Zeng Nan: Modern Chinese Civilization from the Perspective of the Historical Materialism
Xi Jinping has noted: "Civilization, and especially thought and culture, constitute the soul of a country and a nation." Modern Chinese civilization is the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and the contemporary manifestation of Chinese civilization. Marxism takes historical materialism as its theoretical cornerstone to reveal the essence of "civilization," grasping and understanding the emergence and evolution of civilization through actual material practical activities. Understanding modern Chinese civilization from the height of historical materialism helps demonstrate the spiritual affinity and essential connection between Marxism and Chinese civilization. It further allows us to perceive the creative power of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in leading the people of all ethnic groups to create a civilization form that faces the world and points toward the future through the practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization. Examining modern Chinese civilization through the lens of historical materialism helps us clearly recognize its formative conditions, internal characteristics, and value significance based on the laws of civilizational development revealed by Marxism, thereby strengthening our sense of mission and responsibility to build modern Chinese civilization in the New Era.
I. The Formative Conditions of Modern Chinese Civilization
Marx pointed out: "Civilization is a matter of practice, a quality of society." The form and evolution of a civilization do not form naturally through the mere accumulation of time, nor are they constructed and unfolded according to spiritual imagination; they are the crystallized results of concrete, real people engaging in real practical activities. Modern Chinese civilization is both the contemporary manifestation of the "activation of Chinese civilization" and the "fruit" formed by the Chinese nation in its contemporary practical activities. From the perspective of historical materialism, the foundation of civilizational progress is "autonomous activity" rather than "spiritual progress," and "exchange and mutual learning" rather than "rigid indoctrination." [1] Its generation is conditional. The formative conditions for modern Chinese civilization include both the universal conditions for the generation of any modern civilization and the specific conditions of the Chinese nation’s historical inheritance. It is a creative generation based on a series of foundational conditions.
1. The long-standing Chinese civilization: The internal condition for building modern Chinese civilization
Chinese civilization has a long history. This far-reaching civilization is both the rich soil for the growth of Chinese culture and the source of living water for Chinese cultural innovation. It answers the question of "where Chinese civilization came from" and foreshadows "where Chinese civilization is going." Chinese civilization grew through the mutual saturation of agricultural, nomadic, and maritime civilizations. Its continuous use of characters, unique historiographical tradition, and a conceptual system integrated into the lives of the people have given it a lasting and vigorous vitality. Internally, the cultures of various ethnic groups have interacted and communicated; externally, it has absorbed and integrated European, Buddhist, and Arabian civilizations, allowing it to continue uninterrupted through mutual learning. In the course of several thousand years of history, although Chinese civilization has experienced many tribulations, it has never been severed and has formed spiritual characteristics and developmental forms distinct from other civilizations. From the perspective of the structural elements of civilization revealed by Marxism, the spiritual characteristics of Chinese civilization established the "qualitative" definition of modern Chinese civilization and are the internal conditions for its construction.
Upholding benevolence and emphasizing the people as the foundation are the core spiritual characteristics of the Chinese nation. "The benevolent man loves others" (Mencius: Lilou II), "Use benevolence to settle others, and righteousness to rectify oneself" (Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals: The Way of Benevolence and Righteousness), and "Truly beautiful and benevolent" (Book of Odes: Zheng Wind: Shu is in the Fields)—upholding benevolence as a virtue, a political concept, and a way of governance reflects the Chinese nation’s worldview, political outlook, and moral outlook characterized by "the unity of Heaven and Man," "governing with virtue," and "measuring others by oneself." [2] It internally dictates the collectivity of modern Chinese civilization, making it essentially different from the atomized individualism and anthropocentrism promoted by the West. "The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is solid, the state is at peace" (Book of Documents: Song of the Five Sons), "Taking the people as the foundation" (Annals of Master Yan: Inner Chapters, Part II), and "The people are the base of the country" (Book of Documents: Great Plan)—emphasizing the people as the foundation as a political requirement reflects that the Chinese nation has always had a clear people-centered outlook. It internally dictates the people-centered nature of modern Chinese civilization, making it essentially different from the "supremacy of capital" in capitalist civilization.
Maintaining integrity and honoring justice are the cornerstones of the Chinese nation’s spiritual characteristics. "Sincerity is the Way of Heaven; to seek sincerity is the Way of Man" (Mencius: Lilou I). Maintaining integrity is the moral quality and value standard that the Chinese nation has followed for thousands of years; it has become one of the core elements of the Core Socialist Values, integrated into the norms of conduct and value requirements of the members of the contemporary community of the Chinese nation. "Nothing is more valuable than righteousness" (Mozi: On Esteeming Righteousness). Honoring justice highlights the spiritual gene of the Chinese nation’s pursuit of fairness and equality; it has been sublimated into an important part of our country’s Core Socialist Values, constituting a vital value concept of modern Chinese civilization.
