A Study On The Differences Between Socialism With Chinese Characteristics And Democratic Socialism

Democratic socialism thought has the biggest influence in the world’s contemporary socialist movement. It is the most representative thought of reformism. Because of the improvements it made on system and policy of the capitalist countries, and because it is beneficial to working class, it won the recognition in many countries. Because our country’s reform and opening policy, economic and social policies and measures have some similarities with it, and it also has a common "ancestors" with socialism with Chinese characteristics, in recent years, it gradually expanded the influence in China. Someone inadvertently confuse socialism with Chinese characteristics and democratic socialism. Clarifying the difference between them is important to our country’s social system. It is good for ensuring national security and safeguarding national ideology security. Therefore, it has important theoretical and practical significance to advance the study of their differences and similarities.The theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the democratic socialist thought have many obvious differences. Limited by the author’s ability and time, this article selects four angles, i.e, the practice foundation, the core values, the political party, the ownership theory, to talk about the differences between them and make a further comb and comparative analysis.This first part of this paper introduces our country’s academic circles on the comparison of the differences. The author believes that since entering the new century, with more and more communication and exchange, our country’s academic circles can overall tell the difference between them and the views are accurate. But in practice foundation, core values, political view, ownership theory, this four parts need to expand and deepen.The second part of the paper discusses the difference between the practice foundation of socialism with Chinese characteristics and that of democratic socialism thought. From a practical point of view, China’s modernization is a very different practice. China was a backward country. It inevitably is different from democratic socialism in western developed countries in social ideal and system design.The third part of the paper mainly discusses the differences between the core values of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the democratic socialist core values. The core values of socialism with Chinese characteristics are richer in content than democratic socialism core values. This is decided by the realistic need of the Chinese social transition and by the abundant and diversified social development goals. The core value of Freedom and Fairness in literally are the same, but their essence connotation is quite different. We emphasized that freedom, justice are collective. So they are different from the individualist freedom of the democratic socialism.The fourth part of the paper discusses the differences between the concept of political party of socialism with Chinese characteristics and that of democratic socialism. They have different political ideas on political tradition and reality basis. What’s more, the distinction is not a formal part of the problem. It shows if a political party is Marxist.The fifth part of the paper discusses the different viewpoints on ownership of the means ofproduction between theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics and that of the democratic socialism. Mixed ownership economy of China is a mixture of implementation of ownership form, and continues to emphasize the dominant position of public ownership. The fundamental purpose is to develop the public economy, enhance the vitality of the public economy. It is not same as the fundamental economic system of the country of democratic socialism.In this paper, the comparisons between core values and the practice basis of them are innovation. The study did not involve in the past. In addition, I made some discusses on the political party system and ownership thought. It is benefit to provide a new thinking.