From Dream To Reality - The Origin And Development Of The Theory Of Well-off Society

President Jiang Zemin pointed out in his address at the 16th National Congress of China's Communist Party, "thanks to the joint effort of the Party and the whole nation, we have successfully realized the goals set for the first and second Phases of our Three-Phase Modernization Strategy. Chinese People are now generally well-off. It signifies a great victory for socialism. It is also a milestone in the development of China as a great nation." To achieve the designated goals of the third development phase and to promote the country's socialist undertaking onto a new height, the Central Committee of China's Communist Party has called upon the whole nation to embark on an all-round development program towards the creation of a Well-off society and a new phase of socialist undertaking with Chinese characteristics. It is a new and aspiring blueprint. The Well-off Society Chinese People have been dreaming of for thousands of years is coming true. The theory of building a Well-off society in an all-round manner bears close relationship with China's traditional concepts of "Xiaokang" and "Datong"1, while demonstrating fundamental differences in content. This theory, with theories including Marxism and Leninism as its guidance and with China's great practice in socialist development as its basis, is by no means utopia. The "Well-off Society" theory, proposed at the 16th Party's Congress, is characterized by distinctive concepts of all-round and sustainable development, by high feasibility and appreciation of human values. To materialize the Well-off Society, there is no alternative but to commit ourselves to the socialist development in terms of economy, politics and culture, and to the Party's self-improvement as well.