Valuing harmony and seeking "Great Unity" is the essence of the Chinese nation’s spiritual characteristics. "Harmony actually produces things, while sameness leads to no continuation" (Zuo Zhuan: Discourses of the States: Discourses of Zheng) and "When the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all" (Book of Rites: Conveyance of Rituals). [3] The Chinese nation has always upheld the maxim "harmony is most precious," writing vivid stories in the history of human civilization such as Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions, Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas, and the "dissemination of Chinese learning to the West and Western learning to the East." The spiritual characteristics of valuing harmony and seeking "Great Unity" internally dictate the inclusiveness and peaceful nature of modern Chinese civilization, fundamentally transcending narrow mindsets such as the "clash of civilizations," "civilizational superiority," and the "end of civilization." Without the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, there would be no path of success for us today, nor would there be a modern Chinese civilization. The long-standing Chinese civilization has laid the deep historical foundation for modern Chinese civilization, and its spiritual characteristics contain the value endowments and internal pursuits of the members of the community of the Chinese nation. Modern Chinese civilization is the continuous development of the long-standing Chinese civilization; it constitutes the "source" of modern Chinese civilization and remains an internal condition for its construction.
2. The leadership of the Communist Party of China: The fundamental condition for building modern Chinese civilization
The CPC is "always the loyal successor and promoter of the excellent traditional Chinese culture." After the start of the modern era, Chinese civilization encountered a profound crisis where its continuity was threatened. Faced with this "dust-covered civilization," the CPC, from the moment of its birth, firmly took up the heavy responsibility of "civilizational rejuvenation," leading the people of all ethnic groups through a century of struggle to promote the modern transformation of Chinese civilization, achieving its "rebirth like a phoenix." [4] The practice of the development of Chinese civilization in modern times proves that the leadership of the CPC is the fundamental condition for building modern Chinese civilization.
Viewed from the perspective of historical materialism, the century-long struggle of the CPC is also the process through which Chinese civilization has leaped from active creation to the stimulation of vitality, to prosperity, and finally to self-awareness and self-confidence.
During the New Democratic Revolution period, the CPC broke through the "total Westernization theory" and the "theory that Chinese civilization has been abandoned," proposing the establishment of a "Third New Civilization," thereby opening a new chapter in the rejuvenation of Chinese civilization. After the Opium War, amidst the turbulent clash between Chinese and Western civilizations, the Chinese intellectual world showed a paranoid obsession with Western civilization, with some even proposing "total Westernization." At its founding, the CPC pointed out the limitations of Western civilization and dispelled the erroneous arguments of "total Westernization" and the "abandonment of Chinese civilization." Facing the disaster-ridden old China, Li Dazhao proposed that without the rise of a "Third New Civilization," it would be impossible to cross this precipice, and he advocated for the integration of Marxism with the Chinese Revolution. Under the guidance of Marxism, the leading and relying forces of the new civilization were established, opening a new chapter of active creation by the Chinese nation.
During the period of Socialist Revolution and Construction, the fundamental socialist system was established, and a "New Socialist Civilization" was initially built. This period saw the establishment of public ownership of the means of production, the people's democratic dictatorship, the system of people's congresses, and the socialist cultural system, laying the fundamental political premises and institutional foundations for socialist material, political, and spiritual civilizations.
During the new period of Reform and Opening-up and socialist modernization, the new vitality of socialist civilization was stimulated, injecting a powerful impetus into the rejuvenation of Chinese civilization. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, the relationship between the market economy and socialism was re-evaluated, and capitalist civilization was viewed dialectically. This greatly liberated and developed the productive forces, laying the material foundation for the construction of socialist civilization. The importance and urgency of "spiritual civilization" were proposed, achieving a new leap in civilizational development and prosperity.
In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" of civilizational theory was proposed, "embodying the systemic thinking of coordinately advancing Chinese-path modernization." This approach recognizes the contemporary value and global significance of Chinese civilization with a more conscious and self-confident stance, creating a new pattern for the development of Chinese civilization. Facing the "changes unseen in a century" in the world, this theory transcends "Western-centrism," actively promotes exchange and mutual learning between civilizations, emphasizes that Chinese civilization is the source of the Chinese nation's development, and elucidates the significant contribution of Chinese civilization to world civilization. From promoting the "rise of the Third New Civilization" to actively shouldering the cultural mission of the New Era, and from taking the construction of a more civilized country as its duty to creating a new form of human civilization, the CPC has always been the core leadership force for the innovative development of Chinese civilization. It is precisely under the leadership of the CPC that the people have gained subjective power, shaping civilized people and a civilized society.
