Marxism Research Network
Unofficial English Translation

Yuan Qun and Wang Enming: Commemoration and Reflections by the Foreign Left on the 200th Anniversary of Engels' Birth

Marxism Abroad

Friedrich Engels was the greatest revolutionary, thinker, theorist, and leader of the international communist movement in the second half of the 19th century after Karl Marx. Throughout his seventy-five-year life and more than half a century of revolutionary career, he co-founded, enriched, and developed Marxism, guided the course of the international workers' movement, and made indelible historical contributions to the world socialist movement as it sought breakthroughs while upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. However, since Marx's death in 1883, controversies regarding Engels, and particularly his late-period thought, have persisted. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Engels' birth, the world is facing great changes unseen in a century, and the world socialist movement is at an important historical turning point, transitioning from a gradual emergence from its low point toward a period of revitalization. Against this temporal backdrop, foreign leftist parties, organizations, and scholars have held various forms of online and offline activities to solemnly commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Engels, the great mentor of the world’s proletariat and working people. They have comprehensively reviewed Engels’ revolutionary and militant life; highly appraised his major contributions to the founding, persistence, and development of Marxism, as well as his guidance of the international workers' movement and promotion of the world socialist movement; profoundly interpreted the timely significance and contemporary value of Engels’ theoretical works; and utilized this opportunity to propagate the basic theories of Marxism while elucidating the theoretical ideas and programmatic propositions of their respective parties.

I. Foreign Leftists Solemnly Commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Engels’ Birth

The year 2020 coincided with the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth. This anniversary holds great historical significance for disciplines such as the history of Marxist development, scientific socialism, the international communist movement, and the study of Marxism abroad. Since the second half of 2020, foreign leftist parties, organizations, and scholars have taken action, continuously creating a climax in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth through various means.

(1) Organizing Commemorative Seminars and Conferences On September 27, 2020, the Portuguese Communist Party held a conference in Lisbon to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth with the theme "Engels and the Contemporary Struggle for Socialism," where Jerónimo de Sousa, General Secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, delivered a speech. On November 26, various circles in Laos held an academic seminar at the National Academy of Politics and Public Administration titled "Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Engels’ Birth: Engels’ Theory and Laotian Renovation and Opening Up" [1]. On November 27, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, in coordination with the Propaganda and Education Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, the Central Theoretical Council, and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, jointly held a scientific seminar in Hanoi titled "Engels’ Intellectual Legacy: New Values and Vitality for the Era." That same day, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation held a webinar featuring keynote reports from representatives of leftist parties, including leaders of the Die Linke (The Left) parliamentary group in the German Bundestag and heads of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which is affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany. On November 28, the Keio Economic Society in Japan held an online academic seminar titled "Engels’ Contribution to Marxism and Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Engels’ Birth," attended by more than 40 scholars from Japan and China. Additionally, the German Communist Party (DKP) held online commemorative activities and video conferences with the Communist Party of Britain and the Communist Party of the Donetsk People’s Republic, respectively.

(2) Issuing Commemorative Manifestos and Statements On November 27, 2020, five Marxist-Leninist-Maoist parties, including the Communist Workers’ Union (MLM) of Colombia and the Maoist Communist Party (Italy), jointly issued the statement "Joint Statement Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Friedrich Engels: Long Live Friedrich Engels! Long Live Marxism-Leninism-Maoism!" The statement summarized Engels’ great achievements for the development of human civilization and the revolutionary struggle of the proletariat, emphasizing that honor and glory belong to the great mentor of the world proletariat—Friedrich Engels—and calling for communists, the proletariat, and oppressed peoples everywhere to unite in proletarian internationalism. On November 28, the Communist Party of the Philippines issued a "Statement on the 200th Birth Anniversary of Friedrich Engels," emphasizing the importance of cherishing Engels’ proletarian theory and revolutionary political legacy and advancing along the path of New Democratic and socialist revolution. On November 29, eleven Marxist-Leninist-Maoist parties and organizations, including the Communist Party of Peru, the Committee for the Building of the Maoist Communist Party of Austria, and the Maoist Committee of Finland, jointly signed an international manifesto commemorating the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth. The manifesto reviewed Engels’ intellectual journey and the great friendship between Marx and Engels across three aspects—"The Eternal United Struggle between Marx and Engels," "Engels’ Contributions as a Founder of Marxism," and "Engels’ Legacy"—and conducted an in-depth discussion on Engels’ unique contributions to Marxism and the contemporary significance of his thought.

