The phenomenon of neo-Marxism in modern China and its social implications

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to consider the phenomenon of neo-Marxism in modern China and to substantiate its special philosophical and methodological status as a programme of practical materialism. For this purpose, a brief historical and philosophical reconstruction of formation of neo-Marxism paradigm in the Western philosophical tradition has been carried out and its essential differences from the Chinese version of neo-Marxism have been revealed. As the most important stages of this process assimilative neo-Marxism in the late 19 – early 20th centuries, Western neo-Marxism in the 1920–80s, post-Marxism in the 1980–90s and the first decades of the 21st century are recorded. The history of formation and development of neo-Marxism paradigm in its Chinese version is also considered as consisting of three main stages: stage associated with the activities of Mao Zedong and the assertion of his ideas (sinicisation of Marxism), stage including the period of frontal reforming in China and its ideological programme in the context of Deng Xiaoping’s social initiatives, stage supposing the further development of neo-Marxism in China, deepening and concretising its social-practical orientation and the construction of socialism with Chinese specifics. This stage in the development of neo-Marxism in China is associated with the programme of its active modernisation in accordance with the new political course and activities of the Communist Party of China under Xi Jinping leadership. In the article socio-cultural status and role of neo-Marxism ideology in modern China are studied using the analysis of two its fundamental ideas and their refraction in the life of Chinese society. Firstly, this is the sphere of modernisation of the economic basis and the technology of public administration under the aegis of economic equality and social justice. Secondly, this is a programme of frontal using and dissemination of humanistic orientations in politics, culture and education.