Abstract

As early as the revolutionary wars, Mao Zedong clearly pointed out the future path of the Chinese revolution: to go through the new democratic revolution and advance uninterruptedly into the stage of socialist revolution, and finally to build socialism and communism. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he created and continuously improved the socialist economic system and the corresponding political system, led the large-scale socialist economic, political and cultural construction, established the institutional preconditions, ideological guarantees and material basis for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and brought about a favorable external environment for China’s socialist construction. During this process, Mao originated a series of theories about China’s socialist construction. In proposing to achieve the second combination of the universal truth of Marxism with China’s realities and to go China’s own way and explore a path of building socialism which suits China’s national conditions and has Chinese characteristics, he made a great theoretical contribution to the history of China’s socialist development. His ideas provided ample ideological gestation and theoretical preparation for the second historic leap of the sinicization of Marxism. They served not only as the starting point of the history and logic of the theory, road and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics but also as one of the guiding principles of China’s revolution, construction and reform. Mao’s exploration left us with experience of success and lessons from mistakes, both of which enabled us to store up valuable experience and important inspiration for today’s construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Therefore, whether in terms of historical practice or theoretical logic, Mao is the great founder, explorer and pioneer of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Keywords: Mao Zedong; sinicization of Marxism; socialist construction; socialism with Chinese characteristics

From: Social Sciences in China 2014 35 (3)

Editor: Wang Yi