Building a Harmonious Socialist Society

Social harmony is an essential feature of Chinese socialism. It is a symbol of strength, prosperity and national wellbeing.

Enhancing social harmony was set as a goal in the report delivered to the Party's 16th National Congress in November 2002. At its fourth plenary session in September 2004, the 16th CPC Central Committee envisioned "building a harmonious socialist society" a historic task and part of the Party's effort to enhance its governance capacity. At its fifth plenary session in October 2005, the 16th CPC Central Committee specified requirements and policies for fulfilling this task, describing it as a major task for implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development.

In October 2006, the 16th CPC Central Committee concluded its sixth plenary session with a decision on major issues in building a harmonious socialist society, which rolled out the guidelines, objectives, principles, and main plans for completing the task by the year 2020. The document described a harmonious society as having democracy and rule of law, fairness and justice, integrity and friendship, vitality and order, and harmony between man and nature.

The objectives and main tasks include the following:

?There is greater socialist democracy and rule of law, law-based governance is fully exercised, and the people's rights and interests are respected and protected;

?The urban-rural and inter-regional development gaps have been narrowed, there is rational and orderly income distribution, and the people lead a better-off life with increasing family assets;

?There is full employment, and a social security system covering urban and rural residents is in place;

?Basic public services and government administration have been improved;

?The morality, political integrity, education and health conditions of the whole nation have been improved, with good social ethos and harmonious relations among the people;

?Society-wide creativity in an innovative country is taking shape;

?There is a better system of social management, with law and order;

?Resources are utilized efficiently, and the eco-environment is much improved; and

?The Chinese society has become better-off, with the population of more than 1.3 billion living in harmony, each fully displaying their abilities and enjoying their share.

Building a harmonious socialist society is a strategic task the CPC has set for itself based on the overall plan for developing Chinese socialism and building a society of moderate prosperity. It is also a requirement of China's reform and development at a critical stage, and embodies the fundamental interests and shared aspirations of the Chinese people. With the addition of this strategic task, the three-sphere integrated plan encompassing economic, political and cultural development was expanded to also cover social progress, becoming a four-sphere integrated plan, thus expanding the reach of Chinese socialism.

構建社會主義和諧社會

社會和諧是中國特色社會主義的本質屬性，是國家富強、民族振興、人民幸福的重要保證。2002年11月，中共十六大報告第一次將“社會更加和諧”作為重要目標提出。2004年9月，中共十六屆四中全會首次提出構建社會主義和諧社會的歷史任務，并將其作為加強黨的執政能力的一個重要內容。2005年10月，中共十六屆五中全會把構建社會主義和諧社會確定為貫徹落實科學發展觀必須抓好的一項重大任務，并提出了工作要求和政策措施。

2006年10月，中共十六屆六中全會作出《中共中央關于構建社會主義和諧社會若干重大問題的決定》，提出到2020年構建社會主義和諧社會的指導思想、目標任務、工作原則和重大部署。《決定》提出構建社會主義和諧社會的總要求，即民主法治、公平正義、誠信友愛、充滿活力、安定有序、人與自然和諧相處。《決定》指出，到2020年，構建社會主義和諧社會的目標和主要任務是：社會主義民主法制更加完善，依法治國基本方略得到全面落實，人民的權益得到切實尊重和保障；城鄉、區域發展差距擴大的趨勢逐步扭轉，合理有序的收入分配格局基本形成，家庭財產普遍增加，人民過上更加富足的生活；社會就業比較充分，覆蓋城鄉居民的社會保障體系基本建立；基本公共服務體系更加完備，政府管理和服務水平有較大提高；全民族的思想道德素質、科學文化素質和健康素質明顯提高，良好道德風尚、和諧人際關系進一步形成；全社會創造活力顯著增強，創新型國家基本建成；社會管理體系更加完善，社會秩序良好；資源利用效率顯著提高，生態環境明顯好轉；實現全面建設惠及十幾億人口的更高水平的小康社會的目標，努力形成全體人民各盡其能、各得其所而又和諧相處的局面。

構建社會主義和諧社會，是中國共產黨從中國特色社會主義事業總體布局和全面建設小康社會全局出發提出的重大戰略任務，適應了中國改革發展進入關鍵時期的客觀要求，體現了廣大人民群眾的根本利益和共同愿望。構建社會主義和諧社會戰略任務的提出，使中國特色社會主義事業總體布局，由社會主義經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設“三位一體”發展為社會主義經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設“四位一體”，從而使中國特色社會主義的發展模式更加清晰。