The Mass Line: An Important
Methodology Used by China to Promote
the Development of Ecological
Civilization in the Past 70 Years
Yunfei Zhang
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China
has creatively used the mass line to promote the development of an ecological civilization. It attached great importance to promoting the development of ecological civilization through mass efforts. It not only launched environmental (green) campaigns with
Chinese characteristics, but also built an environmental (green) governance system
with Chinese characteristics. The mass line provides strong and lasting driving forces
for the development of an ecological civilization in China.
1 Innovations in Applying the Mass Line to Ecological
Civilization Development
The CPC led the Chinese people through various revolutions, construction processes,
and reforms and based on this proposed the mass line, which is a combination of the
epistemology of Marxism and Marx’s view on the masses: The Party must serve the
needs of the masses, rely on the masses for its strength, and draw inspirations from
the masses. The mass line is one of the most important tools of the Party. Since the
founding of the People’s Republic of China, the CPC has used the mass line in a
creative way to promote the development of an ecological civilization.
In the early days of the People’s Republic of China, the CPC, led by Mao Zedong,
used the mass line in environmental governance. In 1952, Zhou Enlai proposed to
engage the masses in soil and water conservation. In 1957, Mao Zedong proposed the
Patriotic Health Campaign. In 1957, Zhu De proposed to call upon the masses to plant
trees across the country. In addition, the water conservancy authorities proposed in the
Y. Zhang (B)
National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
School of Marxism Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_6
71
Methodology Used by China to Promote
the Development of Ecological
Civilization in the Past 70 Years
Yunfei Zhang
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Communist Party of China
has creatively used the mass line to promote the development of an ecological civilization. It attached great importance to promoting the development of ecological civilization through mass efforts. It not only launched environmental (green) campaigns with
Chinese characteristics, but also built an environmental (green) governance system
with Chinese characteristics. The mass line provides strong and lasting driving forces
for the development of an ecological civilization in China.
1 Innovations in Applying the Mass Line to Ecological
Civilization Development
The CPC led the Chinese people through various revolutions, construction processes,
and reforms and based on this proposed the mass line, which is a combination of the
epistemology of Marxism and Marx’s view on the masses: The Party must serve the
needs of the masses, rely on the masses for its strength, and draw inspirations from
the masses. The mass line is one of the most important tools of the Party. Since the
founding of the People’s Republic of China, the CPC has used the mass line in a
creative way to promote the development of an ecological civilization.
In the early days of the People’s Republic of China, the CPC, led by Mao Zedong,
used the mass line in environmental governance. In 1952, Zhou Enlai proposed to
engage the masses in soil and water conservation. In 1957, Mao Zedong proposed the
Patriotic Health Campaign. In 1957, Zhu De proposed to call upon the masses to plant
trees across the country. In addition, the water conservancy authorities proposed in the
Y. Zhang (B)
National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
School of Marxism Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_6
71