3. Adhering to the "Two Combinations": The key condition for building modern Chinese civilization
"To open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the deep foundation of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization, the 'combination' of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China’s excellent traditional culture is the only way." Mao Zedong’s explanation of the Sinicization of Marxism in On the New Stage can be seen as the origin of the understanding of the "first combination." In his speech at the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, Xi Jinping explicitly proposed the new thesis of the "Two Combinations" for the Sinicization of Marxism for the first time. The transition from "one combination" to "two combinations" indicates that our Party has a deeper cognitive understanding of the guidance and application of Marxism in China. It also demonstrates our Party's deepened understanding of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization, reflecting our Party's consciousness and self-confidence in advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics from the height of civilizational rejuvenation. The "Two Combinations" are the greatest magic weapon for the success of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The two are not in a relationship of inclusion or simple juxtaposition, but rather a progressive relationship: the "second combination" is the cultural reflection of the practical foundation of the "first combination," and this cultural reflection, in turn, promotes the great practice of the "first combination." Adhering to the "Two Combinations" is the key condition for building modern Chinese civilization.
Adhering to the "Two Combinations" requires a profound understanding and conscious implementation of the mutual affinity, mutual accomplishment, foundational nature of the path, space for innovation, and cultural subjectivity inherent in this "combination."
The premise of "combination" is mutual affinity. Although Marxism and excellent traditional Chinese culture have different origins, they exhibit a resonance of spiritual beliefs, a harmony of value concepts, and a coupling of practical movements. For instance, the resonance between Marxism and excellent traditional Chinese culture regarding the vision of a future society; the conceptual harmony regarding the relationship between man and nature; and the practical coupling between the Marxist advocacy for "human liberation" through the mastery of material forces and the traditional Chinese spirit of "as Heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-strengthening"—all these give the two a natural affinity.
The result of "combination" is mutual accomplishment. The "combination" creates a new living organism, allowing the tree of Marxist truth to strike deep roots and grow lush leaves, while also giving excellent traditional Chinese culture "new" vitality. For example, "seeking truth from facts" is the result of combining Marxist epistemology with national forms and historical wisdom; this "combination" has allowed it to play a key role as the "ideological essence" throughout the various stages of the Chinese revolution, construction, and reform.
The "combination" has solidified the foundation of the path. Historical materialism holds that the development of human society is a dialectical unity of generality and particularity. China’s unique geographical environment and climatic conditions formed the unique developmental trajectory of Chinese civilization; the "combination" provides the Chinese path with a foundational meaning derived from historical depth.
The "combination" has opened up space for innovation. The new political order constructed by combining the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics with the "civilization of rites and music" [5]; the consolidation of the Party’s foundation for governance through the combination of "people-centeredness" with traditional "people-as-foundation" thought; and the global vision contained in the combination of "a community with a shared future for humanity" with "harmony among all nations"—all these are powerful footnotes to the way "combination" opens space for innovation.
The "combination" has consolidated cultural subjectivity. "If there were no 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, where would 'Chinese characteristics' come from?" The "combination" internally connects the main theoretical vein of Marxism with the spiritual bloodline of the Chinese nation, integrating China’s history, reality, and future, pointing toward a new civilizational space.
4. Advancing Chinese-path modernization: The practical condition for building modern Chinese civilization
“Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, while Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound depth.” Investigated from the perspective of historical materialism, a given culture is the reflection of a given society’s politics and economy in conceptual form. As the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is the conceptual reflection of the practice of Chinese-path modernization, while Chinese-path modernization constitutes the practical condition for constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Chinese-path modernization did not emerge spontaneously. From the historical logic of historical materialism, the internal drive for modernization originates in the transformation of the mode of production. The mode of production is the most fundamental force driving the development of human society; modernization is pushed forward precisely through successive iterative evolutions of the mode of production. Looking at the process of these transformations, humanity has experienced three industrial revolutions since the 18th century, and the fourth industrial revolution is currently underway. Chinese-path modernization was initiated and created precisely by catching up with the transformation of the mode of production. It has achieved rapid catch-up in a highly compressed space-time, advancing the “four modernizations” [6] through a “parallel-connection” [7] approach. Currently, it is “running alongside” and even “leading the race” in certain sectors of the fourth industrial revolution. Today, Chinese-path modernization resonates at the same frequency as the new scientific and technological revolution, entering a new stage of modernization driven by this revolution. From the relational domain of historical materialism, transformations in the mode of production inevitably cause changes in social relations. The modernization process triggered by the transformation of the mode of production also sparks shifts in social relations. Based on modern modes of production and centered on the people, Chinese-path modernization promotes harmony in the relationships between humanity and nature, humanity and society, and among human beings themselves while driving the construction of an “association of free individuals.” Furthermore, modernization and the beginning of world history manifest synchronicity. Modernization means that regional histories move toward world history, where narrow, limited, and regional states are gradually replaced by universal and global states. Chinese-path modernization is a part of world history. Based on a grasp of the relationship between its own existence and the world, it has inaugurated a new starting point for the transformation of the era of world history. It transcends the boundaries of the evolution of world history as defined by Western capitalism. On the basis of a profound grasp of the inner essence of the “changes unseen in a century,” [8] it points toward the future trend of the common development of human society. Chinese-path modernization was not achieved overnight; it was generated through the reciprocal movement of the productive forces and relations of production. It has been proactively advanced by the Communist Party of China based on its understanding and mastery of the laws of historical development. It is on the practical basis of Chinese-path modernization that the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is being shaped.