(3) Writing Commemorative Articles On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth, foreign leftists wrote numerous commemorative articles to express their remembrance and mourning of the great revolutionary mentor. Representative works include Gennady Zyuganov's (Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation) "The Three Great Feats of Engels" published in Pravda; "Engels—An Exemplary Theorist Inseparable from Marx" in People’s March (an Indian Maoist publication); "Engels and Women's Liberation" by Brinda Karat, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist); "The Ragged Altruist: Friedrich Engels’ The Condition of the Working Class in England" by Pakistani social scientist Raza Naeem; "Engels and Marriage" and "Friedrich Engels and the Poetry Sculpture of his partner Mary Burns" by Jenny Farrell, a columnist for Unity (the weekly of the Communist Party of Ireland); "Friedrich Engels is becoming more important on his 200th birthday" by Marcello Musto, Associate Professor of Political Science at York University, Canada; "The Engels Pause and the Condition of the Working Class in England" by Michael Roberts; "Three Questions when Reading Engels and Why" by Indian leftist scholar Prabir Purkayastha; "The Life and Ideas of Friedrich Engels" by Adam Booth; "Great Scientist, Great Teacher" by Dmitry Novikov, Deputy Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee; "Engels Against Reformism in Germany and France" by historian Doug Enaa Greene; and articles like "Leading Thinker," "In Engels' Footsteps," and "Presenting the Truth" on the official website of the German Communist Party’s newspaper. Other notable mentions include Thomas Riggins’ "Engels at 200: Intellectual Giant and Rebel" and "Continuing to Inherit, Innovate, and Carry Forward Engels’ Great Intellectual Legacy" published in Nhan Dan (The People), the official organ of the CPV Central Committee.

(4) Other Commemorative Activities The Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD) held political meetings in 11 German cities and premiered the new film Friedrich Engels—The Most Underrated Classic. Engels' hometown, Wuppertal (formed in 1929 by the merger of Barmen and other towns), declared 2020 as the "Year of Engels," not only reopening the Engels House but also launching a dedicated website and unveiling an Engels sculpture. The official website of the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist), the American leftist website "Fight for Socialism," and People's Democracy (the organ of the CPI-M) specifically republished Lenin’s September 1895 eulogy titled "Friedrich Engels." The CPB (M-L) stated that to honor Engels' immense contribution to the cause of the working class and to commemorate and disseminate the revolutionary content of his genius ideas, every worker should be familiar with the name and contributions of this great revolutionary fighter and proletarian mentor. People’s Democracy also published a detailed chronology recording Engels' life, works, and major events. Unsere Zeit, the newspaper of the DKP, published a letter from a German Communist to Engels, in which the author recounted Engels’ subtle influence on them in simple terms, narrating their journey from an impulsive youth to a revolutionary fighter. The American leftist organization "Political Movements" continuously posted quotes from Engels in poster format on its official website. Furthermore, in light of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, several leftist organizations, including the DKP, held commemorative demonstrations in Wuppertal. Representatives from the DKP and the Communist Party of Greece laid flowers at the Engels statue presented to the city by the Chinese government in 2014. In Moscow, representatives of Communist Party members, Komsomol members, and their supporters from across Russia also laid baskets of flowers at the Engels monument.

In addition, websites of organizations such as the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party USA, the Communist Party of Brazil, the Communist Party of Austria, the Paraguayan Communist Party, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (USA), the Engels Association (Germany), the International Committee of the Fourth International, and the League for the Fifth International, as well as publications like Socialist Voice, Avante! (the official organ of the PCP), Socialist Voice (Ireland), People’s World (CPUSA), and Euro-American leftist journals such as Jacobin, Monthly Review, and New Left Review, and numerous leftist websites including "Solidnet," "In Defense of Communism," "Marxists," "Left Voice," "Against the Current," "Peoples Dispatch," "World Socialist Web Site," "Maoist Road," and "New Era Media," all published series of commemorative articles by leftist parties, organizations, and scholars themed around the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth, while providing continuous news tracking and reports.

