Socialist Spiritual Civilization: Sacralization of Politics and Desacralization of Religion in Contemporary China

Abstract

Since the end of the Maoist period, facing an ideological crisis, the Chinese Communist Party has been waging a campaign to 'build spiritual civilization' in tandem with the 'material civilization' of economic reforms. “Socialist spiritual civilization” encompasses ideological orthodoxy as well as education, culture and tasteful consumption. It legitimizes popular movements that are inspired by Chinese culture and religion, while revitalizing a nationalist discourse on Chinese civilization. Far from being just an empty slogan, the campaign is a model of political mobilization that tries to orient cultural and popular movements, even religious, in the direction of a productive relationship with the Party, strengthening its mode of governmentality, which thus passes from a revolutionary mobilization around the class struggle, towards a privatized and proactive company for the rebirth of Chinese civilization, largely supported by the population. In this framework which instrumentalizes the cultural and popular movements for the economic and political objectives of the Party, religion is desecrated and put at the service of a Party which remains more than ever the transcendent and sacred base of the community.