The 8th National Forum on Marxist Economics and the 9th National Youth Forum on Marxist Economics Held at Southwest University
The "8th National Forum on Marxist Economics and 9th National Youth Forum on Marxist Economics," jointly organized by the Division of Marxist Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Office of the Marxist Theory Research and Construction Project [1] (Ma Gongcheng) of CASS, the Center for Economic and Social Development of CASS, and the Department of Principles of the Institute of Marxism Studies of CASS, and hosted by the School of Marxism at Southwest University, was held at Southwest University from September 27 to 29, 2019. Co-organizers included the Economic Editorial Department of the Information Center for Social Sciences (ICSS) of Renmin University of China, the editorial board of the journal Reform, and the editorial board of West Forum. More than 180 experts and scholars from over 100 universities and research institutions—including CASS, Renmin University of China, Nankai University, Wuhan University, Fudan University, Sichuan University, Beijing Normal University, Tongji University, Xiamen University, and Lanzhou University—gathered to discuss major theoretical and practical issues in the field of political economy.
Professor Bai Xianliang, Dean of the School of Marxism at Southwest University and a Youth Changjiang Scholar [2] of the Ministry of Education, presided over the opening ceremony. Professor Cui Yanqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Southwest University, attended and delivered a speech. Professor Cui highly affirmed the significance of this forum and expressed hope that universities and research institutes, as well as various schools of Marxism and schools of economics across the country, would engage in closer exchange and cooperation to jointly promote the construction and development of the discipline of Marxist theory.
Subsequently, the conference centered its discussions on the theme "The 70th Anniversary of the Founding of New China and the Development and Major Contributions of Marxist Political Economy." Participants delivered academic reports and engaged in heated discussions on topics such as "Disciplinary Construction of Political Economy and Youth Development," "Historical Changes and Basic Experience of China's Economic Development since the Founding of New China," "The Sinicization of Marxist Political Economy and its Latest Achievements," "Fundamental Theories of Marxist Political Economy and Their Contemporary Value," and "The International Political-Economic Landscape during Global Transformation and New Changes in Contemporary Capitalism."
In his keynote report, Professor Cheng Enfu—Member of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the National People's Congress, member of the CASS Presidium of Academic Divisions, and Academician [3] of CASS—pointed out that the New Marxist Economics Synthetic School has produced twelve major theoretical innovations since the reform and opening up. These include the three-stage theory of socialism, the theory of the socialist market economy, the new monistic theory of living labor value, the theory of the dual nature of economic man (self-interest and altruism), the theory of dual constraints of resources and needs, the theory of the co-directional movement of fairness and efficiency, the theory of high performance in public ownership, the theory of functional dual regulation by market and state, the theory of grand cultural economy, the theory of intellectual property advantage, the theory of neo-imperialism, and the theory of the world economy's quasi-center.
Professor Hu Leming, Deputy Director of the Institute of Economics at CASS, explained three reasons for the success of China's transitional development since the reform and opening up from the perspective of institutional change: first, the direction of transformation was clear and stable; second, the method of transformation was active and incremental; and third, the path of transformation involved a two-way interaction where the government and the market promoted each other under state impetus. China's transitional development is still underway; it is essential to strengthen social construction and give full play to the agency of community governance, utilize the regulatory role of social values such as fairness and justice, further improve our party politics and government governance, and better achieve the "integrated interaction and symbiotic prosperity" of the government, the market, and society.
Research Fellow Yu Bin, Director of the Department of Principles of Marxist Research at the Institute of Marxism Studies of CASS, pointed out that Marx's views are antithetical to those of Sraffa. However, some have misappropriated Marx's name to construct "Marx-Sraffa models," attempting to replace Marx's correct views with the erroneous views of Sraffa and his successor Nobuo Okishio. The accurate name for this so-called Marx-Sraffa model should be the Sraffa-Okishio model, as its foundation is the input-output table.
