The Ninth Lecture of the 21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium Held

Chinese Social Sciences Net report: On November 30, the 9th lecture of the "21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium," hosted by the CASS ^[1] Member of the Division of Marxist Studies and organized by the Institute of Marxism Studies, was held in Beijing. Dmitry Novikov, Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the State Duma, was invited to deliver a special report titled "Problems Facing Today's World and the Struggle of Communists for Socialism."

Novikov pointed out that the establishment of the United Nations was one of the primary achievements won by the people of the world in the Second World War. The purpose of establishing the UN was to: prevent the recurrence of a new world war in human society; construct mechanisms to prevent armed conflict as well as a stable collective security mechanism; prevent the reappearance of fascism and other anti-human ideologies; promote the dissemination of the concepts of cooperation, humanitarianism, dialogue, equality, and mutual benefit; respect the sovereignty of all countries and reflect common interests; and actively conduct dialogue to explore effective paths for humanity toward a better future. Over the years, the UN has exerted much effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, such as dedicating itself to global poverty reduction and setting 2030 as the deadline for global poverty elimination. Today, one can clearly see that only China has achieved great success in resolving the problem of poverty.

Novikov emphasized that any true Communist understands very clearly that the fundamental cause of the global problems facing humanity lies in the deepening of the general crisis of capitalism. In works written during the First World War, Lenin demonstrated that capitalism had transitioned to the stage of imperialism, and that capitalism had already lost its historically progressive role and entered a stage of decline, a stage of decay, and a stage characterized by the outbreak of deep-seated crises. The "destruction" of the Soviet Union was by no means the "end of history" ^[2]; it did not mean the cessation of the crisis of capitalism. This can be proven by two points: first, although the United States and its allies won the victory against the Soviet Union, it did not stabilize capitalism; on the contrary, the general crisis of capitalism is continuously deepening. Second, on the world stage, China has taken up the banner of defending socialism. Considering the proportion of China's population in the world and the proportion of the Chinese economy in the global economy, the success of Chinese-path modernization represents the success of world socialism.

Regarding "Chinese experience," Novikov stated that Russian Communists are fully aware that China will not impose its own path of development on other countries. At the same time, we clearly realize that there must be reasons why a large country like China can still develop rapidly in the face of the world economic crisis. Conducting deep research into these reasons and drawing lessons from them will assist the development of other countries. As the locomotive of global development, China's success is not based on a miracle, but relies on the arduous struggle conducted by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Researching "Chinese experience" cannot be confined merely to economic growth figures; it should also involve deep study of China's practices and experiences in fields such as the battle against poverty ^[3], the consolidation of national defense, major-country diplomacy, and ecological and environmental protection. It can be said that the modernization of every country is closely linked to the progress of all human civilization, and China has made a massive contribution to this progress. The CPC continues to prove that China’s social development is not achieved at the expense of the interests of other countries and peoples, but rather through common development with them.

Novikov stated that the two countries of China and Russia and their respective Communists are playing an active role on the international stage. China’s position on the international stage is constructive, and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is a powerful response to various threats to peace. China has proven that peaceful development is entirely in accord with China’s interests, and socialism does not need to use war to prove that it occupies a dominant position. The Global Civilization Initiative further develops the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, injects new momentum into the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and Road Initiative), and has become a solid ideological foundation for all countries to strengthen economic cooperation and achieve mutual benefit for the common wellbeing. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation believes that the Global Civilization Initiative will help improve the international situation; it provides momentum for promoting trade and people-to-people exchanges, and will facilitate the resolution of various problems facing the world today. Nowadays, supporters of world multipolarity are united within frameworks such as the BRICS countries and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). These countries constitute the peace-loving majority of the world today; for them, the most important thing is to adopt common and effective measures of struggle to oppose the extremely dangerous adventurist policies of the Western imperialist bloc. One condition for consolidating the friendship between the Russian and Chinese peoples is mutual understanding. This year, a new Center for the Study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was established in Moscow; the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is willing to strongly support the work of this center and actively participate in its various projects.

Novikov finally stated that currently, world leftist forces are also organizing and carrying out activities through various new forms. Whether domestically or internationally, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation fully affirms the prominent contribution made by the CPC to the cause of world socialism. Russian Communists firmly believe that under the leadership of the CPC, the "Two Centenary Goals" ^[4] will certainly be successfully achieved!

Lin Jianhua, Vice President of the Institute of Marxism Studies at CASS, presided over the meeting. He stated that Novikov’s report was focused in its thesis and rich in content, possessing a long-reaching historical perspective, a broad world perspective, and a sagacious comparative perspective. The starting point of the report was Leninism, and it was oriented toward the future world. More than 30 years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the historical evolution and contest between the two systems of socialism and capitalism have undergone a major shift in favor of socialism. Lenin said: "The ice has been broken; the track is clear, and the way has been shown." ^[5] The Communist parties and scholars of China and Russia must study today's volatile world and struggle together for socialism.