Inheritance of model worker spirit from generation to generation

Model workers are the elite of the nation, the model of the people and the hero of the Republic. Since 1950, China has held 16 commendation conferences, commending more than 34,000 national model workers and advanced workers.

Spirit is immortal because of inheritance. Chinese traditional culture has always respected the recognition of labor practice, the inheritance of labor spirit and the dissemination of labor culture. In all historical periods when our Party unites and leads the people in revolution, construction and reform, model workers have always been a shining group among the working class in China. They have practiced the spirit of model workers, labor spirit and craftsman spirit with practical actions, and encouraged the broad masses of working people to strive to be strugglers in the new era with enthusiasm, enterprising spirit and hard work. Take them as examples, love their jobs, be determined to innovate, be brave in taking responsibility and make selfless contributions, and every worker can play the song of workers who create a better life in his post.

The century-long struggle history of our party is engraved with the glorious course of the formation and development of model worker spirit, labor spirit and craftsman spirit. Turning the page of the history of new China, a large number of images of model workers who love their jobs and devote themselves selflessly float before our eyes, with ordinary but shining names, and workers who work hard and devote themselves selflessly, building a magnificent building of socialism brick by brick. Since 1950, China has held 16 commendation conferences, commending more than 34,000 national model workers and advanced workers.

Model worker spirit, labor spirit and craftsman spirit were conceived in the revolutionary war years, formed in the period of socialist revolution and construction, developed in the new period of reform and opening up, and flourished in the new era of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, becoming an important part of the Communist Party of China (CPC) people’s spiritual pedigree.

As early as 1930s, the Party launched a production movement in full swing in the Soviet area. In the 1940s, the Party launched the "Great Production Movement" and the "New Laborer Movement" in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, and advanced figures such as Zhao Zhankui, a worker in the border region, and Wu Yunduo, a pioneer in ordnance industry, emerged. After the founding of New China, in the vigorous patriotic labor competition, "Blast Furnace Guardian" Meng Tai, "Iron Man" Wang Jinxi and other labor models emerged. After the reform and opening up, a large number of model workers and advanced workers, such as "blue collar expert" Kong Xiangrui and "gold medal worker" Dou Tiecheng, actively participated in the reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and made outstanding contributions to the country and the people. The selection of model workers emphasizes the promotion to the development of productive forces. Intellectuals and scientific and technological workers, such as Deng Jiaxian and Chen Jingrun, have created a new model worker image of "being brave in innovation and being the first". With the establishment of the market economy system in Socialism with Chinese characteristics, the model worker selection method is more scientific, the standard is more reasonable, the scope is wider and the scale is more stable. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the selection of model workers has shown a prosperous situation of "a hundred flowers blossom and glorious bloom", and a large number of model advanced figures, such as Gao Fenglin, Ju Xiaolin and Zou Bin, engraved with the imprint of the new era, continue to emerge. In the national model worker commendation in 2020, the proportion of front-line workers and enterprise technicians has reached 71.1%. The model worker spirit of "love and dedication, strive for first-class, work hard, be brave in innovation, be indifferent to fame and fortune and be willing to contribute",Together with the spirit of labor and artisans, it has become an important part of the Communist Party of China (CPC) people’s spiritual pedigree, inspiring more workers, especially young people, to establish the concept of lifelong learning, pay close attention to the frontier knowledge and technological progress of the industry, study hard, study deeply, and constantly improve their technical skills.

Nowadays, model workers can create brands and win prizes, and the "model worker innovation studios" and "skill master studios" let innovation and wisdom flow in full. The craftsmen of big countries are persistent, dedicated, meticulous and pursue Excellence, and achieve their dreams with hard work, showing their extraordinary in the ordinary.

Entering the new development stage, whether it is to implement the new development concept, build a new development pattern, promote high-quality development, or promote the common prosperity of all people, in the final analysis, we must rely on hard work, honest work and creative work. On the new journey, more than ever, we need to vigorously carry forward the spirit of model workers, labor spirit and craftsman spirit, give full play to the role of the working class as the main force, drive the whole society to work hard together, and gather strong positive energy for winning new victories in building a socialist modernized country in an all-round way.

(The author is the dean and researcher of the School of Labor Education of China Institute of Labor Relations, interviewed by our reporter Yi Shuran)

People’s Daily (May 1, 2023, 05 edition)