Ideological Front | Ensuring Political Steadfastness Through Theoretical Clarity
Editor's Note: Not long ago, Chairman Xi profoundly observed at the opening ceremony of the senior cadre training course for the entire military that "we must earnestly study the Party's innovative theories, master the Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods that run through them, and ensure political steadfastness through theoretical clarity." This important formulation is a scientific and refined summation of the laws governing ideological Party-building and political military-building (思想建党、政治建军), and it profoundly illuminates the dialectical relationship between theoretical clarity and political steadfastness. Military Party member cadres, especially senior cadres, must deeply comprehend the essential spirit of Chairman Xi's important address, consciously strengthen their grounding in the Party's innovative theories, and continuously drive forward the cause of building a strong military.
Ensuring Political Steadfastness Through Theoretical Clarity
— Studying and Implementing the Spirit of Chairman Xi's Important Address at the Opening Ceremony of the Senior Cadre Training Course for the Entire Military
■ Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military Research Center
Political steadfastness originates from theoretical clarity; theoretical maturity determines political maturity. For Party member cadres, theoretical clarity is the foundation of one's conduct and the basis of accomplishment — it is the fundamental prerequisite for holding firm to one's political stance, accurately grasping political direction, upholding political convictions, and strictly observing political discipline. At present, amid a complex and ever-changing domestic and international situation, and in the face of various risks, challenges, and the erosion of harmful ideologies, only by maintaining a high degree of theoretical clarity at all times — consolidating the foundation of conviction, replenishing the calcium of the spirit (补足精神之钙), and steadying the helm of thought — can one fulfill the founding mission and bravely shoulder the responsibilities of the era with rock-solid political resolve.
I
Ensuring political steadfastness through theoretical clarity is a scientific formulation grounded in the profound changes in the world situation, national conditions, Party conditions, and military conditions, and derived from the inherited historical experience of army-building and army-governance. It carries deep historical foundations and significant practical importance.
At present, the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the great changes unseen in a century are intersecting historically. From an international perspective, the characteristics of a period of global turbulence and transformation are pronounced; great-power competition is complex and intense; and the schemes of Western hostile forces to comprehensively contain, encircle, and suppress our country have never changed. The contest between forging the soul (铸魂) and corroding the soul (蛀魂), between consolidating the roots and destroying the roots, has not ceased for a single moment. From a domestic perspective, China's development has entered a period in which strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, and uncertain and hard-to-predict factors are increasing. The People's Army is at a critical juncture in achieving the centenary goal of army-building (建军一百年奋斗目标). The weight of the tasks of reform, development, and stability, and the number of contradictions, risks, and challenges, are both unprecedented. Faced with a severe situation and contradictions and problems, if theoretical clarity is lacking, one will lack the political resolve to "sit steady in the fishing boat regardless of the rising waves" (任凭风浪起，稳坐钓鱼船). One will very easily lose direction and waver in one's stance on major matters of principle, and very likely fail to see through the essence or grasp the crux amid complex and tangled contradictions, ultimately impeding the smooth advancement of the Party's and the people's cause.
Looking back at the Party's history of struggle spanning more than a century, using theoretical innovation to lead practical exploration has run throughout. After the failure of the Great Revolution, the Party drew profound lessons from bloodshed and came to recognize that it was essential to integrate the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities, opening the correct path of "surrounding the cities from the countryside and seizing power through armed force" (农村包围城市、武装夺取政权), and driving the revolutionary spark to gradually become a prairie fire. The Yan'an Rectification Movement was a large-scale Marxist education movement across the entire Party. Through systematic study of theory, it settled accounts with subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party formalism (党八股), achieving unprecedented unity of the entire Party in ideology, politics, and organization, and laying a solid ideological and political foundation for winning the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation. Since the new era, every thematic education campaign (主题教育) conducted by our Party has invariably placed the study of theory first, using unified thinking to consolidate will and align steps. Successful practice demonstrates that persisting in arming the entire Party with scientific theory is the Party's precious experience in continuously overcoming difficulties, correcting errors, and advancing from victory to victory, and is the fundamental path for maintaining the Party's advanced nature, purity, and combat effectiveness.