II. Fully Affirming Engels’ Sublime Historical Position as the Irreplaceable "Second Fiddle"

Together with Marx, Engels achieved a high degree of unity between thinker and revolutionary in practice. As a classical Marxist writer, Engels co-founded Marxism and scientific socialism with Marx; as a great mentor of the proletariat, he co-guided the world workers' movement and the international communist movement. Foreign leftist parties, organizations, and scholars have taken a clear-cut stand against historical nihilism. Focusing on themes such as Engels' classical works and international socialist alliance, they highly appraised Engels' significant historical contributions and profound international influence from the perspectives of theoretical contribution, practical struggle, and spiritual character.

(1) Engels’ Status as a Co-founder of Marxism and Scientific Socialism is Unshakable Major German media outlets published articles commemorating the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth. Die Zeit described Engels as "one of the most influential and multifaceted thinkers of the 19th century, a theorist and practitioner of proletarian revolution, the first sociologist, and a brilliant journalist." Süddeutsche Zeitung stated that Engels changed the course of history through his writing. Deutschlandfunk reported that Engels lived a "double life," being both an entrepreneur and a philosopher, communist, and revolutionary; "Engels supported Karl Marx both financially and intellectually, and their friendship profoundly influenced him. Together with Marx, he wrote one of the most influential texts in history." As Werner Plumpe, a historian at Frankfurt University, put it: "Without Friedrich Engels, most of Karl Marx's works might never have seen the light of day." Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the CPI (M)...

) agreed, noting that "after Marx's death, the international working class and the people of the world came to know the rich writings and theoretical foundations of Marxism primarily through Engels." He continued: "It is clear that in almost every field of human activity and life, Engels—either independently or jointly with Marx—made pioneering contributions. Engels's discourse on the dialectics of man and nature, spanning fields from natural sciences, anthropology, and history to political economy and philosophy, made prominent contributions to the development of the revolutionary movement and its theoretical basis. Furthermore, it must be emphasized that every work completed by Marx and Engels, whether jointly or independently, was enriched by their mutual discussions." [31] Ariane Diaz, a member of the Socialist Workers' Party of Argentina, stated in her article Engels at 200: Engels is Still Alive that "Engels's theoretical work was able to broaden the battlefield of Marxism, entering fields where Marx did not participate, or more accurately, the works of Marx's friend provided him with nourishment." [32] Rob Sewell, editor-in-chief of Socialist Appeal, emphasized: "Although Marxism is named after Marx, we should never forget the important contributions made by Engels and the organic connection between their life paths. Without a doubt, Engels was an encyclopedic thinker and polymath; his theories covered fields including philosophy, economics, history, physics, linguistics, and military science. His knowledge of military theory earned him the title of 'The General.'" [33]

(2) The historical contributions of Engels in guiding the world workers' movement and the international communist movement cannot be erased

Mahir Ali, a columnist for Pakistan's Dawn, pointed out in the article Marx's Deputy: "There, he was regarded as the great sage of European socialism, particularly influential in leading the process of German Social Democracy. Compared to Marx, he is more closely associated with terms such as 'dialectical materialism' and 'scientific socialism.'" [34] Stanislav Grospič, Chairman of the Association of Trade Unions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, emphasized that as one of the most influential revolutionary thinkers, although Engels spent most of his life in the shadow of his friend and collaborator Karl Marx, he remained a great theorist and revolutionary activist: "Thanks to Anti-Dühring, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, and other works, he became one of the most influential and thorough revolutionaries." [35] Les Doherty, Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain for the Greater Manchester area, noted during an online commemorative event hosted by the Chinese Consulate-General in Manchester: "Engels went deep into the slums many times to understand the living conditions of the working class, wrote the profoundly influential The Condition of the Working Class in England, and co-authored classic works such as the Communist Manifesto with Marx. Engels's contributions to the development of Marxism and the promotion of human historical progress are invaluable and should be recognized by more people." [29] Walter Smolarek, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the United States, cited Engels's thesis from the Dialectics of Nature regarding "the part played by labor in the transition from ape to man," pointing out that "besides the key documents co-authored with Marx, Engels's own writings have similarly stood the test of time, becoming a fundamental guide for generations of revolutionaries hoping to understand and transform the world. In all his works, such as the Dialectics of Nature, Engels demonstrated a foresight capable of identifying the most important laws and trends affecting the process of human social development. Today, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Engels remains a figure in the history of the socialist struggle who is difficult to surpass." [36] The Communist Workers Union (Colombia) emphasized: "As a passionate revolutionary fighter, Engels was a staunch defender of proletarian interests, a fierce critic of erroneous socialisms, the finest supporter and tireless mentor of the working class; he always maintained a close friendship with the working class, and people from many countries sought guidance and support from him." [37]

