Abstract
“Everyone is kind to each other, everyone is equal, and the world is shared by people; it is just like a society of great harmony” [Kang YouWei: Book of Great Harmony, Beijing, China Pictorial Publishing House, January 2012. Mao Tse-tung quoted the book in 1949. He commented that the ideal of “great world harmony” espoused by Confucius, Kang YouWei, and Sun Yat-Sen will only ever be a utopia, and that they “have not found, and it is impossible to find, the way to great harmony. The bourgeois republic has been embraced by foreign countries, but will not be embraced by China because China is a country oppressed by imperialism, and the only way is the People’s Republic led by the working class” (Mao Tse-tung: On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship (June 30, 1949), see Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, 2nd edition, p. 1471, Vol. 4, Beijing, People’s Publishing House, 1991)]. Comrade Xi Jinping commented, “let the masses jointly share the achievements of reform and development, which are the essential requirements of socialism, the centralized reflection of the superiority of the socialist system, and an important reflection of the fundamental purpose of our party in serving the people’s heart and soul” [Xi Jinping: Speech by President Xi Jinping at the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (Excerpts), Qiushi, No. 1, 2016]. Shared development means to firmly insist on a path of common prosperity and to promote all-round human development. It also means to achieve development for the people, development relying on the people, and development success shared by the people (Hu Jintao: Hold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive for new victory of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way—report at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, October 15, 2007).
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- 1.
Kang YouWei: Book of Great Harmony, Beijing, China Pictorial Publishing House, January 2012. Mao Tse-tung quoted the book in 1949. He commented that the ideal of “great world harmony” espoused by Confucius, Kang YouWei, and Sun Yat-Sen will only ever be a utopia, and that they “have not found, and it is impossible to find, the way to great harmony. The bourgeois republic has been embraced by foreign countries, but will not be embraced by China because China is a country oppressed by imperialism, and the only way is the People’s Republic led by the working class” (Mao Tse-tung: On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship (June 30, 1949), see Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, 2nd edition, p. 1471, Vol. 4, Beijing, People’s Publishing House, 1991).
- 2.
Xi Jinping: Speech by President Xi Jinping at the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the 5th Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee (Excerpts), Qiushi, No. 1, 2016.
- 3.
Hu Jintao: Hold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive for new victory of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way- report at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, October 15, 2007.
- 4.
In the China Human Development Report 2015, the UN Development Program defines the new stage of human development as promoting inclusive development by social innovation. Based on the target population involved in inclusive development, social innovation in inclusive human development is divided into three stages: the first stage is the limited inclusive human development stage centered on economic growth (18th century to the early 20th century); the second stage is the golden age of inclusive human development stage of developed countries centered on social development (the 1920s to the 1970s); and the third stage is the differentiation stage of inclusive human development (since the 1980s).
- 5.
Confucius imagined an ideal society as follows: “when a supreme political ideal is implemented, the world is shared by people. People of noble morality and capable people are selected, strive for integrity, and are trained for harmony. Therefore, people not only love others as they love their loved ones, but also treat the children of others as their own children, so as to allow old people to complete their natural life span, middle-aged people to work for society, and young children to grow up comfortably, and so that old men without wives, old women without husbands, children experiencing the death of their parents, old people without sons and the disabled, can all get support. Men have positions, and women have homes to return to. Regarding money and goods, people do not like to cast them aside, but do not always try to possess them. People do not believe in avoiding contributing to the workforce, but do not always seek their own personal gains. Therefore, treacherous plans will not be made, nor will theft, rebellion, and victimization. Thus, people do not need to close their doors. This is called great harmony.” Road Trip. Confucius considered a world of great harmony to be a utopian ideal, and instead believe it was possible build a moderately prosperous society in the real world, a lesser ideal than a world of great harmony.
- 6.
Kang Youwei believed that capitalism was not the ultimate goal of human beings, but rather a “constitutional monarchy” followed by a higher stage of social development, namely a “world of great harmony” in which the great harmony of humans was realized, all boundaries and differences were eliminated, and everyone was equal and happy. This included “a world where all nine boundaries were eliminated”. These boundaries are as follows: national boundaries, class boundaries, race boundaries, shape boundaries, family boundaries, industry boundaries, disorder boundaries, category boundaries, and bitter boundaries. See Kang YouWei: Book of Great Harmony, Shenyang, Liaoning People’s Press, 1994.
- 7.
See Sun Wen: Three Principles of the People, book collected by Hanwen Guild Hall, 1927.
- 8.
Mao Tse-tung: “They have not yet found, and it is impossible to find, the way to great harmony. The bourgeois republic has been embraced by foreign countries, but cannot be embraced by China because China is a country oppressed by imperialism, and the only way is the People’s Republic led by the working class”. This historical conclusion was reached by Mao Tse-tung on the eve of the founding of New China in 1949 (On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship (June 30, 1949), see Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung 2nd edition, p. 1471, Vol. 4, Beijing, People’s Publishing House, 1991.