Professor Jiang Yongmu, Dean of the School of Economics at Sichuan University, noted that over the 70 years since the founding of New China, the evolution of the connotation of agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics has passed through four stages: a "technology-led stage," a "technology and institution emphasis stage," "institutional-led stage 1," and "institutional-led stage 2." These have formed four major characteristics: increasingly scientific logical premises, continuously diversified goal orientations, progressively perfected core content, and gradually maturing development strategies. The evolution of the concept of agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics toward a more scientific, comprehensive, and systematic direction fundamentally stems from adhering to the path of development with Chinese characteristics under the strong leadership of the CPC, actively liberating and developing agricultural productive forces, adjusting and improving agricultural relations of production, and continuously exploring development paths for agricultural modernization with Chinese characteristics.
Professor Zhou Wen, Vice Dean of the Institute of Marxism at Fudan University, pointed out that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era contains seven aspects, covering essential characteristics and fundamental guarantees, stance and development goals, understanding of laws, institutional issues, macro-control with Chinese characteristics, strategies and work methods, and work tactics. This has achieved a reconstruction of the basic concepts of modern economics. First, it emphasizes upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party over economic work; second, it emphasizes a people-centered economic stance; third, it emphasizes independently following a path of modernization that suits the country's national conditions; fourth, it elevates the promotion of a community with a shared future for humanity to the level of economic theory, transcending the comparative advantage theory of traditional international economics.
A number of young scholars—including Professor Gao Fan of Fudan University, Professor Wu Yin of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Professor Wang Binbin of Sichuan University, Research Fellow Zhou Shaodong of Wuhan University, Associate Professor Qiao Xiaonan of Nankai University, Associate Professor Li Lili of Renmin University of China, Associate Professor Han Wenlong of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Associate Professor Wang Feng of Southwest University, Associate Professor Zhang Guanghui of Liaoning University, Associate Professor Zhang Yang of Hebei Finance University, and Lecturer Xiao Xiao of Beijing Normal University—delivered keynote reports on the innovative development of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, the fundamental theories of Marxist political economy and their contemporary value, the historical changes and basic experiences of China's economic development since the founding of New China, and technological change and future development. Additionally, more than 40 experts and young scholars spoke at the sub-forums.
Finally, Research Fellow Hou Weimin, Director of the Research Office of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, addressed the assembly. He noted that the forum received 153 submissions during the call-for-papers stage. After expert selection, authors of nearly 120 papers were invited to attend, making it a veritable academic feast for Chinese Marxist economics in 2019. The experts and young scholars in attendance engaged in thorough academic exchanges, demonstrating the solid theoretical foundation and insight into real-world issues possessed by young scholars of Marxist political economy. Hou Weimin emphasized that Marxist political economists should, in their research, uphold the fundamentals and break new ground in Marxist political economy, adhere to the basic principles of Marxism, and use Marxist methodology to promote new theoretical innovations in Marxist political economy.
Compared with previous sessions, this forum established a new "Political Economy Disciplinary Construction and Youth Development Forum" and held a preparatory meeting attended by heads of political economy departments from various universities and research institutions. At the preparatory meeting, Research Fellow Yang Jing, Secretary-General of the Forum and a researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, emphasized the importance of echelon building for young political economy scholars, improving the quality of their papers, and promoting exchange and development between political economy disciplines across various institutions. These efforts aim to jointly advance disciplinary construction and the development of young scholars through multiple channels.
Furthermore, upholding its traditions and strengths, the forum continued the practice of organizing exchange sessions between editorial departments and scholars. Editors from journals such as ICSS, Marxist Studies, Political Economy Review, Contemporary Economic Research, Economist, Reform, Economic Review, World Review of Political Economy, Shanghai School of Economics, Finance and Economics, West Forum, Reference for Economic Research, Reform and Strategy, and Research on Economic Theory and Policy were invited. They provided feedback on submitted articles, introduced the selection criteria and submission requirements of their respective journals, and responded to questions from participants. The forum served as an excellent platform for the disciplinary development of Marxist political economy and for exchanges among Marxist political economists nationwide.
(Contributors: Wang Feng, Wei Yiqing)