(3) Engels’s persistence in the original aspiration and founding mission and his sense of responsibility for the liberation of the proletariat and all humanity deserve praise

The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) highly evaluated Engels's great personal character, praising the "sincere friendship and comradeship between Engels and Marx." They believe that "Engels's revolutionary spirit, work perseverance, modest character, and spirit of cooperation in the revolutionary struggle have become a shining example," noting that "for the CPV, the working class, and laborers in Vietnam, as well as for the working class and laborers worldwide, Engels's life, career, noble character, and excellent style of work have always been a major driving force for revolution." [38] Gennady Zyuganov, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), believes that Engels's primary moral achievement and merit was that—though it was entirely possible for him from birth to achieve success in the world of capitalist exploitation—he transcended class interests and abandoned social conventions intellectually and spiritually at the cost of personal happiness. Compared to capitalist personal happiness, he preferred to stand with the most noble humanistic values: justice, equality, and solidarity. [39] The Communist Party of India (Maoist) further pointed out that Engels, despite his bourgeois origins, chose the philosophy of the working class, stood with the working class against industrial capitalists, and provided the working class with the ideological weapons required to change their lives. [40]

III. High evaluation of the world significance of Engels and his theoretical works

As the co-founder of Marxism and scientific socialism, Engels not only co-authored and independently wrote numerous classic works but also devoted a great deal of energy between 1883 and 1895 to organizing and publishing Marx's posthumous works, thereby leaving his own theoretical imprint. Leftists abroad highly evaluate Engels and his intellectual works for their role in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in Marxist philosophy, their major contributions to Marxist political economy, their inheritance and development of scientific socialism, and their foundation of proletarian military science.

(1) Engels's role in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in Marxist philosophy

In the report Engels's Contribution to Marx's Philosophy, Hiroyoshi Makino, Professor Emeritus at Hannan University, elucidated Engels's important contributions to scientific socialism, materialist dialectics, and Marxist philosophy from perspectives such as the relationship between Marx and Engels, "the second violinist as the prelude to the first violinist," "the ensemble of the first and second violins," and "the independence (variations) of the second violin"—referring to works like Anti-Dühring, Dialectics of Nature, and Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy. [41] Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), pointed out: "The theoretical contributions made by Engels in the evolution and elaboration of the Marxist worldview are of extremely important significance for understanding the unfolding of dialectics and its role in the discovery of all laws governing the material development of the universe, the development and evolution of life, and the development of human society. While commemorating his life and thoughts, one usually re-examines these contributions of Engels and the profound impact they have had on human thought, wisdom, and the progress of civilization." [42] An editorial in Nhan Dan, the central organ of the CPV, pointed out: "Engels and Marx protected and developed materialist philosophy, realized the innovation of dialectical materialism, established a fundamental turning point for philosophy, and provided a brand-new perspective and accurate method for explaining, understanding, and transforming the world; historical materialism is a great achievement of scientific thought, discovering the laws of social development and the necessity of the transition from this socio-economic system to a higher socio-economic system." [43]

(2) Engels's major contributions to Marxist political economy

Tristram Hunt, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum and former Labour Shadow Education Secretary, pointed out: "Engels is a figure of profound historical and philosophical significance. Not only did he play a role in shaping 20th-century Marxism, but his views on socialism, compared to Marx's pure political economy, are more relevant to our contemporary era. Likewise, through his early analysis of imperialism as a core component of Western capitalism, Engels pioneered the Marxist conception of colonial liberation." [44] Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the CPI(M), believes that Engels's Outlines of a Critique of Political Economy, published in 1844, established the basic principles for criticizing bourgeois political economy, noting that "Engels demonstrated that all important phenomena in the bourgeois economic system inevitably arise from the private ownership of the means of production, and a society without poverty can only be a society without private ownership of the means of production" [45], which had an important influence on Marx. The Nhan Dan editorial noted: "Engels and Marx relied on classical political economy to create a new economic theory, bringing historical changes to political economy; by virtue of researching and discovering the law of surplus value, Engels and Marx identified the capitalist mode of exploitation and provided a scientific demonstration of the inevitable demise of capitalism and the victory of communism." [46]

