's leadership art

Author: Wang Ruifang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The book "The Leadership Art of Deng Xiaoping" (published by Heilongjiang People's Publishing House in July 2004) is a systematic evaluation of Deng Xiaoping's leadership art, with a strong sense of history and a strong theoretical foundation. Deng Xiaoping's leadership art was formed through his great practice of revolution and construction over more than 70 years. Without the vast history of China's revolution and construction, it is impossible to fully understand and deeply comprehend Deng Xiaoping's leadership art. The author does not stop at summarizing and analyzing the main characteristics of Deng Xiaoping's leadership art but instead, against the broad historical background of China's revolution and construction in the 20th century, provides a comprehensive discussion of the life activities, great achievements, and theoretical creations of the great figure Deng Xiaoping. The author consciously focuses on Deng Xiaoping's leadership in liberating thought, correcting the course, achieving a great historical turn, and leading reform and opening up, as well as in pioneering socialism with Chinese characteristics. This objectively grasps the pulse of the times and the main thread of history. The book speaks with facts, highlighting the decisions made by the great man in major events, his handling of sharp contradictions, and his actions at critical moments to showcase his superb leadership art. It not only writes about "what to do" but also about "how to do it," revealing his strategic vision from his great achievements and demonstrating his heroic nature in turbulent times.
In Chapter 4, the book evaluates Deng Xiaoping's "cautious yet decisive decision-making power" in his leadership art by discussing seven major events related to correcting the course, reform and opening up, and governing the country, such as rectifying wrong cases, overturning the "two assessments," establishing special economic zones, reducing the army by millions, implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, cracking down on economic crimes, and the "both hands must be strong" approach. This allows readers to deeply understand and appreciate this characteristic of Deng Xiaoping's leadership art from the history of reform and opening up since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee.
Comparing and praising Deng Xiaoping's leadership art is a highlight of the book. The author contrasts Deng Xiaoping's successful journey in leading China's reform and opening up, starting from his "" () approach based on China's realities—from supporting the household responsibility system in rural reforms to promoting urban economic reforms, and from economic system reform to steadily advancing political system reform—with the painful failure of Gorbachev's so-called "new thinking" reforms, which led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the turmoil in Eastern Europe. This deepens the understanding of Deng Xiaoping's theory and his leadership art.
The book also compares Deng Xiaoping with Mao Zedong on certain issues, explaining from a philosophical perspective the basic line established by Deng Xiaoping—"one center, two basic points"—which inherited Mao Zedong's "two aspects theory" while also creatively developing it. The book dedicates two special chapters to discussing Deng Xiaoping's leadership art and ideological line, reflecting the author's profound insights. Because leadership style and methods are not purely an art issue but first and foremost a matter of stance, perspective, and methodology, only by starting from this fundamental point can one truly learn. The author does not provide a general overview but instead,“” (“”), discusses Deng Xiaoping's loyal, pragmatic, and flexible qualities under headings such as "the broad-mindedness of the sea," "the silence and patience of 'hide and bide'," "the controversial 'cat theory'," and "the mystery of 'not debating.'" The author praises his unwavering loyalty to the Party and the people, his selfless and fearless spirit, and his conscious adherence to the ideological line of seeking truth from facts and his mastery of dialectical materialism.
The book, combining history with logic, tells people that if one does not learn from the fundamental world outlook and methodology, there is no way to truly master Deng Xiaoping's leadership art. Deng Xiaoping's exquisite leadership art is the crystallization of the collective wisdom of the Chinese people and a precious spiritual legacy left to the Party and the country by Deng Xiaoping. It is worth all Party members studying and learning from it.