Deng Xiaoping about the development strategy

The article reviews the creation of modernization development strategy with Chinese specifics manifested in Deng Xiaoping’s development theory. The authors analyze Deng Xiaoping’s complex approach to development problems, including the issues of economy as the main condition for the success of socialist modernization, and political problems related to the management system. Deng Xiaoping emphasized that the CCP’s leading role should be undoubtedly preserved as an organizational force and stability guarantor. The reforms and openness policy that practically proved its effectiveness became the main instrument of modernization. The vast territory of China and the complexity of assigned tasks demanded a long-term staged planning on the basis of the principle of realistic approach embodied in the socialist primary stage theory, together with the principle of independence in the development model choice, meaning a need for self-reliance when exploiting the global resources. Deng Xiaoping saw the construction of an average income society as one of the major goals. He particularly emphasized scientific and technology progress as a key factor in socialist modernization. The development strategy stipulated the country’s unification and made efficient use of the favorable combination of internal and external conditions as a historical chance to kickstart development. Despite the difficulties in implementation, the reforms provided China with unprecedented growth of productive forces and allowed the country to reach a new qualitative development level which created the conditions for the final stage of the socialist modernization expected by the middle of this century.