(3) Engels's inheritance and development of scientific socialism

In a report titled Examining Engels's "The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State" from the Perspective of Ancient Japanese History, Professor Shozo Iwanaga of Kyushu University elucidated, from a historical perspective, the theories on the formation of the state through antagonism in classical doctrine, the formation of state apparatuses in East Asian countries, the relationship between changes in kinship structures and state formation, society in the early stages of state development, and the handling of transition periods, thereby demonstrating the important significance of this classic work. [47] Sumanasiri Liyanage, retired professor of political economy at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, wrote: "Engels's contribution to Marxism can be embodied under four interconnected headings: the development of historical realism and its application in real historical events; the development and defense of dialectical realism; the connection between the family, private property, and the Marxist theory of the state; and the contribution to eco-communism." [48] The Nhan Dan editorial pointed out: "Engels and Marx analyzed capitalism to discover its laws of motion and development; they affirmed that class struggle is the driving force for the development of class societies and pointed out that the working class, led by the Communist Party, is the only force capable of building a new society. Therefore, the socialist view of Marx and Engels is scientific socialism." [24]

(4) Engels's foundation of proletarian military science

The Nhan Dan editorial emphasized that the sum total of Engels's thought, together with Marx, provided the key for humanity to open the door to a New Era. Marxism-Leninism, including Engels's thought, is identified as the ideological foundation of the Vietnamese revolution and has been flexibly applied by President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV to brilliantly complete the tasks of national liberation, national unification, and the comprehensive promotion of Doi Moi [6] under a socialist orientation. In the past struggle for independence and the current task of defending the country, Engels's military thought and theories have had a huge impact on the CPV's views regarding the establishment of a national defense front for all the people, the line of people's war, and the people's armed forces. They have helped the CPV analyze and grasp the causes, essence, and nature of war, and have also been conducive to resolving the relationship between humans and weapons, affirming the role of the people and the political spirit in war. [49] Mahir Ali, columnist for Pakistan's Dawn, pointed out in Marx's Deputy: "It would be more accurate to view him as a complementary intellectual who was more active than Marx in fields such as natural sciences and military strategy, leaving behind many substantial results closely related to them. Although viewing him as Marx's deputy is not inaccurate, it is worth remembering that due to his military expertise and active participation in the 1848 revolutions, he was affectionately called 'The General' by his close kin and loved ones, including the Marx family." [50]

IV. Profoundly interpreting the contemporary value and guiding significance of Engels's thought

As a great achievement in the history of human thought, the Marxist theory co-founded by Engels and Marx, once born, was "like a magnificent sunrise, illuminating the path for humanity to explore the laws of history and seek its own liberation." [51]

For over a century, various arguments—exemplified by "the opposition between Marx and Engels," "the claim that in his twilight years Engels abandoned proletarian revolution, the dictatorship of the proletariat, and communist theory to advocate for a parliamentary path, thereby degenerating into a social democrat," "the opposition between the young and the old Engels," and "the theory of Engels's late-period self-negation"—have frequently appeared in different guises across every era. These arguments seek to deny, attack, slander, and spread rumors against Engels and the scientific validity and truth of his thought through politicization, labeling, and stigmatization. In response, the foreign Left recognizes and resolutely defends the status of Engels's thought, noting that "his importance is reflected not only in the development of Marxism but also in the contemporary relevance of his revolutionary ideas" [7], and maintains that Engels's intellectual legacy still possesses practical guiding significance today.

