As follows:

The presentation of the characteristics of the times is one of the basic contents of Marxist-Leninist theory. The so-called era refers to the different historical stages of the development of human society. The so-called characteristics of the times refer to the basic state of international political and economic relations adapted to a specific era and the basic characteristics determined and reflected by the basic contradictions in the world.

Because of the different basis of division, people have different understanding of the times and its characteristics. Marx divided different eras by different modes of production, and called the historical era at that time the "modern bourgeois" era.

Lenin, on the other hand, combined the mode of production with the world revolutionary situation to divide the historical era, and explained it as "the difference between the two eras is extremely obvious" between bourgeois revolution and imperialism. Therefore, the basic connotation of Lenin's view of the times is the main content and basic characteristics of world political economy in a specific historical stage.

Marx once said: Problems are the slogan of the times. An advanced political party is always good at listening to the voice of the times and solving the problems raised by the times. A qualified leader should have a deep sense of problems, find problems in practice, ask questions in exploration, face problems with historical courage, study problems with a responsible attitude, answer questions with political wisdom, and promote the solution of problems with the spirit of practice.