On The Education Of National Spirit In Process Of Modernization

Throughout the ages, the prosperity of a nation is often characterized by an exalted national spirit, while the decline of a nation is always accompanied by low national pride. In our long history of more than 5,000 years, the profound and extensive national spirit has made indispensable contributions to our enduring ancient Chinese civilization and our gradual development and growth. It may well be said that this national spirit has become the spiritual bond and resources for the survival, consolidation and flourishing of our nation.The first two decades of the 21st Century are a period of important strategic opportunities, which we must seize tightly and which offers bright prospects. We are in a fresh developmental process of building a well-off society in an all-round way and accelerating the socialist modernization. After more than two decades of reform and the opening-up, China's overall national strength has been greatly enhanced, this has laid a solid foundation to stand the challenge of globalization. Nevertheless, in today's world, culture, economy and politics blend with each other. The cultural element plays a more and more prominent role in the competition of overall national strength and the national spirit exerts more and more influences in increasing the cohesion of the Chinese people. Therefore, we are required to cultivate an upbeat and aspiring atmosphere within the people of all ethnic groups so as to help our people maintain this soaring mental state. In view of the situation this thesis, under the guidance of the spirit of the 16th national Congress of the Communist Party of China and the " Three Represents ", points out the contemporary value of strengthening the education of national spirit. It is based on the contents of the Chinese national spirit from the perspective of our socialist modernization drive. And finally it puts forward personal views about how to implement this great cause of "carrying forward and cultivating the national spirit." The thesis is divided into four parts:The first part focuses on a brief account of national spirit. The account analyzes comprehensively the meaning of the national spirit, its formation, development and its contents of the time. It states that national spirit means the spiritual vigor and individual characteristics which a nation in general displays. It also encompasses social beliefs, pursuitof values and the prevailing ethical customs which are conformed to by and large and are instrumental in speeding social progress and beneficial to our national interests. At present the national spirit which we are to carry forward and cultivate is "a great national spirit centering on patriotism and featuring unity and solidarity, love of peace, industry, courage and ceaseless self-improvement."Part two analyzes the background of the present era of the national spirit-the socialist modernization drive. The part probes into divergent comprehensions about modernization by the east and the west, mainly discussing the historical process and the characteristics of the times of China's socialist modernization drive. In the meantime, based on deep understanding of the process, this part emphatically maintains that national spirit is the tremendous driving force to push the process forward.Part three elaborates on the values of national spirit education in the modernization process. From the aspects of politics, economy, culture and ecology, it appraised the social values of national spirit education and expounds the significances of the three functions of national spirit education for individuals: satisfying human needs, stimulating human growth and fulfilling the value of humans.Part four is on advancing the education of national spirit. It puts forward the guiding principles, the educational content, operational mechanisms and the safeguard system of the implementation of the national spirit education in the whole process of national education; it points out that the construction of spiritual civilization should provide a cultural medium for natio...