Three Represents

The Three Represents, officially the Theory of Three Represents, is a political doctrine that defines the role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Chinese society. It legitimized the entry of the new social strata, including private business owners and bourgeois elements, into the CCP. The theory was first introduced by Jiang Zemin—then the General Secretary of the CCP—on 25 February 2000, while he was on the inspection tour in Gaozhou, Guangdong. During Jiang's leadership, the Three Represents was officially described as the "Marxism for contemporary China" and the development of Marxism–Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. The theory was ratified by the party at the 16th Party Congress in November 2002. It was also added to the Chinese Constitution on March 14, 2004. The doctrine led to a co-optation strategy by the CCP in order to integrate elites, such as entrepreneurs with skilled expertise, into the CCP. This strategy has been seen as essential to win the support of the economic and political elites, as well as crucial for the party's long-term survival and success in promoting economic modernization.