Removing the economic straitjacket to unleash productive potential
In the early years after the launch of the reform and opening up program, the first issue we had to address was how to tap the economy’s productive potential and to understand the role of productivity in China’s economic development. During his tour of southern cities in 1992, Deng Xiaoping pointed out that socialism was about liberating the economy from its straitjacket, raising productivity, eliminating exploitation and economic polarization, and building common prosperity. The issue of productive potential features prominently in Deng’s theory, a perennial concern in his discussions about the economy. It is also a recurring topic throughout China’s reform and opening up process. In 2002, the 16th CPC National Congress highlighted the importance of removing the economic straitjacket to unleash productive potential as a pillar of the Party’s governance strategy for national development. According to the report to the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, tapping society’s productive potential is a fundamental task, essential for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that our most fundamental and most urgent task is to further tap society’s productive potential by removing all hindrances, in order to build a moderately prosperous society, achieve socialist modernization, and bring about national renewal.
Indeed, a focus on productive potential is key to developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. It provides an important basis for improving the people’s wellbeing and enhancing human development. Only through such a focus can we achieve our strategic goal of building a moderately prosperous society. The Party Central Committee is therefore committed to continuous efforts in this regard.
解放和發展社會生產力
改革開放之初，中國經濟發展首先遇到的就是生產力問題，特別是怎樣理解生產力在中國經濟增長和發展中的作用問題等。鄧小平在1992年“南方談話”中指出：“社會主義的本質就是解放生產力，發展生產力，消滅剝削，消除兩極分化，最終達到共同富裕。”有關生產力問題的表述，貫穿于鄧小平理論形成和發展的始終，貫穿于中國改革開放的全過程。2002年，黨的十六大把“必須高度重視解放和發展生產力”確立為中國共產黨“執政興國”的要義。2012年，黨的十八大報告提出，解放和發展社會生產力是中國特色社會主義的根本任務。習近平多次強調，全面建成小康社會，實現社會主義現代化，實現中華民族偉大復興，最根本最緊迫的任務還是進一步解放和發展社會生產力。
解放和發展社會生產力，是中國特色社會主義的根本任務，是實現人民物質文化水平不斷提高、促進人的全面發展的重要基礎，是實現全面建成小康社會戰略目標的基本途徑。“不斷解放和發展社會生產力”，成為黨中央承擔重大責任、履行莊重承諾的基本立場。
