Discussions on socialism and its potential future forms, must place socialism in the context of existing historical processes, in the context of industrialised mass production, and analyse the complex interaction between the ideal of equality and the material realities of production. China’s socialist project has passed through two phases, under Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping; today, it must construct a ‘Socialism 3.0’ that builds upon the previous eras and addresses their shortcomings, by advancing working-class interests and combating inequality.