How is the Chinese Communist Party named?

The Communist Party of China was formally established on July 23, 1921. The early organizations in various parts of the Communist Party of China were initiated and established by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao in the south and north respectively. They were called "South Chen and North Li, and met to build the party" in history ".

In the writings on party history and newspaper propaganda, most people believe that the first early organization of the Communist Party of China established in Shanghai was called the Communist Party. In fact, when the Communist Party of China was first established, it was called the Socialist Party, and then it was renamed the Communist Party.

Written records at that time

In August 1920, after the establishment of the party's Shanghai initiating organization, "New Youth" has become the organization's official publication since Volume 8, No. 1. In the "New Youth" published on September 1, 1920, Chen Duxiu's "My Opinions on the Current Affairs" was published. In his article, he said: "Yesterday two young people who believe in socialism asked me for their opinion on the current situation", "I briefly stated the following in the opinion of a socialist: 'Our party's attitude towards the law is neither as superstitious as the jurists are, nor as the anarchist party rejects it at all; we hope ...... for the day when there will be socialist legislation and the emergence of a workers' state '". Chen Duxiu's article was definitely written in August, because the Shanghai initiating organization of the party was not formally established in July, and the magazine was published on September 1. The article still calls "our party" the "socialist party".

On May 1, 1921, the ninth section of the propaganda material "May 1" distributed by the Beijing Communist Organization recorded: "On that day, the trade unions and socialist parties in Shanghai also held celebrations. Although they were arrested and disbanded several times, after all, More than a thousand people attended the meeting, and more than a dozen speakers scattered more than 10,000 leaflets." In fact, the socialist party, which was founded in Shanghai, has been renamed the Communist Party for more than half a year.

The names of European socialist parties at the time

At that time, the names of European socialist parties were mostly socialist or labor. When Russia founded the party in March 1898, it was called the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party and renamed the Communist Party in March 1918.

On January 24, 1919, the Russian "Pravda" No. 16 published the "Invitation for the First Congress of the Communist International." This material proves that of the 39 political parties, groups and factions invited to participate in the Congress at that time, the Socialist Party and the Workers' Party were still in the majority. In February 1921, representatives of the Socialist Party of 13 countries also established the "Socialist Party International Workers' Union" in Vienna ".

In August 1920, when the Shanghai initiating organization of the party was established, due to the complex social composition of its members and Chen Duxiu's lack of understanding of the international communist movement, the early organization of the party was called the Socialist Party according to the usual name of most European political parties.

Memories of the parties concerned

Zhang Shenfu, who worked with Li Dali and Chen Duxiu at Peking University, was one of the earliest members of the CCP. In the spring of 1921, he introduced Zhou Enlai and Liu Qingyang (female) to join the party and was one of the leaders of the Paris Communist Group. After the founding of New China, he repeatedly recalled some situations in the early days of the founding of the party.

In an interview with the author in March 1982, Zhang Shenfu said: "the Shanghai initiating organization of the party was formally established in the first and middle of August 1920, and it was called the socialist party when it was established. In early and mid-August 1920, Li Dazhao and I received a letter from Chen Duxiu informing us that the party had been established and asked us to recruit party members in the north. Regarding the name of the party, he said that when the party was beginning to be built, in addition to those who believed in communists, there were also Hu Hanmin, Dai Jitao, Zhang Dongsun and others, as well as some anarchists, so it was called the Socialist Party, and the Communist Party was afraid that they would not be able to accept it. Now they have all quit. He is not sure whether they are called the Socialist Party or the Communist Party. He has to discuss with Li Dazhao and me. Li Dazhao told me that the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party has been renamed the Communist Party, and some other countries that were originally called the Socialist Party are also being renamed the Communist Party, and asked me to write back to Chen Duxiu, not the Socialist Party, but the Communist Party. The letter was sent from Beijing in mid-to-late August. When I went to Shanghai to pick up Russell of England on September 16, I lived in Chen Duxiu's home on No.2 Yuyangli and talked about the name of the party. Chen Duxiu said: 'After receiving your letter, I will change my name to the Communist Party according to Shouchang and your opinions.'"

From the written records, historical background and Zhang Shenfu's memories at that time, it seems to be concluded that the Shanghai initiating organization of the party began to brew in May and June 1920 and was established in August. Its name was the Socialist Party and it was renamed the Communist Party before September 16. Therefore, the Beijing Communist Party group established in early October of the same year, the monthly Communist Party, the organ publication of the Shanghai initiating organization founded on November 7, and the Manifesto of the Communist Party of China formulated by the Shanghai initiating organization of the same month all use the name of the Communist Party. Since the name of the Socialist Party was not long, and there were not many party members at the beginning of the party's Shanghai founding organization, this period of history was rarely mentioned later.

Source: "Party History Expo"