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The Analysis of the Value of Lenin’s “Theory of Inculcation” in the Process of Chinese Modernization — Based on What Is to Be Done? (Burning Questions of Our Movement)

New Exploration of Ideology and Politics / 2026,8(1): 1-14 / 2026-01-30 41 24

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• Authors: Yu Chen¹ Xu Ou ²
• Information:

  1. The school of Marxism, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
  2. The school of Marxism, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China

• Keywords:
  Lenin; Theory of Inculcation; Ideology; Cultural-Ethical Advancement Construction
• Abstract: Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the central leadership collective with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has based itself on the “two overall situations”, coordinated and promoted the cause of the Party and the country, achieved historic achievements and undergone historic changes, and the historical process of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization has been continuously developing. Lenin’s “What Is to Be Done? (Urgent Questions of Our Movement)” is a classic text of Marxism on the construction of the proletarian party. Taking the text of What Is to Be Done? as the research object, this paper systematically sorts out the core essence of Lenin’s “Theory of Indoctrination”. By combining the connotative characteristics of Chinese modernization and its ideological and cultural needs, drawing on the ideology of “the Theory of Indoctrination” and applying it to China’s ideological work and the construction of cultural-ethical advancement, holds significant value for advancing Chinese modernization. When “the Theory of Indoctrination” is put into practice, it plays a role in multiple dimensions: at the level of ideological guidance, it solidifies the theoretical foundation of Chinese modernization; at the level of consensusbuilding, it integrates the social forces for Chinese modernization; at the level of risk prevention, it resists the interference of deconstructive value orientations in modernization; and at the level of talent cultivation and empowerment, it fosters the builders of Chinese modernization. Therefore, inheriting and developing the ideological essence of Lenin’s “Theory of Indoctrination” bears great practical significance for advancing ideological construction and consolidating the spiritual foundation of Chinese modernization.
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.35534/neip.0801001 (registering DOI)
• Cite: Cheng, Y., & Ou, X.(2026). The Analysis of the Value of Lenin’s “Theory of Inculcation” in the Process of Chinese Modernization—Based on What Is to Be Done? (Burning Questions of Our Movement). New Exploration of Ideology and Politics, 8 (1), 1–14.