Wang Yuchen: Theoretical Dimensions and Value of the Study of the Academic History of Western Marxism
The theoretical dimensions of the study of the history of Western Marxist scholarship encompass a tripartite meaning: the study of the theoretical problematic [1], the theoretical logic, and the theoretical effects of Western Marxism. Researching and grasping the theoretical dimensions of Western Marxism is an important avenue for advancing Western Marxist studies in our country. It holds significant meaning for our correct understanding of the theoretical value of Western Marxism and for advancing the study of Chinese Marxist theory.
The "theoretical problematic" determines the mode of theoretical production and the logic of questions in Western Marxism.
The concept of the "theoretical problematic" was proposed by the Western Marxist theorist and French scholar Louis Althusser; it refers to the framework of thinking and the mode of theoretical production that governs a theorist’s theoretical reflection. It determines the theoretical nature of a body of theory. Only by excavating the "theoretical problematic" hidden behind a theorist’s theoretical texts can we grasp the construction process and essence of their theory. The significance of grasping the "theoretical problematic" lies in the following:
First, since the "theoretical problematic" is the framework of thinking and mode of theoretical production for a theorist’s reflections, only by grasping the "theoretical problematic" of Western Marxist theorists can we reveal the logic through which they reflect upon the issues of the era and their theoretical operations, and thereby grasp their field of problems.
Second, the "theoretical problematic" determines the aggregate nature of a theoretical system. This means that only by grasping the "theoretical problematic" of Western Marxist theorists can we understand the nature of their thought at different stages. This allows us to avoid the past research practice of simplistically viewing the thoughts of Western Marxist theorists at different stages as homogeneous; it enables us to determine the value and significance of their thought at various stages for the formation of their theoretical systems and to truly grasp the internal logic of their theoretical development.
Third, while descriptive introductions to Western Marxist materials were necessary during the initial stages of Western Marxist studies, these only familiarize us with specific theoretical viewpoints and cannot enable us to grasp the theoretical problems they raised. Only by grasping the "theoretical problematic" of Western Marxist theorists can we look through their specific theoretical viewpoints to grasp their theoretical problems, theoretical logic, and theoretical effects. This effectively advances Western Marxist studies in our country, making Western Marxist research one of the intellectual resources for the theoretical construction of Chinese Marxist philosophy.
The theoretical problems and theoretical logic of Western Marxism.
In the early 1920s, the Marxist camp engaged in debates regarding Western revolutionary strategy and tactics, which in turn sparked an exploration into the essence of Marxist philosophy. Although there are divergences and debates regarding specific theoretical viewpoints among Western Marxist theorists, they collectively oppose understanding Marxist philosophy as a modern [2] episteme of epistemological philosophy, and they reject viewing Marxist philosophy as the result of a rupture with modern Western philosophy. Instead, they focus on the foundational status of practice and dialectics within Marxist philosophy, emphasize the critical value-function of Marxist philosophy, and view Marxist philosophy as a modern form of philosophy aimed at achieving human freedom and liberation, thereby forming its theoretical problems and logical threads.
To explore the path of the Western socialist revolution, Western Marxist theorists applied their perspectives on Marxist philosophy to analyze the characteristics of contemporary Western social structures, shifts in modes of governance, changes in the manifestations of fundamental social contradictions, and changes in class structures. They argued that the mode of governance in contemporary Western society has increasingly shifted toward a totalizing mode of rule dominated by ideological control—including both political violent rule and cultural-ideological control. They emphasized that Western society is not the contradiction-free "affluent society" proclaimed by bourgeois ideology; on the contrary, it is a more unfree and unjust society characterized by "surplus repression" [3] based on capital interests. The manifestation of fundamental social contradictions has shifted from economic crises to the contradiction between the increasingly totalized and integrated social development and the individualized free development of the person. Preconditions for a Western revolution include how to enable the proletariat and individuals to break free from the total control of capitalism and form a mature class consciousness and subjective consciousness. The exploration of these issues formed the contemporary capitalist theory of Western Marxism.
Based on their critique of capitalist society and reflections on "actually existing socialism" [4], Western Marxist theorists proposed conceptions such as "humanistic socialist society," "market socialist society," and "ecosocialist society," forming their outlook on socialism. To cultivate mature class consciousness in the proletariat and subjective consciousness and independent personality in individuals, they launched a critique of capitalist culture and ideology. This formed a body of cultural-ideological theory including Lukács’s theory of class consciousness, Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, the Frankfurt School’s theory of mass culture, Althusser’s theory of ideological state apparatuses, and Ecological Marxism’s critique of consumerist culture. They attached importance to analyzing the actual existential conditions of human beings and, based on the theory of reification proposed by Lukács, further developed a critique of alienation and everyday life aimed at realizing human freedom and liberation. This includes the Frankfurt School’s theory of total alienation, Lefebvre’s theory of the alienation of everyday life, and Ecological Marxism’s theory of ecological alienation.
