Hu Jintao on the Correlation Between Social Harmony and Scientific Development

Hu Jintao on the Correlation Between Social Harmony and Scientific Development

By Jan Freidun Taravosh December 12th 2009

“Social harmony is an essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

Scientific development and social harmony are integral to each other and neither is possible without the other.”

- Hu Jintao

Introduction: 

In the course of reviewing the past years and the road ahead for the CPC at the 17th congress in 2007 The General Secretary of The CPC presented his report entitled “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive for New Victories in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in all Aspects”

Unprecedented Opportunities as well as Unprecedented Challenges

This thorough report Sketched up the task ahead for the CPC in further advancing the cause of Peace and Development, Yet as Comrade Hu rightly put it this cause is being pursued against the back drop of a complex global political arena:

“The world today is undergoing extensive and profound changes, and contemporary China is going through a wide-ranging and deep-going transformation. This brings us unprecedented opportunities as well as unprecedented challenges, with the formeroutweighing the latter. The whole Party must unswervingly hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and lead the people in starting from this new historical point, grasping and making the most of the important period of strategic opportunities, staying realistic and pragmatic, forging ahead with determination, continuing to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and accelerate socialist modernization, and accomplishing the lofty mission bestowed by the times.”

Making the Most out of Strategic Opportunities

Comrade Hu spoke with clarity on the importance of making the most out of strategic opportunities but most of all He also clarified that one must maintain a dynamic perspective on development. 

Pointing out the positive side of the past five years Comrade Hu concluded: “The endeavor to make China an innovative nation registered good progress, with considerable improvement in the country's capacity for independent innovation. Notable achievements were scored in the construction of infrastructure including energy, transport and telecommunications facilities and other key projects. Manned spaceflights were successfully conducted. Fresh progress was registered in energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation. The Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-05) was fulfilled successfully and implementation of the eleventh is in smooth progress.”

 Comrade Hu correctly registered that great accomplishments had been made in the years since the last Congress yet The General Secretary never seized to stress the point that the political theory that guides the party must keep up with the times in this ever changing world.

“ To continue to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics at the new stage of development, we must follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development.

The Scientific Outlook on Development is a continuation and development of the important thoughts on development advanced by the previous three generations of central collective leadership of the CPC and a concentrated expression of the Marxist world outlook and methodology with regard to development. It is a scientific theory that is in the same line as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and keeps up with the times. It is an important guiding principle for China's economic and social development and a major strategic thought that we must uphold and apply in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

The Dynamic Importance of Socialist Culture

In this context Comrade Hu, as Comrade Jiang Zemin before him stressed  the dynamic importance of socialist culture: “Socialist Culture is thriving as never before, but the people have growing cultural needs and have become more independent, selective, changeable and diverse in thinking, setting higher requirements for the development of an advanced socialist culture. Our society has become evidently more dynamic, but profound changes have taken place in the structure of society, in the way society is organized and in the pattern of social interests, and many new issues have emerged in social development and management.”

When  Comrade Hu Jintao draws up the description of the true dynamics of Society what is revealed is something totally different from the traditionally  stereotyped and sterile view of a socialist state in the west. Yet with the multi ethnic  People’s Republic of China Being the largest populated country in the world the correlation between cohesiveness, Social Harmony and Broad Scientific development is essential in relation to this subject Comrade Hu spoke with clarity: “Social harmony is an essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Scientific development and social harmony are integral to each other and neither is possible without the other”

Sustainable Development and the broad Dynamics of Development of The People’s Republic of China

In the mid 80’s Comrade Deng Xiaoping in his book “Fundamental issues” reflected over the fact that China in the past made the mistake of trying to plunge ahead to fast. It is obvious that the situation in which China PR still  finds it self is multi-facetted and complex. The Concept of Scientific Development naturally answered to the necessity of the times in endorsing sustainable development, and for the CPC and General Secretary Comrade Hu Jintao this means endorsing  all aspects of Sustainable Development, i.e. Political, Economic and Environmental. 

Political Sustainability

Therefore The Party sets a clear and realistic path to deal with sustainability in all these fields: “To realize social equity and justice is the Chinese Communists' consistent position and a major task of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. In accordance with the general requirements for democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and order, and harmony between man and nature and the principle of all the people building and sharing a harmonious socialist society, we will spare no effort to solve the most specific problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people and strive to create a situation in which all people do their best, find their proper places in society and live together in harmony, so as to provide a favourable social environment for development.”

Economical Sustainability

Apart from the above the the perspective is clear also on what to do in the social economic sphere to  “Promote balanced development to ensure sound and rapid economic growth” 

Environmental Sustainability 

Environmental protection and resource conserving - as Comrade Hu explained it in his report-  also plays a key role for social development and thus a clear plan was drawn up to: ”Improve energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation and enhance China's capacity for sustainable development. Adhering to the basic state policy of conserving resources and the environment is vital to the immediate interests of the people and the survival and development of the Chinese nation. We must give prominence to building a resource-conserving, environment-friendly society in our strategy for industrialization and modernization and get every organization and family to act accordingly. We will improve laws and policies to promote energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation, and speed up the formation of systems and mechanisms for sustainable development. We will implement the responsibility system for conserving energy and reducing emissions. We will develop and extend advanced and appropriate technologies for conserving, substituting and recycling energy and resources and for controlling pollution, develop clean and renewable energy sources, protect land and water resources and set up a scientific, rational system for using energy and resources more efficiently. We will develop environmental conservation industries.” 

Conclusion:

  The Report dealth with many different subjects  which found common ground in the party’s quest for the versatile development of the  modern Chinese society. 

With his report General Secretary Hu Jintao presented a dynamic vision but not only that, more importantly in introducing the  the Scientific Development Concept which correnspondes fully with the Important Thought of The Three Represents Comrade Hu also provided a  pragmatic and realistic strategy that is in sync with Chinese realities so as much that it makes this vision a feasible reality. The Scientific Development Concept among other things identifies sustainable development as one of the most pressing issues in today’s world.