For the People's Army, implementing the infusion of progressive thought (进步的思想贯注) and persisting in arming the force with scientific theory is the very source of this armed force's advanced nature. Consider: if our military lacks theoretical clarity, it is like losing guidance on the battlefield — if soldiers do not even know which direction to charge, how can they possibly win? As an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military is the latest achievement of the Party's military guiding theory and the action program for adhering to the path of strengthening the military with Chinese characteristics and comprehensively advancing the modernization of national defense and the military. Deeply studying and implementing this thought is the greatest theoretical clarity for our military. Only by studying deeply and comprehending thoroughly its core tenets, essential spirit, rich connotations, and practical requirements can one deeply understand the founding mission, glorious traditions, and the magic weapon for victory (制胜法宝) of this People's Army, and only then can one see through the essence and grasp the laws amid the complex and ever-changing transformations in science and technology, in warfare, and in adversaries, and forge the hard capabilities to build a strong military and win battles.
II
Ensuring political steadfastness through theoretical clarity contains rich philosophical principles and embodies profound laws, revealing from different dimensions the intrinsic connection between theory and politics.
It manifests the law governing the enhancement of political capability. When confronting major issues and at critical moments, whether one is clear-cut in one's position or ambiguous in one's attitude, whether one's stance is firm or wavering — at bottom, what is being tested is political capability. The cultivation of this capability is decidedly not the work of a single day; its foundation lies in deep theoretical grounding. Without the depth of theoretical thinking, one is easily misled by surface appearances and thus makes erroneous judgments. Only by systematically mastering Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods can one see through phenomena to the essence, examine problems from a political perspective, and forge a pair of "fiery golden eyes" (火眼金睛). Many captured soldiers during the revolutionary war years were "not brave in the White Army yesterday, but very brave in the Red Army today" — this vividly illustrates that only when one is truly awakened theoretically can political and emotional identification be generated, which in turn transforms into political steadfastness. Therefore, theoretical clarity is often the intrinsic driving force for enhancing political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution, and it is what can transform scientific theory into a powerful material force for transforming the world.
It manifests the law governing the cultivation of Party spirit (党性修养). Ideals and convictions, as the political soul and spiritual pillar of Communist Party members and revolutionary soldiers, are the foundation of our existence. Our Party and our military are united by ideals and convictions. Why were so many revolutionary predecessors able to struggle their entire lives for their ideals and convictions, even at the cost of their lives? It was because through deep theoretical study they were firmly convinced that the cause they pursued was just and in accordance with the direction of historical development. Comrade Mao Zedong once said: "A doctrine is like a banner; only when the banner is raised do people have something to look toward and know where to go." This "doctrine" is conviction. If one does not truly study, understand, believe in, and apply Marxism, then ideals and convictions become water without a source and a tree without roots, liable to waver at the first encounter with hardship and obstacles. Only through systematic study of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, mastering the telescope and microscope for observing the world, can one stand firm in the face of trials by storm and stress, steady one's mind in the face of temptation and entrapment, maintain one's true character amid complex and severe struggles, and remain committed without wavering to the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
It manifests the law governing rectification campaigns (整风整训规律). At every important historical juncture, our Party and our military have invariably used rectification campaigns to resolve prominent problems within the Party, ensuring the unity, purity, and honor of the ranks. The key to the success of the Yan'an Rectification Movement was placing theoretical study first. At the outset of the movement, the Party Central Committee clearly stipulated the required Marxist-Leninist classical works and central documents to be read, requiring the entire Party, especially senior cadres, to devote great effort to study. It was precisely because theory was studied one step ahead that everyone had a common "yardstick" for measuring right and wrong. The criticism and self-criticism that followed was an ideological contest guided by theory and grounded in facts. Through this method, everyone distinguished what was Marxism and what was subjectivism, what was proletarian thought and what was non-proletarian thought, thereby achieving the goals of "learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones, and treating the illness to save the patient" (惩前毖后、治病救人), uniting comrades, and unifying thought. This law has been repeatedly verified in the successive Party rectification campaigns and intra-Party concentrated education activities since the founding of New China. This fully demonstrates that theoretical clarity is not only the prerequisite for the political steadfastness of individual Party members, but also the "purifier" for the entire organization to maintain political unity and consistency of action.
