Content and Form

A pair of categories that reflects things from the two aspects of their constituent elements and modes of expression and their relationship. Content refers to the sum total of all intrinsic elements that constitute things, including the various inner contradictions of things and the features, the process of motion and the trend of development of things determined by these contradictions. Form refers to the structure that unifies the elements of the content of things or the mode of manifestation of content. Everything is a unity of content and form.

Content and form is a relation of dialectical unity. Content is the basis for the existence of things, and content determines form. Fundamentally speaking, as the content is, so the form will be; when a change in content occurs, the form must also change accordingly sooner or later. The form of things also has a reaction upon the content. A form appropriate to the content acts as a positive lever of the development of the content, while a form inappropriate to the content acts as a negative fetter upon the development of the content. The contradiction between content and form permeates the process of development of things from beginning to end, from basic appropriateness to basic inappropriateness at first, and then, as the contradiction is resolved, to a new basic appropriateness.

It is of great methodological significance to correctly grasp the relation between content and form. In practice, particular attention should be paid to the content of things, and the form should be constantly changed according to the development of the content. We should be adept in adapting to the needs of content, in choosing, using and creating the best forms according to different times, places and conditions, and in promoting the development of the content. Form is important, and it is wrong to ignore or even deny the part played by the form; it is equally wrong to pay attention to the form regardless of the content, or to pursue form divorced from the content. It is a manifestation of formalism to seek only vanity and not to do real work.