The essence of socialism is to liberate and develop productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and finally achieve common prosperity. The basic characteristics of socialism are:

First, liberate and develop productive forces, and create highly developed productive forces and higher labor productivity than capitalism.

Second, establish and improve socialist public ownership of the means of production, gradually eliminate exploitation and polarization, and finally achieve common prosperity with * * *.

Third, the principle of socialist distribution is distribution according to work. The specific form of distribution according to work can be different in different stages of socialist development, but this distribution relationship is one of the basic characteristics of socialism.

Fourth, the socialist cause should have the leadership of the * * * production party guided by Marxism, establish socialist state power, develop socialist democracy, improve the socialist legal system and build socialist political civilization.

Fifth, develop socialist culture and spiritual civilization under the guidance of Marxism.

Comrade Deng Xiaoping's summary of the essence of socialism is a complete system. "Liberating and developing productive forces" is the starting point. To build socialism, we must first liberate and develop productive forces. In the process of liberating and developing productive forces, through reform and opening up, we will constantly promote the self-development and self-improvement of the socialist system, gradually eliminate exploitation and polarization, and finally achieve prosperity through * * *.

"Liberating and developing productive forces" is the foundation, premise and foundation. It is the material basis for eliminating exploitation, eliminating polarization and finally achieving prosperity.

"Eliminating exploitation and polarization" is both a condition and a way. It is the fundamental requirement and inevitable result of the full development of productive forces. At the same time, it is also an institutional condition to achieve prosperity. Only by eliminating exploitation and polarization can we achieve prosperity.

"Ultimately achieving prosperity with * * *" is the goal and the result. The starting point of liberating and developing productive forces, eliminating exploitation and polarization is to achieve prosperity.

These three basic aspects are inseparable organisms, and it is impossible to fully embody the essence of socialism without any of them.