(I) Engels’s thought remains the theoretical weapon for the working class to overthrow the old capitalist world and move toward the new world of communism The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) affirmed: "Engels's ideological and theoretical legacy has become a guiding light in the struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, and socialism" [8]; "Engels's ideas on philosophy, economic politics, and scientific socialism remain real-time in nature and hold great significance for our country's Doi Moi [9] cause. They are conducive to recognizing and clarifying the necessary laws of development for the Vietnamese revolution—moving across capitalism toward socialism based on the inheritance of achievements in science and technology attained by humanity during the capitalist period—and help in more fully realizing the relationship between revolutionary goals and modes of economic development" [10]. Rob Sewell, editor-in-chief of Socialist Appeal, believes: "There is no doubt that Engels's revolutionary spirit lives on in the Marxist tendencies that defend his intellectual legacy and fight for world socialism" [11]. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) further pointed out: "We should feel proud to follow the ideas of Marx and Engels and realize that we bear a special responsibility for this. This responsibility urges us to maintain a principled and fearless spirit in the process of struggling for communism, thereby creatively mastering the rich scientific ideas left by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They not only left us outstanding scientific results and political achievements but also set for us the highest example of moral strength and dedication" [12]. The New Communist Party of the Netherlands and its led Communist Youth Movement of the Netherlands stated in a joint declaration: "Engels made fundamental contributions to Marxist theory in dialectical materialist philosophy, Marxist political economy, and the revolutionary tactics of class struggle. Many of his works continue to inspire people worldwide to fight for a better society and provide indispensable guidance for this struggle." "Engels's and Marx's insights remain of great significance today and provide guidance for everyone fighting for a better communist society, as they refuse to accept current capitalist relations of production and the uncertainty, poverty, war, and exploitation they cause" [13].

(II) Engels’s assertions regarding capitalist relations of production and the concentration of capitalist wealth are continuously corroborated by social realities since the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic Gennady Zyuganov, Chairman of the Central Committee of the CPRF, pointed out: More than 150 years have passed since the creation of the primary works of Marx and Engels. During this time, capitalism has become even more cruel, immoral, and destructive. The profound and irreversible crisis of the bourgeois system has never been as obvious as it is today. It is becoming increasingly clear to the world that the bourgeois economic doctrines exposed by Engels—concerning the interests of capital and labor, harmony and the general welfare of the people, and the false foresight of the benefits brought by free competition—were correct. Indeed, the ugliness of the unbridled proliferation of capitalist profiteering and exploitation has become even more apparent against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic [14]. Stanislav Grospič, Chairman of the Trade Union Association of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia (Czech Republic), believes: "Engels and Marx predicted in their analysis that capital accumulation would concentrate in the hands of as few people as possible; therefore, we should not be surprised that during this COVID-19 pandemic, while the working class has become poorer, the wealth of billionaires has increased by 27.5%" [15]. Peter Schwarz, International Secretary of the International Committee of the Fourth International, further noted: "Financial markets are completely out of control; trade wars threaten to trigger a third world war; brutal neo-colonial wars are destroying the world; the democratic disintegration of the United States, the most important capitalist country; the imminent environmental catastrophe; hundreds of thousands of deaths due to the global spread of COVID-19; the increasing concentration of world wealth and intensifying social inequality—the 26 richest billionaires own as much wealth as the 3.8 billion people who constitute the poorest half of the planet. All of this validates what Marx and Engels wrote in the Communist Manifesto in 1848: 'Modern bourgeois society' is 'like the sorcerer, who is no longer able to control the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells'" [16].

(III) Engels’s strategies regarding proletarian revolution, working-class struggle, and women’s liberation still hold important guiding significance today Stanislav Grospič, Chairman of the Trade Union Association of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, believes: "Engels's thought still guides the working class in their struggle for better conditions to eliminate the roots of capitalism and oligarchy—exploitation, injustice, and oppression. Friedrich Engels's ideas are more consistent with the current situation than the so-called 'modern Left's' defeatism, social-democratic politics, the politics of promises, and radical discourse. This is not a return to Engels's history; it is a step forward!" [17] Brinda Karat, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), in her article "Engels and Women's Liberation," argued for the scientific nature of The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State from three aspects: the root causes of the oppression of women and child labor, the family situation under capitalist conditions, and the gender-based division of labor. She emphasized: "The historic contribution of Marx's co-founder Friedrich Engels to the theory and practice of scientific socialism regarding the cause of women's liberation has not faded with the passage of time. It continues to illuminate the path for millions of women worldwide struggling against systemic discrimination and violence, which prevail even in the most developed capitalist societies." Engels "pointed a way forward for the women of the world by bringing together all the work on historical materialism done by Marx and himself and advancing it into a concrete analysis of the material basis of women's subordinate status" [18]. Christian Høgsbjerg, a lecturer at the University of Brighton (UK), in his article "Friedrich Engels at 200: The Revolutionary Historian," praised Engels as a revolutionary historian and German revolutionary philosopher for his pioneering and far-reaching contributions to modern social and political theory. He argued that Engels played a key role in the creation and development of classical Marxism, and that the commemoration of Engels's birth would clarify the new significance of many of his views in the world of late capitalism. Høgsbjerg noted that today, everyone inspired by radical historical traditions, people's history, and history from below (grassroots historiography) should use the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Engels's birth to acknowledge the intellectual debt owed to him. The vagabonds and pariahs of the lowest strata of society deserve to be, and demand to be, recognized and recorded as "prime agents" [19].

