Canonizing Xi Jinping Thought: Ideological Engineering and its Real-World Relevance

Of the five leadership generations ruling the People’s Republic of China (PRC), none of the paramount party-state leaders saw such a swift and systematic elevation to the pantheon of Communist Party ideologists as that of Xi Jinping. It took decades for Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory to be included in the national and party constitutions. Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao were merely granted contributions to party theory that did not bear their name - the Important Thought of “Three Represents” and the Scientific Outlook on Development, respectively—after a decade in power. In the case of Xi Jinping, however, the process of canonisation of his Thought started immediately following his installation as the new secretary-general at the 18th Party Congress in late 2012.
This chapter delineates the canonisation process of what would come to be known as “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” (a.k.a. Xi Jinping Thought). The objective is not only to illustrate the ever-growing importance of party ideology in contemporary China, but also to highlight the real-world implications of a process that might appear opaque and parochial, yet intersects closely with political, economic, social and cultural developments at home and abroad.