Four Cardinal Principles

History

The Four Cardinal Principles were emphasized in the 1981 Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party since the Founding of the People's Republic of China and were enshrined in Constitution of China in 1982.

Content

The principles include:

1. The principle of upholding the socialist road.
2. The principle of upholding the people's democratic dictatorship.
3. The principle of upholding the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
4. The principle of upholding Marxism–Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.

Influence

Such principles marked a relaxation of control over ideology. In stating the four cardinal principles, an implication was that these four topics could not be questioned, but political ideas other than those in the list could be debated. Moreover, while the principles themselves are not subject to debate, the interpretations of those principles are.

On the other hand, the principles were proclaimed as a sign of adherence to the communist ideology, thus paving the secure way to reevaluation of the Cultural Revolution while preserving ideological stability and legitimacy of the CCP as a response to the Democracy Wall movement.

References

References

1. (2000). "The Modern Chinese State". [[Cambridge University Press]].
2. Deng, Xiaoping. "UPHOLD THE FOUR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES (excerpts)".
3. (June 22, 2011). "'Four Cardinal Principles'".
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5. Karl, Rebecca E.. (2010). "Mao Zedong and China in the Twentieth-Century World: a Concise History". [[Duke University Press]].
6. Song, Yuehong. (2015-04-25). "Sì xiàng jīběn yuánzé cóng tíchū dào xiě rù xiànfǎ".
7. (23 May 2025). "Caveman Marxists: Frank Dikötter on Whether China Is a Fiery Dragon or a Paper Tiger". Hoover Institution.
8. Borst, Nicholas. (2025). "The Bird and the Cage: China's Economic Contradictions". [[Palgrave Macmillan]].
9. ACRadmin14. (26 February 2015). "Opening China to the World: Deng Xiaoping, the Democracy Wall and the Four Cardinal Principles {{!}} All China Review".