On the Coordinated Development of Spiritual and Material Civilizations

In his report to the Party Twelfth National Congress, Comrade Hu Yaobang pointed out that simultaneous to the construction of a high level of material civilization efforts must also be made to build a high level of spiritual civilization. This is an issue related to the strategic policy of building socialism. The historical experience of socialism and realities in China today tell us that whether or not this policy can be adhered to will have a bearing on the rise or fall, success or failure, of socialism. Why should we raise the question to such a high plane? How can a high level of spiritual civilization be built simultaneously with a high level of material civilization? In advancing a coordinated development of the two, this article tries to inquire into the above problems and provide some theoretical explanations.