- 9.
In October 1955, Mao Tse-tung stated that, “our goal is to enable our country to achieve greater development, and to become richer and stronger than it now is. Now, our country is neither rich nor strong, and it is a very poor country… we must implement such a system and such a plan so that we can get richer and stronger year after year. To be rich is to have common prosperity and to be strong is to have common strength… We are sure about common prosperity, other than failing to know tomorrow’s events today.” Mao Tse-tung: Speech at the Symposium on Socialist Transformation Problems of Capitalist Industry and Commerce (October 29, 1955), see Collected Works of Mao Tse-tung, pp. 495–496, Vol. 6, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1999.
- 10.
The World Bank pointed out in its China Investigation Report in the early 1980s that overall, China’s earlier development idea and the current system have created a very equal society. The report found a very low degree of urban income inequality in China, and that there was no extreme poverty in urban areas. In the first 10 years after the revolution, measures were taken to significantly reduce the degree of inequality and poverty in rural areas. Twenty years later, rural income distribution may be more unequal. World Bank Delegation: China: Development of the Socialist Economy (Chinese version), Beijing: China Financial and Economic Publishing House, 1983.
- 11.
It is stated that “I will always insist on my belief” in the Analects of Confucius.
- 12.
“God gives air to the earth, the earth generates all things after absorbing the air, and the interests thereof reach everywhere by every possible means. Only by changing trends and seizing opportunities can we keep pace with the times” in the “symbol of gain” of the Book of Changes.
- 13.
On December 6, 1979, Deng Xiaoping stated at his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira that, “we seek to realize four modernizations, which are four Chinese-style modernizations. The concept of our four modernizations is not like the concept of your modernizations, but the moderately prosperous family…By the end of the century [the 20th century], even if China reaches a per capita gross national product (GNP) of USD$,1000, China will still be in a moderately prosperous state by that time. China is only a moderately prosperous country”. (see Deng Xiaoping: The Goal of China in the Century Is to Achieve Moderate Prosperity” (on December 6, 1979), 2nd edition, pp. 237–238, Vol. 2, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1994.
- 14.
Deng Xiaoping: Carry Out Adjustment Policy, Guarantee Stability and Unity (December 25, 1980), see Collected Works of Deng Xiaoping, 2nd edition, pp. 237–238, Vol. 2, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1994.
- 15.
On March 25, 1984, Deng Xiaoping met with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and stated that, “quadrupling and a per capita GNP of USD$800 means to build a moderately prosperous society in China by the end of this century. A moderately prosperous society represents Chinese-style modernization. Quadrupling, a moderately prosperous society, and Chinese-style modernization are our new concepts.” (see Deng Xiaoping: Development of Sino-Japan Relations Shall See Further (December 24, 1984), see Collected Works of Deng Xiaoping, p. 54, Vol. 3, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1993.
- 16.
In 1987, the report of the 13th National People’s Congress further developed the concept and goal of attaining a “moderately prosperous level”, and predicted that China’s proportion of the world per capita GNP would be significantly improved by 2000. The report also stated that junior middle school education would be commonplace in cities, towns, and most rural areas, and that senior high school and vocational and technical training equivalents would be available in large cities. The Chinese people would by then enjoy moderately prosperous lives. See Party Literature Research Center of the CPC Central Committee: Selected Works of Important Literatures since the 13th National Congress, p. 16, 1st Vol. Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991.
- 17.
Party Literature Research Center of the CPC Central Committee: Selected Works of Important Literatures since the 13th National Congress, p. 16, 1st Vol. Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 1991.
- 18.
The report of the 15th CPC Congress stated that the late 1990s until the first decade of the 21st century (1997–2010) was a critical period for China to realize its second-step strategic goal and to stride forward to the third step. Looking forward to the 21st century, China’s goal for the first decade (2010) was to double China’s 2000 GNP so that the people’s moderately prosperous life was more comfortable, and to create a perfect socialist market economy system. Over the following 10 years, and marking 100 years since the founding of the CPC (2021), the national economy will be further developed, and various systems will be improved. One hundred years after the founding of New China (2049), it is hoped that the desired modernizations will have been achieved, and that we have created a prosperous, strong, democratic, and civilized socialist country. Jiang Zemin: Report at the 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, CPCCC Party Literature Research Office: Selected Works of Important Literatures since the 15th National People’s Congress, 1st Vol. Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 1999.
- 19.
The report of the 16th Party Congress predicted that by 2010, further improvements would have been made to the economic aggregate, national strength, and people’s lives. This will lay a solid foundation for greater development over the next 10 years. By 2020, it is hoped that China will have quadrupled its 2000 GDP, and significantly enhanced its national strength, and international competitiveness. A further aim is to reach a higher level of moderate prosperity benefiting a population of billions. By the mid-20th century, China will have realized its modernization aims, and have transformed into a prosperous, strong, democratic, and civilized socialist country. Jiang Zemin: Build a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, and create a new situation of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics—Report at the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, see CPCCC Party Literature Research Office: Selected Works of Important Literatures since the 16th National Congress, pp. 14–16, 1st Vol. Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 2005.
