Congrès Marx International VI, septembre 2010, Section Philosophie, Chen Xue-ming
On Research of "Western Marxism" in China
Chen Xue-ming
School of Philosophy Fudan University, Shanghai, PRC, 200433
，86-21-65642639
"Western Marxism" came in China in 1970s when Chinese people were getting rid of the constraints of "the Great Cultural Revolution" and its theoretical basis, that was theory of continuing revolution under the proletariat dictatorship, and emancipating people's mind through. "Western Marxism" has had its ups and downs during the last 30 years, and becomes a famous school of thought nowadays in China. "Western Marxism" is famous not only in academia but also in political and business areas. Earlier it was mainly philosophical and aesthetic scholars who were studying "Western Marxism", but today, experts in economy, sociology, politics, and even science of management are talking about it. Undeniably, "Western Marxism" is having increasing influence.
1. The importance of studying "Western Marxism" in China nowadays
A theory can be widespread just because it can satisfy social needs. "Western Marxism" can get so quickly into the mainstream of Chinese words and attract so many experts and scholars to study it just because it has a certain illuminating sense to contemporary China. Contemporary China is practicing a great Socialist process of modernization with leading theory of Marxism, which has been emphasized repeatedly by both China's constitution and the party constitution of Chinese Communist Party. What matters is that what contemporary China needs is not Marxism dogmaticized and misunderstood but Marxism with modernization and sinicization. For the triumph of Chinese Socialist process of modernization, Marxism must be modernized and sinicized.
Clearly "Western Marxism" has incalculable importance for us to get rid of dogmatic and wrong understanding of Marxism and to realize Marxist modernization and sinicization. The core of "Western Marxism" is to reinterpret Marxist system in a new social tendency. Theorists on "Western Marxism" combine organically "to return to Marx" and "to push Marx forward": to search for the "spirit " of Marxism constantly and grasp Marxist position, ideas and method rightly and comprehensively on the one hand; to try to achieve Marxist modernization and push Marxism forward constantly, and locate the method of "saving Socialism" in the union of Marxist theory and reality on the other hand. Their basic position to Marxism and their basic methods of studying Marxism and their achievements about Marxism attract widespread attention of Chinese academia, especially Marxist fields. People in the process of studying Marxism has sucked all good things from "Western Marxism" from different perspectives. Undeniably, the achievements of research on Marxism in the last 20 years in China will be impossible without the illuminating function of "Western Marxism".
We develop our Socialist modernization with the demonstration of western modernization. Countless facts have told us that China must reach modernization and Chinese people must enjoy the fruits of modern civilization, but China can't copy the pattern of western modernization and China must seek out a new way to modernization which can maximize positive effects and minimize negative effects. Besides to illustrate Marxism, "Western Marxisism" criticizes contemporary Capitalism form various angels. We can't just contribute the meaning of research on "Western Marxist" critical theory to "helping us to see contemporary Capitalist nature", but should think about carefully the meaning of "Western Marxist" critical theory for China's development of Socialist modernization. It means that the study of this theory can constantly remind us that western modernization programme is in question and china's modernization programme is fresh but it also has problems and it has paid a heavy price. We must dare to face and fully realize the problems in the process of modernization as "Western Marxism" has done and cannot be blind at them. "Western Marxist" theorists so sharply criticize and disclose the negative effects in the process of pursuing modernity and they aim at making people seek for advantages while avoiding disadvantages: to fully enjoy modernity on the one hand, to put the price down to a minimum on the other hand. All these insights are admired by many contemporary chinese scholars and have a great role in the exploration of chinese-style of modernizatio.
2.To grasp the spirit of "Western Marxism" in comparison among three interpretations of Marxism
The key to studying "Western Marxism" is to grasp its spirit. If we grasp the spirit, we just can make a good judge, and thus assimilate the essence and reject the dross. Chinese academia finally identifies the nature of "Western Marxism" by comparison of "Western Marxism" with other Marxist trends.Since the birth of marxism, there have been three different interpretations of marx's thought and "Western Marxism" is one of them.