II. The Connotative Characteristics of the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation
Historical materialism consistently focuses on the internal relationship between conceptual forms and material practice. To grasp the connotative characteristics of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, one must survey the entire history of human civilizational development. Based on the laws of social development and actual material practice, one must conduct a holistic investigation from dimensions such as civilizational form, structure, origin, stage, and subject. The interpretation of these connotations and characteristics is also an act of theoretical self-consciousness [9] in constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
1. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a composite civilization containing both diachronic and synchronic dimensions
The “diachronic” represents a civilizational form, while the “synchronic” represents the elemental structure of a civilization. From a “diachronic” perspective, it is future-oriented, pointing toward the modern civilization of the “free individuality” form. From a “synchronic” perspective, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a modern civilization characterized by an integrated totality, harmonizing the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. It is a composite civilization containing the dual dimensions of the diachronic and the synchronic.
Civilization characterizes the level and stage of a social formation. The “diachronic” emphasizes the longitudinal investigation of civilizational levels. Marx once used the three-fold social formation division to longitudinally demarcate different levels of social formations, revealing the logical succession and developmental laws of the civilizational process. “Personal dependence” is the “initial social form.” During this period, individuals have no independent foothold and always depend on a certain community; this is the embryonic and starting stage of civilization. “Personal independence based on objective dependence” is the “developed but contradictory social form.” During this period, individuals obtain a certain degree of freedom and independence but are ruled by external “objects” (commodities/capital). This is an advancement of civilization, yet it is a stage of struggle that breeds progress toward a higher developmental stage. “Free individuality” is the third great social form. During this period, the “becoming of nature for man” and “man’s confirmation of himself in the process of objectification” proceed together in both directions; this is a brand-new era of civilizational development. From a “diachronic” perspective, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is rooted in the tension-filled movement of advanced productive forces and the universal appropriation of rich relations of production. It faces the world and points toward the future, truly removing the “uncivilized side” of capital, eliminating the division of labor that traps individuals in alienation, resolving the opposition between mental and physical labor, and curing maladies such as the separation of town and country, the alienation of labor, and class rule. By organically combining individual development with free and conscious activity, it moves toward a “true community.” It is a civilization moving toward a higher stage.
Civilization is the accumulation of practical activities carried out in various fields. The “synchronic” emphasizes the horizontal investigation of the civilizational system. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a civilizational system accumulated through the practical activities of the members of the community of the Chinese nation across various fields. Specifically, as the material result of transforming nature, material civilization includes natural elements, factors of productive forces, and industrial elements. Marx used terms such as “material production,” “material life,” and “material exchange” to explicate material civilization, regarding already-acquired productive forces as the “fruits of civilization.” The modern civilization of the Chinese nation embodies a material civilization characterized by the leap-frog development of productive forces. As a form of state power opposed to centralization (despotism), political civilization includes the civilizations of political concepts, political institutions, and political behavior. Marx referred to political civilization in his explanations of “democratic systems,” “legal systems,” and “state power,” noting that “the political system is the organism of the state.” The modern civilization of the Chinese nation embodies a political civilization that guarantees the people are the masters of the country. As the sum total of spiritual achievements, spiritual civilization includes philosophy, science, art, morality, and ethics. Marx used “spiritual production,” “spiritual exchange,” and “spiritual life” to explain spiritual civilization. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation embodies a spiritual civilization that meets the spiritual and cultural needs of the people. As a civilizational achievement based on society, social civilization includes the civilizations of social subjects, social relations, and social governance. Marx used “social relations” and “social life” to refer to social civilization. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation embodies a social civilization that enhances the people’s well-being. As the sum total of achievements in improving the relationship between humanity and nature, ecological civilization includes the civilizations of lifestyles, developmental modes, and ecological governance. Marx elucidated ecological civilization in expressions regarding the “relationship between man and nature” and “respecting and utilizing the laws of nature,” stating that “man is a part of nature.” The modern civilization of the Chinese nation embodies an ecological civilization characterized by the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. In short, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation points toward a future-oriented evolution of levels and the multifaceted wisdom of various civilizational types; it is a composite civilization embodying both diachronic and synchronic dimensions.
2. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is an advanced civilization manifesting the unity of conformity to laws and conformity to purpose
“Conformity to laws” (rationality) emphasizes the laws of civilizational development, while “conformity to purpose” emphasizes the value orientation of civilization. Marx gave full affirmation to capitalist civilization, yet he also pointed out that “this shell is about to burst,” as it would gradually lose its practical necessity and give way to a higher civilization. From the perspective of “conformity to laws,” the modern civilization of the Chinese nation takes the civilization of the information age as its direction of evolution. From the perspective of “conformity to purpose,” it takes the well-rounded development of the person as its value orientation. It represents a more advanced form of civilization.
Compared to savagery, civilization is the product of human productive forces developing to a certain stage. Marx revealed the origin of civilization based on the development of productive forces and the transformation of the mode of production. Grasping the laws of civilizational development likewise requires focusing on these two factors. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Looking at the history of world civilization, humanity has successively experienced the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, and the information revolution.” The agricultural revolution, marked by manual production, created agricultural civilization; however, the small-scale peasant mode of production led to the simplification of social relations, the one-dimensionality of human development, and the lopsided development of talents, eventually being replaced by industrial civilization. The industrial revolution, marked by large-scale machine production, created industrial civilization; however, industrial production built on the basis of capitalist private ownership cannot accommodate the continuously expanding productive forces, inevitably leading to the collapse of capitalist industrial civilization. The information revolution, marked by intelligent production, has created information civilization, representing the direction of the laws of civilizational development. The transition from agricultural and industrial civilization to information civilization represents a process of civilizational upgrading and jumping, and is also the result of transformations in the mode of production. The construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a process in the making, not a finished product. It is forged in the practice of Chinese-path modernization, takes information-age civilization as its evolutionary direction, and represents the forward direction of civilizational development. The discussions on technology, innovation, and information in the Report to the 20th CPC National Congress manifest a self-awareness and clarity in advancing the information revolution. The mode of production stipulates the laws of civilizational evolution; by taking information-age civilization as its direction, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation manifests “conformity to laws.”
Civilization moves toward the goal of human happiness. Civilization should be a “human” civilization. From an ontological perspective, civilization should point toward the realization of the “nature of human life activity” and the true appropriation by man of his own essence. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation takes the people’s logic as its core and uses social and human progress as its yardstick. The well-rounded development of the person constitutes its civilizational axis and its value orientation. In the long river of human civilizational history, the “three great contradictions”—namely the contradiction between humanity and nature, between person and person, and between the person and the self—are unavoidable. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation resolves these “three great contradictions” by discarding development that uses objects as the yardstick, discarding one-dimensional human development, and discarding development where only a few benefit. It achieves the “reconciliation of man with nature and of man with himself.” First, it discards development that uses objects as the yardstick. It upholds the supremacy of the “human” logic, making the logic of “objects” (capital/goods) subordinate to it. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation persists in being people-centered; it does not exchange the devaluation of the “human” for the growth of “objects.” The development of the “human” has absolute value priority, and “human development” replaces “material growth” as the yardstick of evaluation. Second, it discards one-dimensional human development. Herbert Marcuse’s “One-Dimensional Man” described the lopsidedness of human development under Western capitalist civilization. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation guarantees human richness and integrity through the coordinated development of the “five civilizations.” Third, it discards development where only a few benefit. The Marxist theory of the subject of civilization inherently stipulates the subjective power of the “human” in civilization, indicating that the “person” as the subject is both the creator and the beneficiary. Benefiting only a few violates the principles of the Marxist view of civilization. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation inherently follows the Marxist view of civilization, points toward the “human” itself, and manifests “conformity to purpose.”
3. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a new type of civilization embodying the dialectical unity of universality and particularity
Marxism provides profound insight into the laws of development of human society, revealing the progress and trends of modern civilization compared to traditional civilization. “Any nation that is deprived of industry and thus reduced to a mere collection of clod-hoppers cannot keep pace in civilization with other nations.” The Chinese nation has undergone a process of the negation of the negation: “reflecting on its own traditional culture → the bankruptcy of capitalist civilization in the hearts of the people → choosing Marxism → the ‘Two Combinations.’” [10] Based on the practice of Chinese-path modernization, it has shaped the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. As a modern civilization, it possesses the common characteristics of modern civilization; as a scientific product of the “Two Combinations,” it possesses its own unique traits. In terms of civilizational type, it is a new type of civilization that manifests the dialectical unity of the universality and particularity of human civilization.