V. Continuously seizing new victories in the great struggle of the New Era under the guidance of Engels’s thought and Marxism The enduring vitality of Engels's thought and Marxism lies not only in their penetrating and profound criticism of capitalism and imperialism, but more importantly in providing a powerful ideological weapon and scientific guide for action for the proletariat and its parties across all countries to persist in struggle and strive for socialism. They have anchored the navigational markers for human society's transition toward socialism and communism. The foreign Left's commemoration and reflection on Engels, while paying tribute to a great thinker in human history, serves to strengthen faith in the scientific truth of Marxism [20] and actively contemplate strategies to push world socialism from its low ebb toward a gradual revival.

(I) Promoting and strengthening the establishment and development of proletarian revolutionary party organizations The Workers Revolutionary Party (UK) pointed out: "Today, as political and economic crises of the capitalist world erupt everywhere, the task is urgent to lead revolutionary uprisings and workers' struggles for rights, to build Marxist leadership, and to move toward victory by smashing the dictatorship of the capitalist state machine and achieving the dictatorship of the proletariat. Engels fought alongside Marx to establish revolutionary parties for the working class, which fearlessly led the struggle for rights. The way to commemorate Engels's life today is to advance the revolutionary cause for which he fought his entire life by establishing proletarian revolutionary party organizations in every country and leading the world socialist revolution to victory" [21].

(II) Practically strengthening the study, research, promotion, and education of Marxist theory Nhan Dan (People's Daily), the central organ of the CPV, emphasized in an editorial that dialectical materialism and scientific methodological principles have always required us to define Marxism-Leninism as an open system. The application of Marxist-Leninist principles should be integrated with practical activities. We should continue to carry out research to fill scientific foundations and conduct theoretical research and practical summaries. This will further clarify the theories concerning socialism and our country's path toward socialism, consolidate the spiritual foundation, and enable the entire Party and all the people to work toward the goals of "prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization" [22]. Nguyen Xuan Thang, member of the CPV Secretariat, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, further affirmed that Vietnam will "be even more unswerving in following the path chosen by the Communist Party of Vietnam on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; resolutely reject misleading statements that distort facts, and focus on protecting the scientific and revolutionary value of Marxist-Leninist doctrine" [23]. The Communist Party of Mexico and the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain reached a consensus that, as the ideological struggle intensifies today, it is necessary to expand the influence of Marx's and Engels's thought and strengthen the ideological armament of the proletariat, communist workers, and youth worldwide. The publication of Marxist works is an urgent need in the contemporary class struggle; therefore, the two parties decided to take the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Engels's birth to jointly publish a new edition of the Selected Works of Marx and Engels [24]. Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), also stated that if Engels's contributions were depicted as a canvas scroll, no single article could annotate them clearly. Within its existing scope, the party will continue to conduct a year-long research activity on Engels's contributions to humanity [25].

(III) Under the slogan “Workers of the world, unite!”, establish a united front against war and for peace, and build the broadest working-class alliance and revolutionary united front Lenny Shail, a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Party (UK), pointed out in the article "Friedrich Engels: The Revolutionary Who Played a Key Role in the Development of Socialism": "Only through the socialist revolution for which Engels and Marx fought can humanity begin to utilize and plan the rich scientific and technological wealth inherent in the historical labor of workers in class society. Then, when the 'workers of the world unite,' it will be possible to create a harmonious world and sweep the horrors of capitalism into the dustbin of history" [26]. The Socialist German Workers Youth, in a speech during a demonstration in Wuppertal, pointed out: "Engels's thought and his great example remain our winning weapon in the struggle for socialism. In the multifaceted struggle for socialism, militarism is a very important issue among the many social problems in capitalist countries like Germany. Politicians in Berlin are working toward military escalation at an alarming rate. The entire German government supports the goal of the US-led NATO to spend 2% of GDP on arms expansion, while we socialists resolutely oppose any act of warmongering and reject war, death, suffering, and hunger" [27].

