The rule of law is an important guarantee for the party to achieve the basic program of the primary stage of socialism. The rule of law and developing socialist democracy, as the construction of the basic objectives of the politics of socialism with Chinese characteristics, are an important part of the basic program of the primary stage of socialism outlined in the 15th Party Congress report. The party's basic program of the primary stage of socialism embodies the basic objectives and policies of socialism with Chinese characteristics, encompassing economic, political, and cultural aspects of party building. Because this program starts from the Party’s basic line in the economic, political, cultural, and other aspects, aiming to build a prosperous, democratic, and civilized modern socialist country as the core objective, therefore, the party's basic objectives and policies for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the economic, political, and cultural spheres are organically unified and indivisible. In this organic unity, the rule of law serves as a fundamental strategy by which the Party leads the people in governing the country, acting as an important guarantee for the party to achieve its basic program during the primary stage of socialism. This is determined by the organic unity of the Party’s basic program and is also the decision for the party to lead the people to achieve the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics into the 21st century.
A rule of law is the way of leadership of the Communist Party of China, representing significant progress in governance and statecraft. The 15th Party Congress report made a scientific definition of the meaning of the rule of law: it is under the leadership of the party that the broad masses of the people manage state affairs and economic and cultural undertakings and social affairs through various ways and forms according to the Constitution and laws, ensuring that the state’s work proceeds in accordance with the law, progressively realizing the institutionalization and legalization of socialist democracy. Such a system does not change due to changes in leaders, nor does it change due to changes in the views and attention of leaders.
The organic unity of the three basic principles:
First, the party’s leadership. This is determined by our people’s democratic dictatorship state system and is also an inherent requirement for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. There is no contradiction between adhering to the party’s leadership and the rule of law; instead, they mutually reinforce each other. The party advocates the rule of law, leading the people in making laws within the scope of the Constitution and laws. The leadership of the Party is the premise of the rule of law, and the rule of law will provide institutional and legal guarantees for the party’s leadership.
Second, promoting socialist democracy. The rule of law is the basic requirement for developing socialist democratic politics. Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out: the people’s democratic dictatorship form of government and the People’s Congress system determine that the main body of the rule of law in our country is the broad masses of the people. All the powers of the country belong to the people, and the Constitution and laws are a concentrated expression of the will of the people. Therefore, the rule of law is an important way to develop socialist democracy and provides basic security, while promoting socialist democracy is an important political foundation for the rule of law.
Third, strictly according to law. Strictly according to law is the basic condition for the rule of law. As the spiritual core of the Party leading the people in the basic strategy of governing the country according to law: the Constitution and the law are the basis and yardstick for the Party leading the people in managing state affairs, developing the Constitution and laws, and conducting activities within the scope of the Constitution and the law. In this spirit, strictly according to law includes two aspects: first, maintaining the authority of the Constitution and laws, protecting the dignity of the Constitution and laws, adhering to equality before the law, where no person or organization has legal privileges beyond the law, forming a system based on the Constitution and laws that does not change with changes in leaders or their views and attention. Second, strengthening the legal system, thereby truly implementing the law, enforcing the law strictly, and prosecuting violators.
Based on the organic unity of the above three basic principles, the rule of law is compatible with the development of socialist democratic politics and building a socialist country under the rule of law. It draws a line with the past when the rule of man was prioritized over the status of the rule of law and also distinguishes itself from the rule of law in Western capitalist countries, representing a style of leadership of the Communist Party of China in leading the people in governing the country and marking significant progress in governance and statecraft. However, this significant progress is not a temporary formation but a long-term practice product of the Chinese Communist Party leading the socialist revolution and construction and exploration, resulting from the party's constant self-summary, self-development, and self-improvement in this process.
Developing socialist democratic politics has always been the goal of the Communist Party of China. But for a very long time after liberation until the reform and opening up, due to various reasons, the development of socialist democratic politics and improving the socialist legal system were neglected in terms of construction and development of the rule of law. Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "It was also not taken seriously..." In such circumstances, socialist democratic politics not only lacked effective development but was seriously distorted, ultimately leading to the occurrence of certain issues. Therefore, he believed that avoiding the recurrence of such issues was crucial. He said...