Modern civilization is the product of the process of modernization. Modernization practices initiated by the West caused modern civilization to initially manifest primarily as capitalist civilization. Understood through a narrow conceptual definition, "modern civilization" in the texts of Marx and Engels refers precisely to capitalist civilization. Regarding capitalist civilization, Marx and Engels, on the one hand, objectively affirmed its historical progressiveness, calling it "an open book of man's essential powers" [11]; on the other hand, they pointed directly to its internal antagonism and limitations, noting that under the rule of capital, it presents a kind of "civilization within crude barbarism." Capitalist civilization is a "contradictory entity," but when abstracted from the concrete history of capitalist modernization, modern civilization represents historical progress compared to traditional civilization and is the requisite choice for the development of all national civilizations. As a form of modern civilization, Chinese-path modern civilization first possesses the common characteristics of modern civilization. First is subjectivity. Modern civilization ended the blind phenomenon of the "deification of nature," eliminated the false cognition of "nature-centrism," and emphasized the subjective status of the human being. Second is creativity. Modern civilization is always accompanied by "uninterrupted disturbance and constant movement"; it is not rigid or closed, but actively promotes the "creation of elements of a new and higher form." Third is comprehensiveness. Based on the development of productive forces, modern civilization creates universal social relations for humanity and favorable conditions for all-around human development. Fourth is internationality. Modern civilization implies a move from narrow, closed national histories toward world history; through global division of labor, interaction, and exchange, it "has given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country." Chinese-path modern civilization possesses these common characteristics, endowing the practice of building modern civilization with universal significance and manifesting its inherent universal value.
Chinese-path modern civilization is a new national form of modern civilization; the "Two Combinations" [12] established the context for its emergence. Chinese-path modern civilization was created through the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities. It is a socialist civilization crystallized under the guidance of Marxism while firmly following the socialist road. Centered on the people, based on the public ownership of the means of production, and taking common prosperity as its essential requirement, it is fundamentally different from capitalist civilization, which takes capital as its core logic. Chinese-path modern civilization was also created through the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture; it is a new type of civilization that emerged from over 5,000 years of Steiner history. The roots of Chinese civilization are well-developed, formed by the convergence of diverse elements: "the desert nomadic civilization bloc, the pan-Central Plains agrarian civilization bloc, the Northeast fishing-hunting-farming-pastoral civilization bloc, the snowy plateau pastoral-farming civilization bloc, and the maritime civilization bloc" [13]. It possesses universality and inclusiveness. From the initial proposal to build a "national, scientific, and mass New Democratic culture" [14] to the construction of Chinese-path modern civilization, the "national" dimension reveals a unique spiritual identity, signaling the vitality of Chinese wisdom and indigenous Chinese civilization. Within the rational tension of the triple intellectual resources of "fine traditional Chinese culture – Marxism – Western civilization," Chinese-path modern civilization has achieved the sublimation of modern civilization. It is a new type of civilization that embodies the dialectical unity of the universality and particularity of human civilization.
III. The Dimensional Significance of Chinese-path Modern Civilization
Civilization is the result of the inheritance, accumulation, and creation of human practical activities; the history of human development is, to a certain extent, the engraving and recording of human civilization. The "Second Combination" [15] has "created a new, organically unified cultural lifeform." As a new cultural lifeform, Chinese-path modern civilization manifests unique value and significance when examined from the dimensions of Chinese civilization, socialist civilization, and human civilization.
1. Demonstrating the Vitality and Influence of Chinese Civilization: Driving the Great Transformation from "Civilizational Dust" to Civilizational Rejuvenation
Among world civilizations, Chinese civilization is the only one that has continued uninterrupted to the present day. With its continuously used writing system, values integrated into the lives of the people, unique historiographical tradition, and rich educational system, it has maintained vigorous vitality. Chinese civilization focuses not only on continuation and inheritance rooted in its own conditions but also on interaction with world civilizations. Whether it was the formation of the "Sinosphere" centered on China in ancient times or the global transformations driven by the Four Great Inventions [16], both vividly attest to the powerful outward influence of Chinese civilization. However, after the dawn of the modern era, under the repeated ravages of Western powers, Chinese civilization fell from its former glory into a state of "civilizational dust" (wenming mengchen). Faced with this "dust," people of vision from all walks of life sought solutions, but all met with failure. It was not until the birth of the Communist Party of China, leading the Chinese people through a century of struggle, that the great transformation from "civilizational dust" to civilizational rejuvenation was achieved. Civilizational rejuvenation is the unity of recurrence and emergence: recurrence emphasizes the continuation of ancient civilization, but it is not a carbon copy of the past, nor a severance from it; rather, it is the sublation (Aufhebung) and renewal of ancient civilization. Emergence emphasizes the guidance of modern civilization, pointing toward a more superior and advanced new type of civilization. Inheritance, innovation, and guidance constitute the core essence of the rejuvenation of Chinese civilization. Chinese-path modern civilization inherently contains the "past" of inheritance, the "new life" of innovation, and the "prospects" of guidance; it is a vivid manifestation of Chinese civilization moving toward rejuvenation.