VI. Conclusion The 200th-anniversary commemoration of Engels's birth in 2020 was a...

The 2018 commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth served as a form of legacy-building, continuation, deepening, and supplementation. The profound interpretations provided by the foreign Left demonstrate that Engels's entire integrated body of doctrine—concerning the basic principles of scientific socialism, the development of the labor movement and proletarian struggle tactics, the theory of building working-class political parties, and the Marxist theory of the state—remains significant as a guiding scientific theory for the proletariat in its pursuit of class liberation and the emancipation of all humanity. These doctrines continue to guide the contemporary world socialist movement as it gradually emerges from its low ebb and moves toward revitalization, fulfilling the historical mission of liberating oneself and all of humanity. In the face of a new round of intensifying imperialist anti-communist and anti-Marxist offensives since the COVID-19 pandemic, the foreign Left has—based on affirming and memorializing Engels's magnificent achievements, actively evaluating his great ideological contributions, and highly appreciating his noble spiritual character—proposed new struggle tactics and action plans, emphasizing the need to persist in the struggle under the guidance of Engels’s thought and Marxism. For those foreign Leftists who have long fought in the heartlands and central zones of imperialism, the specific political ecosystem [28] and the severe and complex situation of struggle imbue their commemoration and understanding of Engels with a unique connotation and profound enlightenment—one that is both rich in revolutionary optimism and insistent upon an objective, prudent stance. This commemorative activity has, moreover, been a vivid practice in Marxist-Leninist education.

The extensive and diverse commemorative activities organized by the international left to mark the bicentenary of Engels's birth, along with the theoretical articles published by various parties and organizations, reflect the collective will of the contemporary global left to return to the classics, seek the "source" of truth, and find a way forward through the fog. This offers significant insights for the development of the world socialist movement and the Sinicization of Marxism in the New Era.

First, the theoretical development and practical progress of Marxism are an ongoing process of "upholding the fundamentals and break new ground." Since the late 20th century, the global socialist movement has experienced a low ebb, during which some Western scholars attempted to marginalize Engels's status in the history of Marxism, or even set he and Marx against one another. This was done to weaken the scientific nature and systematic integrity of Marxist theory. By highly evaluating Engels's irreplaceable historical contribution and his "founding" status in the Marxist theoretical system, the international left has effectively refuted the "Marx-Engels Divergence" [29] fallacy. This demonstrates that only by adhering to the foundational positions, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism, and by continuously responding to the new changes and challenges of the times, can we maintain the vitality of the theory.

Second, the vigorous commemoration of Engels by various left-wing forces highlights the global character and contemporary relevance of Marxist critiques of capitalist production. From the analysis of the "English working class" to the critique of the "blind forces" of the market, Engels’s insights into the internal contradictions of the capitalist mode of production remain a powerful weapon for understanding contemporary issues such as the widening gap between rich and poor, ecological crises, and the alienation of labor in the digital age. For the Communist Party of China, this reinforces the necessity of deepening supply-side structural reform and promoting high-quality development to overcome the "maladies" inherent in traditional modernization.

Finally, the commemorative activities worldwide underscore that the ultimate goal of the socialist cause is the realization of "common prosperity" and the "free and comprehensive development of individuals." Whether it is the reflection on the "joyous life" mentioned by Western leftists or the commitment to the "community with a shared future for humanity," these all echo the "original aspiration and founding mission" shared by Marxists. In the New Era, as China pursues Chinese-path modernization, the theoretical treasures left by Engels—particularly his thoughts on the dialectics of nature and the scientific organization of social production—provide indispensable intellectual support for our commitment to the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the realization of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation. The best way to commemorate Engels is to continue the cause he and Marx began, persisting over the long term to turn the "realm of necessity" into the "realm of freedom." [30]

The historical status of Engels is established by his epoch-making theoretical contributions and the immortal spirit of his struggle. Just as General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth: "Today, we commemorate Marx primarily to pay tribute to the greatest thinker in human history and to declare our firm belief in the scientific truth of Marxism" [31]. The international left's multifaceted commemoration of the bicentenary of Engels's birth once again demonstrates that the "intellectual legacy of Engels is the beacon for the struggle for socialism" and remains an inexhaustible treasure trove of wisdom for us to understand the world, grasp laws, seek truth, and transform the world. Looking toward the future, the theoretical light of "Marx-Engels" will continue to guide the ship of human society through the fog and sail toward the bright shore of the "free association of individuals."