As ecological issues have increasingly become a shared global challenge, Ecological Marxism—responding to challenges from ecocentrism and anthropocentrism regarding whether Marxist philosophy can serve as a scientific theoretical tool for analyzing ecological problems—has elucidated the distinctive qualities of Marxist philosophy and its consistency with ecological thinking, opening up an ecological horizon for Marxist philosophy. It emphasizes that the way out of the ecological crisis lies in organically integrating the ecological movement with the organized workers' movement, moving the ecological movement toward a radical class movement. By achieving a "double transformation" that abolishes both the capitalist system and capitalist values, it seeks to correctly handle the relationship between commodities, needs, satisfaction, and happiness. It aims to establish an outlook on labor-based happiness centered on creative labor and to build an ecosocialist society characterized by productive justice and adherence to ecological rationality, thus forming their ecological critical theory.
Analytical Marxism, responding to the challenges posed by contemporary Western political philosophy to Marxism and socialism, revealed and criticized the phenomena of exploitation, inequality, and injustice present in capitalist society, forming a political philosophy centered on the themes of equality and justice.
The aforementioned theoretical problems of Western Marxism have not only expanded the theoretical space of Marxist philosophy and established an organic link between Marxist philosophy and the actual living world of human beings, but also hold important value and significance for our in-depth grasp of new changes in Western society.
The question of the theoretical effects of Western Marxism.
Western Marxism primarily discusses how to understand the essence of Marxist philosophy, how to understand the relationship between Marxist philosophy and modern philosophy, how to handle the relationship between the scientificity and ideology of Marxist theory, how to view and research the new changes in contemporary capitalist society, how to grasp the formation of mature proletarian class consciousness through cultural-ideological critique, and how to search for the subject of revolution. The theoretical effects of Western Marxism are mainly reflected in its influence on the history of the development of Western Marxism and the theoretical construction of Chinese Marxism.
Regarding the influence of Western Marxism on the development of Marxism abroad, although Western Marxism shifted the theme of theoretical research toward cultural issues in the superstructure, focused on the study of practice, dialectics, and the role of subjective factors in the process of historical development, and strove to handle the relationship and roles of subjective and objective factors, various defects also existed in how Western Marxism handled these relationships and the relationship between the scientificity and normativity of Marxist theory. On one hand, this allowed the theoretical innovations and research methods of Western Marxist theorists to be borrowed and extended by new trends of Marxism abroad, becoming intellectual resources for constructing theoretical systems and promoting the development of Marxism abroad. On the other hand, the defects and errors in their theories were utilized and exaggerated by new trends of Marxism abroad, becoming excuses for deconstructing and denying Marxism, thereby displaying negative theoretical effects. This is prominently reflected in the "cultural turn" and the "return to political economy" in foreign Marxist studies.
Although the "cultural turn" in Western Marxism highlighted the modern nature of Marxist philosophy and was conducive to establishing an organic link between Marxist philosophy and the actual living world of human beings, it also suffered from the defect of divorcing itself from the decisive role of economic factors while exaggerating the role of subjective factors. This defect was utilized and exaggerated by post-Marxist theorists represented by Laclau and Mouffe. Based on an erroneous utilization and extension of Gramsci’s cultural hegemony, Althusser’s "overdetermination," and his theory of ideology, they deconstructed Marxist historical necessity and class politics, denied the decisive role of the economic base, and fundamentally departed from Marxism. Meanwhile, Marxist theorists represented by Eagleton, Jameson, Harvey, and Negri have striven to inherit the totalizing research methods of Western Marxism while emphasizing that cultural studies and cultural critique must be grounded in political economy. This has formed a "return to political economy" in foreign Marxist research, the purpose of which is to reveal new changes and manifestations of contradictions in contemporary Western society through political economy research, exploring realistic paths for the liberation and freedom of Western people.
The systematic research of the Chinese academic community into Western Marxism began in the early 1980s. The history of interpretation, cognition, and reception of Western Marxism in our academic community has undergone a complex developmental process. From initially viewing it as a non-Marxist trend to be criticized, denied, and rejected, to people gradually understanding and accepting Western Marxism, the community began calling for a change from pure bibliographical introduction toward emphasizing that Western Marxism research should take "obeying and serving the theoretical research of Chinese Marxism" as its proper standpoint and telos. Western Marxist theory has thus become an important intellectual resource for the theoretical innovation and construction of Chinese Marxism. The influence of Western Marxism on Chinese Marxist theoretical research is mainly reflected in: promoting the Chinese academic community's understanding of the essence of Marxist philosophy and the construction of theoretical systems; promoting the organic link between Chinese Marxist theory and the practice of Chinese-path modernization; and forming new sub-disciplines of philosophy such as cultural philosophy, developmental philosophy, ecophilosophy, and political philosophy—all of which realize the purpose and value of Western Marxist studies in our country.