The prerequisite for rejuvenation is inheritance, recurrence, and reconstruction. From the perspective of the laws of human civilizational development, civilizational rejuvenation cannot be severed, detached, or suspended; it requires inheritance, recurrence, and reconstruction. Civilizational reconstruction means being neither rigid and conservative nor blindly following others; it is an attitude of upholding sublation and renewal toward one’s own ancient civilization and maintaining a stance of critical reference toward foreign civilizations. Xi Jinping noted: "Fine traditional Chinese culture has many important elements that together shape the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization." These prominent characteristics fundamentally determine the value orientation, path choice, and spiritual beliefs of the Chinese nation. Chinese-path modern civilization is the reconstruction and optimization of ancient civilization; it likewise possesses the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization and builds itself according to these internal traits, allowing the vitality and influence of Chinese civilization to be more powerfully demonstrated in the contemporary era. The core of rejuvenation is emergence, innovation, and guidance. Rejuvenation is by no means a total return to antiquity; it inherently involves civilizational innovation that faces the world and points toward the future. Historical materialism reveals that the leap in productive forces and relations of production is the basic structural force of civilizational transition, that actual labor is the foundation of civilizational creation, and that the free and all-around development of the individual is the fundamental goal of civilizational development. Based on the dynamics of structural contradictions, Chinese-path modern civilization actively promotes the deep integration of information-age civilization with fine traditional Chinese culture, always adheres to a people-centered value standpoint, points toward the elevation of essential human capacities, and looks toward the world and the future. In short, Chinese-path modern civilization conforms to the developmental trends of human civilization, driving the great transformation of Chinese civilization from "civilizational dust" to civilizational rejuvenation through the inheritance and recurrence of ancient civilization and the emergence and guidance of human civilization.
2. Highlighting the Advanced Essence of Scientific Socialism: Promoting a Historical Turn Favorable to Socialist Civilization
Scientific socialism, with historical materialism as its theoretical foundation, reveals the "two inevitabilities" [17] and identifies the masses as the subjects of history, possessing advanced, practical, and pro-people qualities. The October Revolution led by Lenin transformed socialism from theory into reality. However, after Lenin's death, Russian socialist practice did not truly follow the principles and requirements of scientific socialism, and the Soviet model of socialism even departed to some extent from the theoretical conceptions of scientific socialism. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe, theories of "socialist failure," the "end of history," and the "end of ideology" arose for a time, presenting a general situation where "the West wind prevailed over the East wind" and capitalism appeared strong while socialism appeared weak. Viewed from the dimension of socialist civilization, Chinese-path modern civilization highlights the advanced essence of scientific socialism and promotes a historical turn favorable to socialist civilization.
The reason Chinese-path modern civilization can promote this historical turn is that, compared to capitalist civilization, it embodies an inherent transcendence. First, the "people-centered" approach transcends "capital-centrism." Marx and Engels believed that capitalist civilization is essentially a civilization of "things." With capital appreciation as its fundamental goal, it has, on the one hand, created productive forces more massive than all preceding generations combined, but on the other hand, "the social relations of individuals are transformed into the social relations of things, and the capacities of individuals into the capacities of things." Relationships between humans and nature, humans and society, and humans and themselves have fallen into irreconcilable contradictions. Chinese-path modern civilization takes the needs of the people as its internal drive, places the people at the center, and makes capital serve the people—clarifying that capital is a means, not an end. By relying on the power of the people and ultimately benefiting the broad masses, it awakens creativity through its "pro-people" nature and promotes the resolution of the "three major contradictions" [18], truly embodying the subjective status of the human being. Second, "comprehensive advancement" transcends "one-sided pursuit." Under the dominance of the logic of capital, capitalist civilization has formed a malformed development model characterized by the one-sided pursuit of "capital profit." On the basis of capitalist private ownership, the contradiction between productive forces and relations of production is irreconcilable; the outbreak of periodic economic crises has become an inevitable "internal injury" of capitalist material civilization. The distortion of material civilization leads to malformed states in all other aspects of civilization, such as money politics, value nihilism, social unrest, and ecological pollution. Under the dominance of the logic of the people, Chinese-path modern civilization has formed a coordinated development model that comprehensively advances the "five civilizations." On the basis of socialist public ownership, the tension between productive forces and relations of production promotes the comprehensive advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, generating a synergistic state of symbiosis and mutual progress. Third, "systemic harmony" transcends "fragmentation and conflict." Historical materialism emphasizes the interaction of various elements of the social structure and focuses on their unity to form positive synergy. In the perspective of historical materialism, capitalist civilization is essentially a fragmented and antagonistic form of civilization. Under the dominance of the logic that prioritizes capital appreciation above all else, the world of things and the world of humans, capital and labor, and production and ecology are in a state of opposition and antagonism. Marx once pointed out: "Its history from now on is only a history of antagonisms, crises, conflicts, and disasters." Chinese-path modern civilization draws on cultural wisdom such as "valuing harmony" (shang hehe) and "seeking Great Unity" (qiu datong). Guided by a people-centered logic, it insists on systemic harmony, "harmony without uniformity," and "pulling together in times of trouble," emphasizing the unity of all elements and the coordinated resonance between the parts and the whole. In short, the degree of unity between the modernization of "things" and the modernization of "people" is the yardstick for measuring the level of civilization. Socialist civilization sees both "things" and "people," whereas capitalist civilization "sees only things and not people." As a form of socialist civilization, Chinese-path modern civilization highlights the advanced essence of scientific socialism, demonstrates a transcendence superior to capitalist civilization, and promotes a historical turn favorable to socialist civilization within the landscape of world civilizations.
