Core values of socialism
Since China began its reform and opening up, it has perceived and interpreted socialism from the angle of values. Deng Xiaoping reiterated more than once that neither pauperism nor egalitarianism is socialism, still less is polarization, and that without democracy or legal system there can be no socialism. Jiang Zemin said that people's all-around development is essential for building a new socialist society. Hu Jintao pointed out that social fairness and justice are the essential requirement of socialism, that social harmony is the salient feature of Chinese socialism, and that the Scientific Outlook on Development is a philosophy that puts people first.
On November 8, 2012, the 18th CPC National Congress called for a major drive to foster the core values of Chinese socialism, as represented at three different levels for the state, for society, and for individual citizens. At the state level, China must be a country with prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony. For society, it should be one of freedom, equality, justice and the rule of law. And for individual citizens, we need patriotism, professionalism, integrity and good will.
The core values of socialism, as an aggregation of these goals, are an essential part of the socialist ideology and define the ideological and intellectual pursuits of the socialist system. They embody the essence of advanced culture, and are the true expressions of the value of the path, theories and institutions of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In the core values of socialism, we have found answers to important questions: what kind of a country and society do we want to build, and what kind of a citizenry do we need to develop? To develop and promote the core values of socialism, we must first start with education, to make sure that these values become part of our daily life and that they are rooted in the traditional culture in which we as Chinese take such great pride.
社会主义核心价值观
改革开放以来，我们始终注重从价值的角度来认识和理解社会主义。邓小平反复指出，贫穷不是社会主义，平均主义不是社会主义，两极分化不是社会主义，没有民主就没有社会主义，没有法制也没有社会主义等等；江泽民提出，人的全面发展是社会主义新社会的本质要求等等；胡锦涛提出，社会公平和正义是社会主义制度的本质要求，社会和谐是中国特色社会主义的本质属性，以人为本是科学发展观的核心等等。2012年召开的党的十八大则明确提出了培育和践行社会主义核心价值观的根本任务，强调要倡导富强、民主、文明、和谐，倡导自由、平等、公正、法治，倡导爱国、敬业、诚信、友善。社会主义核心价值观把涉及国家、社会、公民三个层面的价值要求融为一体，体现了社会主义意识形态的本质要求，体现了社会主义制度在思想和精神层面的质的规定性，是当代中国精神的集中体现，凝结着全体人民共同的价值追求。社会主义核心价值观深入回答了要建设什么样的国家、建设什么样的社会、培育什么样的公民的重大问题。培育和践行社会主义核心价值观，要以培养担当民族复兴大任的时代新人为着眼点，强化教育引导、实践养成、制度保障，把社会主义核心价值观融入社会发展各方面，转化为人们的情感认同和行为习惯。