The first direction of interpretation was represented by some thinkers from the Second International. They believed that Marx wanted to deny the legitimacy of philosophy and Marx's theories were mainly about sociology and economics, deriving from Marx's words of "destroying" and "ending" philosophy in some books. Then they looked at Marxism from the perspective of positivisism and scientism and explained Marxism as a "science " like other sciences.
The second direction of interpretation was represented by some thinkers from the Third International. They didn't deny Marxism as a philosophy just because of Marx's words of "destroying" and "ending" philosophy, but they were blind at Marx's critique and beyond of modern philosophy. They red Marxism from the perspective of modern philosophy and thought that Marxist philosophy was still exploring the oder of spirit and substance and was characterized by the divide between subject and object.
The third direction of interpretation was created by "Western Marxist" theorists. They opposed both the interpretation of some theorists from the Second International and that from the Third International. They strongly disagreed with getting philosophy out of Marxism. They believed what marx wanted to "destroy "and "end" was modern metaphysical philosophy and thus Marx set his new philosophy and ontology. To deny philosophy in Marxism would inevitably lead Marxism to positivism without foundation. At the same time, they firmly opposed to identify Marxist philosophy with modern metaphysical philosophy and emphasized that Marx's philosophical revolution had basically overcome western metaphysical mode of thinking.
After researching for many years, many Chinese scholars have realized that the third direction of interpretation is not perfect but it is the first one to be aware of the mistake and harm of denying Marxist philosophy, especially of modern metaphysical mistake of understanding Marx's philosophy, and thus is the first one to explore the boundary between Marx's philosophy and modern metaphysical philosophy.
Some domestic scholars think that discussion about Marxism is actually discussion about the three directions of interpretation. Because the first and second directions of interpretation have been predominant for a long time, the third direction of interpretation has always being fighting with them. There have been three big impacts since 1920s, 1930s: The first one was in 1920s, 1930s. Then, the early representatives of "Western Marxism", Lukacs, Korsch and Gramsci, contributed the reasons of failures of revolution to the Second International's and the Third International's misunderstanding of Marx's philosophy by exploring the lessons of frequent failures of proletarian revolution and turned to criticize these systems of interpretation; The second was in 1960s, 1970. Then Frankfurt School and East European New Marxism which was represented by Yugoslav "Praxis" group echoed each other. They combined the critique of Soviet rigid model of political system and critique of the interpretation system as "official ideology" of Soviet Union and East European countries tightly together ; The third was in 1980s, 1990s. Then a number of young researchers raised the political critique of "cultural revolution" to philosophical critique. Their critique of "the textbooks system of Marxist philosophy" actually put the first and second interpretation systems in question.
3. The lastest theoretical achievements of Western Marxism summed up by academia in China
After the drastic changes in soviet union and Eastern Europe, many Chinese researchers of Western Marxism have insisted on tracking-studying Western Marxism and timely summed up and absorbed the latest researches of Western Marxism. These latest achievements are mainly manifested in the following three aspects ：
The first thing is about the study of marxism itself. Among which the study of Marxist reality especially attracted Chinese scholars' attention. We think that the following three demonstrations have strong conviction and especially enlighten us: Firstly, to demonstrate with the reason that Marx's theory has become a valuable heritage of knowledge repositories of mankind； Secondly, to demonstrate with the reason that in modern Capitalist society the immanent contradictions are becoming increasingly acute；Thirdly, to demonstrate with the reason that current world needs Marxism as signpost to go ahead. The greatest achievements made by theorists of Western Marism are to clarify "the alive" and "the dead" in Marxist theories after the dramatic changes in Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Their such researches also attracted Chinese reasercheres' attention. We observe that while Western Marxist theorists reveal what has been out of date in Marx's theories they vigorously promote the theoretical ideas with great vitality: Firstly, Marx's theory about the critique of Capitalism; Secondly, the theory relating to the overall development of human being; Thirdly, the theory about the relationship between human and nature. Everyone thinks that Western Marxists highlight these theoretical ideas in Marx's huge and rich theoretical systems and show their real meaning and vitality, and thus they have made important contributions to Marixsm.
