Foreign Marxism

Contemporary fundamental theories, currents and schools of Marxism abroad.

Since its emergence 170 years ago, Marxism has undergone a transformation from a theoretical form to a practical form and then to an institutional form, as well as a process of spreading and developing from parts of the world to the whole world. The combination of the fundamental principles of Marxism with the concrete practice of one's own country is an important feature and historical trend in the development of Marxism. Due to the distinct national conditions of different countries, in the process of combining the fundamental principles of Marxism with the unique practice of one's own country, various fundamental theories, currents and schools of Marxism with their own respective characteristics have been formed, fully reflecting the diversity and vividness, the generality and the particularity of the process of development of Marxism and also fully embodying the great power of truth and strong vitality of Marxism, and shows that Marxism still has an irreplaceable role to play in the understanding and transforming of the world by mankind and in pushing forward social progress.

The principles of Marxism on the materiality of the world and its laws of development, human society and its laws of development, and the nature of knowledge and its laws of development have profoundly influenced the course of human history and people's mind. As the founders of Marxism, Marx and Engels have great influence even in today’s western world. Since the emergence of Marxism, people have studied Marxism from different perspectives. Especially, the communists in some countries have greatly promoted the development and enrichment of Marxism in the process of combining the universal truths of Marxism with their own national practice. Marxist scientific socialism has changed from a theory to a reality and evolved continuously. Since the dramatic changes in the Soviet Union and East Europe, although the international communist movement has suffered serious setbacks, Marxist schools of thought and related studies have not ceased, but have become more active. Various theories, currents and schools of Marxism are still in full swing and represent a colorful scene.

The two concepts, Foreign Marxism and Foreign Marxism Studies are both connected and different. Foreign Marxism is the general term for the thoughts and theories, currents, and schools that uphold the fundamental principles of Marxism in foreign countries. Although each school within this trend has its unique national characteristics, they all share certain common characteristics of upholding the fundamental principles of Marxism. Those thoughts and theories, currents and schools which do not uphold, disapprove of, or even oppose or criticize the fundamental principles of Marxism do not belong to or cannot be called foreign Marxist thoughts and theories, currents, schools; the concept of Foreign Marxism Studies is much broader in its outreach, which includes both those thoughts and theories, currents and schools which uphold the fundamental principles of Marxism, as well as those which do not uphold, disapprove of or even oppose or criticize the fundamental principles of Marxism.

In the contemporary world, there are three chief aspects in the Foreign Marxism Studies: first, the Marxism studies by foreign communists in the light of the changes of the times and the reality of their own countries, including the studies of the communist parties in developed and developing countries, and the theory and practice of the ruling communist parties in the socialist countries, which is the principal and fundamental aspect; second, the Marxism studies by left-wing scholars who hold a critical attitude towards capitalism; third, studies related to Western Marxism that criticize both capitalism and real socialism, especially Leninism, and so on. Among these studies, some have achieved abundant theoretical results, especially their critical revelation of the structural contradictions of capitalism, as well as the contradictions of the mode of production, class contradictions, social contradictions, etc., and their in-depth analyses of the crisis of capitalism, the process of its evolution, and the new features of the new form of capitalism and its new changes and its essence, which have deepened the people's understanding of the trend of development of the changing trends and destiny of contemporary capitalism, and have made an important contribution to the development of Marxism. Some doctrines and currents, though not scientific, are after all an objective reflection of the complicated and changing times, and had or still have a greater impact in real life, even posing a serious challenge to Marxist theory.

The study of contemporary foreign Marxism is conducive to absorbing and drawing on the latest achievements in the contemporary Marxism studies, scientifically analyzing various doctrines and currents related to Marxism, and fully understanding the scientific nature of Marxism in comparative discernment, thus having a positive effect on deepening the understanding of Marxism, advancing the theoretical study of Marxism, and developing 21st-century Marxism and contemporary Chinese Marxism. The positive results of those unscientific doctrines and currents of thought can also provide useful nourishment for the intellectual, theoretical and methodological innovation of philosophical and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, and it is necessary to pay close attention to and study their new results without adopting a generalized attitude of rejection, while at the same time analyzing and distinguishing between them and not copying them wholesale.

As a specific disciplinary major, in the Chinese Academy, Foreign Marxism Studies is a secondary discipline within the first-level discipline of Marxist Theory, which is a neighboring disciplinary major to the disciplinary majors of Fundamental Principles of Marxism, History of the Development of Marxism, Scientific Socialism and the International Communist Movement, and History of the CPC Party and Party Building, etc., but it focuses on the study of contemporary Marxist theories abroad, both examining their historical connection with Marxist theory and also paying attention to the analysis of the changes and evolution of Marxist theory in the contemporary world and its impact on the world socialist movement.

See Western Marxism on p. 844.