3. Leading a New Logic of Global Civilizational Interaction: Promoting an Orderly Transition from Game-Theory Antagonism to Inclusive Harmony
When examining modern civilization, capitalist civilization promotes its own priority status globally based on liberalist ideals, which is essentially the protection of Western-centrism under a linear, singular logic. Dominated by the goal of capital appreciation, capitalist states exploit markets everywhere, accompanied by plunder, colonization, and aggression. Capitalist civilization is essentially a "pirate-style civilization," manifesting logic characterized by zero-sum games, binary oppositions, and narrow nationalism. Chinese-path modern civilization is rooted in the cultural heritage of the Chinese nation—such as "harmonizing all nations" and "Great Unity under Heaven"—and employs the dynamic mechanisms of civilizational interaction to lead a new logic of global civilizational exchange, driving an orderly transition from game-theory antagonism toward inclusive harmony.
The reason why the modern civilization of the Chinese nation can lead a brand-new way of thinking regarding global civilizational interaction and promote the construction of a new order for human civilizational exchange lies in its occupation of the commanding heights of truth, morality, and civilization, representing the progressive direction of civilizational development.
First, by adhering to historical materialism, it clarifies that civilizational exchange is a driving force for development, thereby occupying the commanding heights of "truth." Historical materialism, by revealing and explaining the mode of production, grasps the essence and laws of history, serving as a "general illumination" [19] that guides social development. In the perspective of historical materialism, civilizational development does not rely on "spiritual imagination"; rather, the transformation of the mode of production and the exchange between civilizations are the crucial driving forces for its development. The innovation and rebirth of civilizations are advanced precisely through mutual learning and exchange. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation follows historical materialism as this "general illumination," drawing on and absorbing all the outstanding achievements of human civilization, and transcending civilizational conflict through mutual learning among civilizations.
Second, by rooting itself in fine traditional culture, it inherits the excellent genes of civilizational interaction, thereby occupying the commanding heights of "morality." Chinese civilization is a "harmonious" [20] civilization centered on "benevolence and virtue" (rende). Looking back at the history of the Chinese nation, it has always advocated a worldview, international outlook, and moral outlook defined by "Great Unity under Heaven" [21], "harmony among all nations" [22], and "kindness toward others." As noted, "the interweaving of multiple cultures has constructed a vibrant and colorful cultural landscape." Rooted in fine traditions, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation practices equal civilizational interaction and shapes "civilized subjects" through such engagement.
Third, by resolving the civilizational deficit, it creates a new form of human civilization, thereby occupying the commanding heights of "civilization." Capitalist civilization pushed history toward world history, embodying the "civilizing aspects of capital" [23], but a civilization whose fundamental goal is the self-valorization of capital ultimately brings about plunder, confrontation, and hegemony, plunging the human world into a civilizational deficit. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a new type of civilization generated within the practice of Chinese-path modernization. It transcends the binary opposition models of "center-periphery" and "West-East," guiding the construction of a new civilizational order defined by "appreciating the beauty of others and sharing that beauty together" [24]. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation demonstrates a systematic, cooperative, and win-win way of thinking in human practice, prompting humanity to generate a collective consciousness that pursues common development and harmonious coexistence, thus leading the direction of the development of human civilization.
(About the Author: Zeng Nan, Special Researcher at the Southern Medical University Base of the Guangdong Provincial Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; Vice Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Marxism, Southern Medical University.)
Online Editor: Tongxin Source: Marxism Studies (《马克思主义研究》), Issue 8, 2023.