The Inner Logic of the Changes of the Party Constitution in the Past Hundred Years

As the fundamental law of party governance and the value of the rule of law, the Party Constitution constitutes the basic norms of “rule of China”. Three fundamental laws of “socialism” “nationalism” and “developmentalism” contained in the Party Constitution are the inner clues to understanding the changes in the Party Constitution over the past century. The “socialism” has undergone a transition from a “social revolution” to a new democratic revolution, and from a “continued revolution” to the primary stage of socialism. It overcomes adventurism in temporal order and dogmatism in connotation, and enters a new stage of exploring and defining socialism with “Chinese characteristics”. The “nationalism” in the Party Constitution has the dual connotations of national vanguard and national community, and presents the dual aspects of constitutive nationalism and transcendent nationalism. The “developmentalism” in the Party Constitution has undergone a major transition from salvation to a great rejuvenation in stages, and is realizing the historical leap from traditional developmentalism to new developmentalism in concept. The Party created the Party Constitution, and the Party Constitution is also shaping the Party. Correctly handling the above three fundamental agendas and their inherent tensions are the key to the Party’s creation of the next century.