The second thing is about the study of Socialism.We recognize that it is Western Marxist main theory about Socialism to put forward two concepts of "market Socialism" and "ecological Socialism". In summing up Western Marxist researches on "market Socialism", some Chinese scholars specially emphasize that Western Marxist theorists' confirmation about the union of market and Socialism is a major revision and development of traditional Socialist theories. Some scholars also suggest that it is important that they not only generally confirm the possibility of union of market and Socialism but also put forward many illuminating ideas about how to combine market and Socialism in detail. For example, they believe that people's livelihood and equality are Socialist essence, and the union of market and Socialism is the union of people's livelihood and equality; They stress that the negative effects resulted from market just can be avoided if Capitalist market economy is transformed into Socialist market economy. While in summing up Western Marxist researches on "ecological Socialism", some Chinese scholars agree with Western Marxist basic position: Ecological crisis mainly results from Capitalist mode of production, that is mode of production aimed at maximum of profit, but Capitalist motive for profit will necessarily damage ecological environment. At the same time, we also pay attention to the fact that Western Marxist theorists reform the basic contents of Socialism from a new point of view, and thus make important contributions to Socialist theory of Marxism. The main contributions are as follow: They believe that economic ration must be replaced by ecological ration; They believe that Socialism must guide people to be satisfied not in consumption but in production; They emphasize that Socialism must replace the relationship between "more" and "better" by relationship between "better" and "less"; They argue that Socialism must make all human being's labour and free time activities be rich in significance.
The last one is about contemporary Capitalism. Many Chinese scholars think that Western Marxist latest researches are embodied by the summing up of the latest trends and characteristics of contemporary Capitalism and their corresponding critique: Firstly, contemporary Capitalist is "global Capitalism"; Secondly, contemporary Capitalism is "casino Capitalism"； Thirdly, contemporary Capitalism is "digital Capitalism"; Fourthly, contemporary Capitalism is "consuming capitalism"； Fifthly, contemporary Capitalism is "turbine Capitalism"; Sixthly, contemporary Capitalism is "new Imperialism".
4.We need to redefine the concept of "Western Marxism"
The concept of "Western Marxism" is popular nowadays, but the meaning of this concept is quite uncertain. This largely because of its uncertainty in western world itself. It leads to endless discussion around the concept of "Western Marxism" and prevents us from maximizing the achievements of researching on it to some extent.
In summary, there are about four ways for the west to use "Western Marxism":
Firstly, to use it as a regional concept, that is to identify "Western Marxism" as "Marxism of the west". A former Yugoslav scholar once said that Marxism can be classified as "eastern Marixsm", "western Marxism" and "Marxism of the third world" in an international conference. "Eastern Marxist" included Marxism in such Socialist countries as Soviet Union, East European countries and China; "Marxism in the third world" referd to Marxism in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America; "Western Marxism" meant Marxism in developed countries in Europe and America and it included not only independent Marxist theory but also the theories of Communist Parties in these countries.
Secondly, to use "Western Marxism" as "new Marxism" apart from its regional meaning, so do Canadian scholar, Ben Agger. Those who use the concept of "Western Marxism" like this emphasize that all new Marxist theories which are beyond the scientific Socialism of the Second International, Leninism of the Third International and Trotskyism of the Fourth International, whether they are in east or west, can be titled with "Western Marxism".
Thirdly, to emphasize that "Western Marxist" main characteristic is to locate their concern in philosophy and aesthetics based on recognizing "Western Marxism" as a regional concept. The explanation of the concept of "Western Marxism" made by Perry Anderson, a British new left theorist, is widely popular in west world. He studies "Western Marxism" mainly from the transformation of themes and concerned issues, that is to identify the difference between "traditional Marxism" and "Western Marxism" by differing the themes of economy, politics and philosophy.
Fourthly, to emphasize the opposition between "Western Marxism" and Leninlism based on recognizing it as regional concept, so do Korsch, the founder of "Western Marxism" and Merleau- Ponty who plays important role in promoting "Western Marxism".This usage is accepted by many people in west world. A Dictionary of Marxist Thought edited by Tom Bottomore defines "Western Marxism" as follow: "The philosophical and theoretical formulations of Western Marxism merged into political formulations that challenged LENINISM."