Translation: New Article by the Author of ‘Democracy Is A Good Thing’
Strive to Implement People’s Free and Comprehensive Development
By Yu Keping （ 俞可平）
http://chinaelections.org/NewsInfo.asp?NewsID=129579
Translated by Anton Lee Wishik II
As socialist political-economic systems go through the process of eliminating economic exploitation and political oppression, to achieve the liberation of workers (and ultimately the liberation of all humanity), and to implement human freedom and comprehensive development, is to penetrate through to the main tenet of Marxism’s historical development and is the most basic and worthiest proposition for Marxists.
I feel that the meaning of this fundamental Marxist proposition has four aspects. First, the pursuit of Marxism is “the liberation of all humanity” and “the development of every person.” Marx said, “if not every person is liberated, then society itself can not be liberated.” Therefore, Marxism does not allow a social system in which the interest of the majority is sacrificed and the special rights of the minority are guaranteed. Marxism’s real hope is the creation of a new socialist society in which the interests of the greatest possible majority of people are protected. Second, the pursuit of Marxism is that of people’s “free development,” and the existence of every living person within society is the subject of this development. This kind of “free development” requires, to the greatest extent possible, the “unimpeded development” of people’s individuality, character, creativity, and independence. Third, in Marxism, “free development” is the premise for “comprehensive development.” Without “free development,” it is impossible to discuss “comprehensive development.” In The Communist Manifesto, Marx emphasized that, “each person’s free development is a condition for the free development of all people.” Later, in Capital, Marx pointed out in more definite terms that the freedom and comprehensive development of every person is Communism’s fundamental principle. Fourth, Marxism’s pursuit is that of humanity’s “comprehensive development.” This lies not only in the coordinated development of individuality, ability, and knowledge, but also in the common improvement of people’s natural qualities, social qualities, and spiritual qualities. At the same time, it also includes the full implementation of political rights, economic rights, and social rights.
According to Marx’s assumptions, socialism transcended capitalism, and socialism involved the elimination of exploitation and oppression. Thus, it was the social system that established real conditions for freedom and comprehensive development. In other words, under socialist conditions, all of the actions and deeds of the Communist administration, in the end, would be towards the provision of political, economic, and cultural guarantees. This was, to the greatest extent possible, to benefit “people’s freedom and comprehensive development.” More specifically, socialism ought to adopt a specific economic and political system, and to the greatest extent possible, promote the great masses’ economic, political, and cultural interests. From this line of thinking, to uphold Marxism and socialism, one must first uphold this worthiest and most fundamental standpoint. To measure whether a theory or practice is Marxist and socialist, one must look at whether this theory or practice conforms to this highest and most basic value of Marxism.
Thirty years after reform and opening, the reason we have been able to obtain such huge results, in the end, is because we have gone the path of modern socialism with Chinese characteristics. The market economy of China’s unique socialism has released the people’s great work initiative and has promoted the fast development of social economics while also establishing the material foundation for freedom and comprehensive development. China’s unique political system of socialist democracy increasingly arouses people’s general consciousness as well as rights consciousness and has clearly expanded the space available for political participation. It has created better political conditions for freedom and comprehensive development. China’s unique socialist cultural system has caused its citizens’ educational and cultural productive skills to reach a new stage of development. It has dramatically improved people’s cultural qualities, and has allowed for rich spiritual lives. In brief, the mighty methods of China’s unique socialist system have created political, economic, and cultural conditions for freedom and comprehensive development that have never existed before. This represents the highest Marxist values as found in contemporary China. Therefore, this is just like the report from the 17th Communist Party Congress, which said that in today’s China, upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics is equivalent to genuinely upholding Marxism and genuinely upholding socialism.
Freedom and comprehensive development are never-ending processes. Putting people at the center, striving to create the necessary conditions, and earnestly promoting every person’s freedom and comprehensive development are not only the greatest pursuits of Marxism and scientific socialism, they are also requirements for practicing China’s unique socialism. Today, our best possible commemoration of The Communist Manifesto is to: continue to liberate our thoughts; vigorously dispel dogmatic understandings of Marxism; strive to clear up any additional mistaken Marxist viewpoints; base views on the new reality of contemporary China and the world; focus on what we are doing now; move ahead with new ideas in Marxist theory; and develop and enrich the theories behind socialism with Chinese characteristics. That is: remain committed to putting people first; advancing all of socialist political, economic, and cultural life; and to coordinate and develop sustainably. That is: correctly handle the relationship between productivity and fairness; while improving efficiency, at the same time place more emphasis on benefits, opportunities, and their fair distribution; allow all people, in a just manner, to enjoy the political, economic, and cultural rights brought by reform and opening; strive to develop democratic politics; reform and perfect elections; make policy for and supervise a system to earnestly ensure that people are masters of their own affairs; continuously expand people’s free rights, participatory rights, and equal rights; and change society to be more free, equal, harmonious, and tolerant.
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