Socialist Core Values: The Basic Content and Interpretation of Socialist Core Values in China
Dr. Chen Shuoyung, Marksist Philosophy Dept of Nanjing University, May 2020
I.The basic content of socialist core values
The 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 proposed to advocate prosperity, democracy, civility and harmony, freedom, equality, justice and the rule of law, patriotism, dedication, honesty and friendliness, and actively cultivate and practice the core socialist values.
Prosperity, democracy, civility and harmony are the value goals at the national level, on the other hand freedom, equality, justice and the rule of law are the value orientations at the social level, and thirdly patriotism, dedication, honesty and friendliness are the value criteria at the individual level upheld by Chinese citizens.
II. Interpretation of the socialist core values and their meanings
National Level: Prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony
“Prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony” are the construction goals of my country’s socialist modernization. They are also the distillation of the basic concepts of the socialist core values from the perspective of value goals. They are at the highest level in the socialist core values and have a leading role in other levels of value concepts. Prosperity means that the country is rich and the people are strong. It is the proper state of economic construction in a socialist modernization country, the beautiful aspiration that the Chinese nation has long dreamed of, and the material basis for the prosperity of the country and the happiness and well-being of the people. Democracy is a beautiful appeal of human society. The democracy we pursue is people’s democracy, and its essence and core is that the people are the masters of the country. It is the life of socialism and the political guarantee for creating a beautiful and happy life for the people. Civilization is an important symbol of social progress and an important feature of a socialist modernization country. It is the proper state of cultural construction in a socialist modernization country, a summary of the socialist culture that is oriented to modernization, the world and the future, and is national, scientific and popular, and an important support for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Harmony is the basic concept of Chinese traditional culture, which embodies the vivid situation of having education, income, medical care, care for the elderly and housing. It is the value pursuit of a socialist modern country in the field of social construction and an important guarantee for the harmonious, stable, sustainable and healthy development of the economy and society.
Please Download for Full Text