The First Scientific Socialism Forum of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS 2013) was convened in Beijing on the 1st of November, under the theme of “Scientific Socialism and Socialism with Chinese Characteristics”. It was jointly hosted by the Office of Disciplinary Construction and Research on Marxist Theories and the Academy of Marxism, both of which belong to CASS.

Wang Weiguang, President of CASS and also chair of the forum, sent a written address to the forum, while Li Jie, the Vice-President of CASS, gave the keynote speech.

In his address, entitled “Three Fundamental Problems concerning the Putting in Practice and Development of Scientific Socialism in Contemporary China”, Wang elaborated on the reasons, basic principles and methods for adhering to scientific socialism.

Wang claimed that the adherence to scientific socialism is a must for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to scientific socialism is both the historical and popular choice. Moreover it is an integral requirement for socialism with Chinese characteristics, an inevitable requirement for China to solve its genuine problems, and a requirement for copying with the complex and ever-changing international situation. The construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics entails the adherence to the two cornerstones of scientific socialism, namely, historical materialism and the theory of surplus value. We have to stick to the dialectical unity of the “two inevitabilities”, “two impossibilities” and “two ruptures”, to the “two-stage theory” and to the “class analysis” of scientific socialism.

Wang emphasized that in order to adhere to and develop scientific socialism we must, first of all, never forget our ancestors. While extensively reading the books inherited from our ancestors, we must also develop and innovate on the basis which they built. Secondly, we must stick to our high ideals and faith in communism, since ideal and faith are indispensible in all dimensions such as revolution, construction and reform. Thirdly, we must steadfastly promote the reform and opening-up so as to enrich the ideological treasury of scientific socialism through practical and theoretical innovation. Fourthly, we must depend on the practice of the masses to write a new chapter of scientific socialism with their pioneering spirit and initiative. Only if the Party is always of one mind and shares a common fate with the people, and always relies on the people to push forward the advance of history, can it become rock-solid. Fifthly, we must rely on the correct leadership of the Party and handle all China-related affairs in a proper way under its leadership. In the face of the complicated domestic and international situation, only under the unified leadership of the Communist Party of China can we size up the situation from a strategically advantageous position and from a holistic perspective, and move forward in the right direction. Sixthly, we must step up our efforts to research the theories and movements in world socialism so as to figure out the general rules of its development.

During the event, more than a hundred scholars and experts belonging to universities and research institutes from over ten countries held deep discussions on major theoretical and practical issues like the development and fundamental principles of scientific socialist theories, and the relationship between scientific socialism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, between internationalism and patriotism, and between socialism and capitalism.

The participants agreed that socialism with Chinese characteristics dialectically unifies the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of the development of Chinese society; it is scientific socialism, but deeply rooted in the vast land of China and reflecting the will of the Chinese people, and accommodating the requirements of the development and progress of China and of the times; it is also the only path for building a moderately prosperous society, for the modernization of socialism and for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Translated by Chen Mirong

　　Revised by Gabriele Corsetti