On December 18, 2008, when summarizing the historical experience of 30 years of reform and opening up, Hu Jintao emphasized that China must combine the adherence to the four basic principles with the reform and opening up, firmly focussing on economic construction, and must always maintain the goal of reform and opening up. Over the past 30 years, China has constantly adhered to the basic line of the party. It has not only guaranteed the correct direction of reform and opening up with the four basic principles, but also endowed the four basic principles with new connotations of the times through reform and opening up. The two basic principles, reform and opening up, are unified in the great practice of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that socialism with Chinese characteristics can prosper through the profound changes in the world and in contemporary China.

During the first group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee on Novembery 17th, 2012, Xi Jinping made his speech Study, Disseminate and Implement the Guiding Principles of the 18th CPC National Congress. This speech made reference to the Four Cardinal Principles and how they fit into the overall goal of building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

"The path of Chinese socialism is the only way to achieve China's socialist modernization and create a better life. This path takes economic development as the central task, and brings along economic, political, cultural, social, ecological and other forms of progress. It adheres to both the Four Cardinal Principles and the reform and opening-up policy. It entails further release and developing the productive forces, and achieving prosperity for all and the well-rounded development of everyone." - Xi Jinping

See Also

• Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
• Deng Xiaoping Theory