Socialism and Social Movement

Li Dazhao's lecture notes for the course "Socialism and Social Movement" lectured in the two departments of the Peking University,i.e, the Politics Department and the Economics Department. The full text is about 45,000 characters. The recorder Shao Chunxi, native of Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, was a third-year student of the Department of Economics at that time (enrolled in 1921, graduated in 1925) and the revisers were Fang Xing and Gu Tinglong. This article discussed nine questions: (1) The definition of socialism; (2) All kinds of misunderstandings of socialism; (3) The distinction between socialism and populism; (4) The relationship between socialism and the art of study; (5) The socialists of France in the 19th century; (6) The socialists of England in the early period; (7) The Christian socialists; (8) Fabian Society; (9) Guild Socialism. The first, second and third parts are dominant in the whole article. Li Dazhao's elaboration is of great significance in dispelling doubts.

(1) Definition of socialism. After examining the origin of the term "socialism", Li Dazhao wrote: "What is mentioned here is a socialist system, which is ideal, not mature and considerable, but is intended to be realized at present and in the future. However, if a correct definition of socialism is required, we must study its process. He also wrote that the “movement is then based on scientific socialism, this base must be real, and therefore can be divided into three categories of politics, law and economy from a social perspective”; “In terms of politics, it is necessary for the dictatorship of the proletariat in order to meet its purpose”; “In terms of law, the old economic life and order, such as the private ownership and the inheritance system, must be abolished and eliminated, on the other hand, a new economic life and order should be stipulated, and the capital property law and the private ownership should be changed into a system of the public ownership. In terms of economics, it is necessary for the working people to satisfy their desires and receive full benefits. So, it can also be divided into the two factions of communism and collectivism. The results observed from the above two aspects, as they are, explain again the misunderstandings of the parties.”

(2) Misunderstandings about socialism. Li Dazhao enumerated eight kinds of misunderstandings about socialism in the society, and explained and corrected them one by one. (A) Some people misunderstand socialism as sociology, and do not know that socialism is a law to transform society and a system to promote social improvement. (B) Some people misunderstand that socialism and anarchy are one and same thing. In fact, socialists require the government to have a kind of power and to extend it in order to ensure that everyone enjoys great amount of equality and freedom. (C) Others misunderstand that socialism and communism have one and same meaning. In fact, there is a difference between the two, that is, the methods and the scope used by socialism and communism are different. (D) Now that socialism has reached the stage of implementation, people think that there will never be competition after the implementation of socialism. The society progresses by competition. Good competition is pleasant and tasteful, it cannot be done without it. (E) It is also wrong that there is no family in socialism. In fact, socialism does not destroy the family. There is the desire to establish families in the country, more perfect than the present family. Because of the leisure time, there are all kinds of facilities and amusement by running a household. (F) Some people suspect that after socialism is implemented the powers of the state and society will increase, while individual freedom will be easily infringed upon, and as a result, socialism will become a yoke. This is also a misunderstanding. The purpose of socialism is to safeguard and expand freedom, and to provide greater freedom to the farmers and workers. (G) Some people say that socialism destroys producers is also a misunderstanding. Socialism is a turn from individual production to social production, from manual production to machine production, and its progress is first-rate. Therefore, socialism is not about destroying production, but for progressive and suitable production, that is, arranging production, making it return to be unified and avoid chaos. (H) Others say that socialism is immoral. Because such a doctrine is built on resentment and hatred, socialism has such a force of influence, and it seems that it is not very kind. However, in the light of the facts, the suppression of the bourgeoisie as resentment is, as far as the other side is concerned, mutual assistance, love, not hatred, and happiness for the majority of people.

(3) On the ideal of socialism. In this part, Li Dazhao pointed out that the "ideal of socialism", “since different countries have different conditions, we are required to practice what is suitable and to put into effect a new system that combines generality with particularity (generality refers to what is universal and particularity to what is specific). When socialism takes place in China in the future, it will be different from socialism in Britain, Germany, and Russia.”

In subsequent Part 4 to Part 8, Li Dazhao's elaboration also possessed some unique features. The article considerably reflects Li Dazhao's knowledge of the fundamentals of Marxist theory and his level of understanding of socialism and social movement as a grand and complex objective matter under the guidance of the materialist view of history. And his unique understanding of the "ideal of socialism" is then one of the sources in the flow of the theory of Sinicized Marxism-socialism with Chinese characteristics. This article was later included in Volume 4 of the Complete Works of Li Dazhao, People's Press, 2006, edited by the Li Dazhao Research Association of China.