1982 Constitution

The Constitution of the People's Republic of China (1982), or the 1982 Constitution, is the fourth constitution of the People's Republic of China, adopted and enacted by the Fifth National People's Congress at its fifth session on December 4, 1982. It is based on the 1954 Constitution. Outdated provisions in the 1978 Constitution were replaced or changed. New provisions were added to reflect the imperative for reform and opening up and socialist modernization.

The 1982 Constitution restores the original wording "the people's democratic dictatorship" to replace "the dictatorship of the proletariat" as the form of government for China. Intellectuals are now included along with workers and farmers as the three major social forces. It provides for the reestablishment of the post of the President, election of the Chairman of the Central Military Commission by the National People's Congress, and the overall responsibility of the Premier over the functions of the State Council. Life-long positions are abolished and term limits instituted on the state leadership, including the National People's Congress and the State Council, so that top officials cannot serve more than two terms. The inviolable human dignity of citizens is acknowledged in a new provision, as is private ownership along with state ownership and collective ownership as indispensable components of the economy. The need to protect legitimate rights and interests of private businesses is affirmed.

The unveiling of the 1982 Constitution paved the way and provided a framework for improving our legal system in an era of reform. It committed us to enhancing the rule of law and protecting human rights, and was of great significance for building a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.

In the ensuing three decades, the constitution has been revised five times in response to new realities, in 1988, 1993, 1999, 2004 and 2018. The latest amendment was adopted by the 13th National People's Congress in 2018. This new amendment represents a solid step forward in promoting the rule of law in a new era. It responds to the needs of our cause and the wishes of the people, and enhances the role of the constitution in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

八二憲法

《中華人民共和國憲法》（1982年），簡稱“八二憲法”，是中華人民共和國的第四部憲法，由中華人民共和國第五屆全國人民代表大會第五次會議1982年12月4日正式通過并頒布。這部憲法以1954年憲法為基礎，糾正1978年憲法中存在的缺點，增加了適應改革開放和社會主義現代化建設的新規定。

八二憲法主要內容包括：將國家性質由“無產階級專政”恢復為“人民民主專政”；將知識分子與工人、農民并列為三支基本的社會力量；恢復設立國家主席；中央軍委主席改由全國人大選舉；國務院實行總理負責制；規定國家、全國人大、國務院領導人連續任職不得超過兩屆，取消了領導職務的終身制；新增“公民的人格尊嚴不受侵犯”的條文；承認國營、集體、個體三種經濟都不可缺少,申明國家保護個體經濟的合法權益等。

“八二憲法”正式開啟改革時代法制建設的大幕，設定法制建設的合法性基礎和邊界，承諾對法治國家與人權保護的追求。“八二憲法”的實行，對建設中國特色社會主義法律體系和制度體系具有十分重要的意義。

根據社會發展的需要，在此后的30多年時間里，“八二憲法”歷經1988年、1993年、1999年、2004年、2018年五次修訂。最新一次修訂是2018年第十三屆全國人大通過第五次修憲修正案。此次憲法修改是新時代推進全面依法治國的堅實一步，符合事業發展需要，順應人民意愿，有助于更好發揮憲法在新時代堅持和發展中國特色社會主義中的重大作用。