The Party leads everything

The Party leads everything (Chinese: 党领导一切; pinyin: Dǎng lǐngdǎo yīqiè) is a political slogan used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to signify its leadership over the People's Republic of China (PRC), Chinese social organizations, and various aspects of society.

A sign on the streets of Yantai City, Shandong, reads "The Party leads everything, including the Party, government, military, people, and education, in the east, west, north, south, and center."

History

A similar phrase was first used during the Second Sino-Japanese War.^[1] On September 1, 1942, the Politburo of the CCP passed the "Decision of the CCP Central Committee on Unifying the Party Leadership in the Anti-Japanese Base Areas and Adjusting the Relationship between Various Organizations", which stated: "The Party is the vanguard of the proletariat and the highest form of proletarian organization. It should lead all other organizations, such as the army, government and mass organizations."^[2]

The phrase was used during the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong. At the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in 1962, Mao said "the seven areas of industry, agriculture, commerce, education, military, government, and the Party, the Party leads everything. The Party must lead industry, agriculture, commerce, culture and education, the military, and the government".^[3][4]

The term was downplayed under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. At the 12th Party National Congress in 1982, the CCP constitution deleted the phrase and replaced it with "the party mainly leads politics, ideology, and the organization".^[5] The phrase was revived under the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping. At the 19th Party National Congress in 2017, Xi said:^[6]

Party, government, military, civilian, and academic, north, south, east, west, and center, the Party leads everything.

The phrase was incorporated to the CCP constitution during the congress.^[7][8]

Under Xi Jinping's general secretaryship, an increasing share of laws passed by the National People's Congress explicitly affirmed the leadership of the CCP, with the share increasing from 4% in 2018 to nearlt 70% in 2024.^[9]