III
Achieving the guarantee of political steadfastness through theoretical clarity requires, above all, taking theoretical cognition as the foundation, persisting in the integration of learning, thinking, and application (学思用贯通) and the unity of knowledge, conviction, and action (知信行统一), and rallying the mighty force for building and strengthening the military through the high degree of unity of thought and will.
Emphasize genuine study to achieve deep knowledge. There is no shortcut to achieving theoretical clarity — it requires genuine and earnest effort in study. For military Party member cadres, theoretical study must be treated as a political responsibility, a spiritual pursuit, and a way of life, studying in depth, studying from the heart, and studying in a grounded manner. One must persist in reading the original works, studying the original texts, and comprehending the original principles, carrying forward the spirit of "squeezing" and "drilling" (挤和钻), settling down to read and re-read, and grasping the theoretical system and core tenets through painstaking effort. One must persist in comprehensive and systematic study, emphasizing the grasp of the systematic and holistic nature of theory, and guarding against seeing only the trees and not the forest. One must always adhere to a problem-oriented approach, studying in connection with the realities of one's work, and being adept at finding ideas, methods, and answers to problems within the Party's innovative theories.
Emphasize self-examination to promote self-renewal. Achieving theoretical clarity must absolutely not stop at mastering some scattered viewpoints and conclusions; one must truly grasp the reasoning, academic principles, and philosophical principles (道理学理哲理) contained therein, and use them to continuously promote self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-elevation. One must regularly use the Party's innovative theories to examine and reflect upon one's inner world, consciously applying them to the introspective examination of why one joined the Party, why one became a soldier, and what it means to be a commander (入党干什么、当兵干什么、为将干什么), persisting in transforming thought through study, elevating one's realm through reflection, and strengthening capabilities through application, continuously improving one's ability to fulfill one's duties. One must deeply implement the "two combinations" (两个结合), integrating the study of the basic principles of Marxism with the study of China's excellent traditional military culture, and continuously elevating the wisdom and capabilities for building a strong military and winning battles within a broader grand historical perspective.
Emphasize steadfast action to strengthen the assumption of responsibility. The fundamental criterion for judging whether one is theoretically clear and politically steadfast is whether one can bravely assume responsibility and promote development in practice. Only through repeated tempering in the great crucible of the practice of building a strong nation and a strong military can theoretical understanding be sublimated into firm political conviction and tenacious fighting spirit. At present, the great struggle we are engaged in is long-term, complex, and severe. It requires Party member cadres to dare to withstand trials amid storms, to step forward in the face of urgent, difficult, dangerous, and arduous tasks, and to hold firm in their stance on safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Military Party member cadres must persist in using the Party's innovative theories to consolidate their foundations and cultivate their roots (固本培元), establish and practice a correct view of political achievements (政绩观), focus on the hard work of achieving the centenary goal of army-building and high-quality advancement of national defense and military modernization, examine real conditions, produce real measures, and seek real results. In the face of contradictions and difficulties in reform and transformation, risks and challenges in construction and development, and various urgent, difficult, dangerous, and arduous tasks, they must dare to press forward in the face of difficulty and charge at the forefront, striving to write a new chapter in the modernization of national defense and the military.
(Written by: Zhou Junjie)