Since the reform and opening up, human rights and science & technology have been the two wings or wheels driving the rapid development of Chinese society. Without human rights protection, there would be no goal for social development; and without progress in science and technology, there would be no driving force for social development. Therefore, the development of human rights in contemporary China is inseparable and dialectically unified with the development of science and technology. On the one hand, the development and progress of science and technology is the source of motivation for the development of the cause of human rights in contemporary China, and can be seen as a foundation for the protection of human rights in contemporary China. The development and progress of human rights, on the other hand, has posed higher demands on the development of science and technology. Thanks to the positive interaction between the development of human rights and of science and technology, it has been able to promote the harmonious development of material, political, spiritual, social and ecological civilizations in contemporary China.

 

 

Marx attached great importance to science and technology and pointed out that science and technology were part of the productive forces. In the process of the Chinesization of Marxism, Marx’s view that science and technology are the productive forces has been carried forward and developed. Especially since the reform and opening up, leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state have paid much attention to the view, and have made innovative developments to it. As early as 1986, Deng Xiaoping pointed out that “In developing science and technology, we must work together. Science is indispensable to realizing the hopes of mankind, to freeing the third world from poverty, and to maintaining world peace.” 215 In 1988, Deng Xiaoping put forward the idea that “Science and technology are primary productive forces”. 216 In addition, Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of CPC’s Central Committee, stressed in his discussions on science and technology innovation that innovation is the primary driving force in leading development, and that science and technological innovation is a strategic support for improving social productivity and comprehensive national strength, and must be placed at the heart of the overall national development. Historically, the emergence and development of human rights has been closely related to the development of social productivity, instead of being a matter of moral concepts, and this is also where the contemporary Chinese view of human rights differs significantly from that of the West.

 

 

Human rights protection is a complex social system project. State sovereignty, market economy, democratic politics, human rights education, construction of rule of law and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind have an important role in human rights protection. Firstly, independent national sovereignty is a basis for human rights protection. The modern history of China shows that without national sovereignty, people are displaced and have no protection not only for their health and development, but even for their lives. Secondly, a sound market economy is the economic basis for the protection of human rights. The economic base determines the superstructure. In order to safeguard human rights, it is necessary to accumulate wealth. Thirdly, civilized democratic politics is the political foundation for human rights protection. The operation mode of public power defines the nature of human rights protection.

 

Different modes of operation of public power will lead to different kinds of human rights protection. Fourthly, the rich and diversified human rights education is the educational foundation for human rights protection. Only when human rights awareness is raised in a society will people be aware of the rights to which they are entitled as human beings and will fight for the realization of these rights. Fifthly, effective construction of rule of law is the legal foundation of human rights protection, and the rule of law is the ideal model of human rights protection. Where there is no rule of law, there will be no full protection of human rights; where the rule of law is violated, there will be a serious crisis of human rights. The fundamental aim of the comprehensive rule of law is the comprehensive protection of human rights. Sixthly, building a community with a shared future for mankind is a global environment for the protection of human rights. In the era of globalization, the protection of human rights cannot be achieved by just one country, but requires the joint efforts of the international community, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind provides a good international environment for the protection of human rights. Thereinto, the development of science and technology are closely related to the achievements of these conditions. If science and technology progress, these conditions will be better, while if science and technology lag behind, these conditions will be deficient.

 

 

Time is changing and human rights are progressing. The main contradiction in contemporary Chinese society has been transformed into a contradiction between the people’s growing need for a better life and the unbalanced and inadequate development. The greatest human right is the people’s right to live happily. In order to fully realize the people’s right to a happy life, the development of human rights in contemporary China has put forward higher requirements for innovation in science and technology, requiring it to cover all fields including material, political, spiritual, social and ecological civilizations.