- 20.
The report of the 17th Party Congress stated that when the goal of building an all-round moderately prosperous society is realized in 2020, China, a country with an ancient civilization and long history, and as a large developing socialist country, will become a country in which industrialization is largely achieved, its national strength is significantly enhanced, and the scale of its overall domestic market will be the largest in the world. China will be a country with people enjoying greater levels of prosperity, significantly improved quality of life, and a good ecological environment. China will be a country where people enjoy more democratic rights, and a high level of civilization and spiritual pursuit. It will be a country in which key systems will be further improved, and society is more dynamic, stable, and united. China will become a more open country, with greater affinity and able to make significant contributions to human civilization. Hu Jintao: Hold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive for new victory of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way—report at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (October 15, 2007), Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 24, 2007.
- 21.
Hu Jintao: Speech at a Meeting Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC (July 1, 2011).
- 22.
In 1949, the Common Program stipulated that “all nationalities in the People’s Republic of China are equal”, designed to implement a system of regional national autonomy, namely “integrated pluralism”, which is pluralism under a unitary system. This institutional arrangement organically combines national autonomy and regional autonomy, and not only contributes to ensuring the completeness and unity of a state, but also gives play to the desire of ethnic minorities for autonomy in autonomous regions under the leadership of central government. The integration provides the foundation, and the pluralism is based on integration. The EU also follows “pluralism in integration”. For example, various member states are sovereign countries, have the freedom to exit, and are “quasi-super national entities”. The so-called integration is based on pluralism, and includes market integration and economic integration. However, this is “quasi-integration” or “semi-integration”, and includes monetary semi-integration (16 countries use the Euro), official language diversity (24 official languages), political pluralism, financial diversification, national defense diversification, and diplomatic diversification.
- 23.
Hu AnGang, Yang YiLong & Wei Xing of National Conditions Research Center of Tsinghua University: 2030 China: Towards A Common Prosperity, p. 10, Beijing: China Renmin University Press, 2011.
- 24.
Hu AnGang: China: New Development Concept, Hangzhou: Zhejiang People’s Publishing House, 2004.
- 25.
According to the author’s forecast using three methods (exchange rate method, present price; purchasing power method, present price; purchasing power method, international USD price in 1990), by 2020 China’s per capita GDP will be equivalent to 20–40% of that of the United States; (Hu AnGang, Yang YiLong & Wei Xing of National Conditions Research Center of Tsinghua University: 2030 China: Towards A Common Prosperity, pp. 112, 135, Beijing: China Renmin University Press, October 2011) The Engel coefficient of nationwide residents will be reduced from 30.6% (2015 rate) to about 27%, which signifies a richer consumption structure.
- 26.
Outline for Development-oriented Poverty Reduction for China’s Rural Areas (2011–2020) stated that by 2020, the overall goal for the alleviation of development-oriented poverty in China is to “consistently provide enough food and clothing to those in need of poverty alleviation, and to guarantee compulsory education, basic medical care, and housing”, abbreviated as the “two enoughs and three guarantees”.
- 27.
National Bureau of Statistics: 2015 China Statistical Abstract, pp. 58 and 60, China Statistics Press, 2015.
- 28.
Hu AnGang, Wang ShaoGuang & Kang XiaoGuang: Regional Disparities in China, Shenyang: Liaoning People’s Publishing House, 1995.
- 29.
The first world refers to Shanghai and Beijing, where the income level is higher than the average level of high- and middle-income countries. The second world refers to Tianjin, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Liaoning, where the income level is higher than the average level of low- and middle-income countries, but is lower than the average level of high- and middle-income countries. The third world refers to Hebei, northeast China and the central region of northern China, where the income level is higher than the average level of low-income countries, but lower than the average level of middle-income countries. The fourth world refers to the poverty-stricken areas in central and western regions, ethnic minority areas, rural areas, and remote areas in China where the income level is below the average level of low-income countries (see Hu AnGang: Region and Development: New Strategy of Western Development, Beijing: China Planning Press, 2001).
- 30.
United Nations Development Programme: Human Development Report 2015, Table 1, United Nations, 2015.
- 31.
United Nations Development Programme: Human Development Report 2015, Table 1, United Nations, 2015.
- 32.
According to the World Social Protection Report 2014 of the International Labour Organization, at present, only 27% of the global population has access to relatively complete social security, 39% have no medical security, and 49% of those reaching retirement age have no retirement pension. Furthermore, 72% of all workers receive no unemployment insurance benefits as prescribed by law, 60.6% of the workforce has no injury insurance, and 48% of older populations receive no pensions. Online international report forwarded by Xinhuanet: http://www.xj.xinhuanet.com/2014-06/03/c_1110962069.htm, June 3, 2014.
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Hu, A., Yan, Y., Tang, X. (2018). Shared Development. In: Xi Jinping's New Development Philosophy. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7736-4_6
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