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Wang Huxue: A Study of Marx's Thought on the Division of Labor

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Abstract:

Division of labor is an ancient social phenomenon, yet it remains a pressing theoretical problem. In the intellectual history of the division of labor, while economists were the first to discuss the topic, they lacked the capacity to subject it to critique; it was Marx who first provided a comprehensive, scientific, and systematic analysis and resolution of the problem. In immediate terms, the division of labor belongs to the category of economics, but more importantly, it is a category of historical-philosophical significance. In Marx’s framework, the division of labor is not only the "category of all categories in political economy," but also the core category for penetrating the depths of historical materialism. This is because the entire problematic of historical materialism is most easily understood when viewed through the lens of the division of labor. Building upon and absorbing existing scholarship, this book attempts to excavate the rich thought on the division of labor contained within Marx’s classic texts. Finally, the book links the division of labor with the question of order, pointing out that the development of modern society should be oriented toward the construction of a modern civilizational order. This represents a beneficial exploration both for upholding and developing Marx's thought on the division of labor and for Chinese society as it advances along the path of "modernization."

Author Profile:

Wang Huxue is a Doctor of Philosophy and an Associate Professor in the Department of Marxist Theory Teaching and Research at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [1]. His primary research interests include the foundational theories of Marxist philosophy, value theory, and philosophical anthropology (人学). He has published two monographs: A Study of Marx’s Thought on the Division of Labor and The Human's Society and the Social Human: The Revolutionary Transformation and Modern Horizon of Marx’s Philosophy. He has translated one volume: Marx’s Social Ontology. He has published over 60 academic papers in journals such as Philosophical Researches (Zhexue Yanjiu), Philosophical Trends (Zhexue Dongtai), Teaching and Research (Jiaoxue yu Yanjiu), Tianjin Social Sciences, Academic Research, and Guangming Daily. He has independently led two major research projects: the National Social Science Fund of China (NSSFC) Youth Project "Differentiation and Integration of Values during the Period of Social Transformation," and the Central Party School Teaching Subsidy Award Project "Introductory Course on Marxist Classics" focusing on the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844.

Contents:

General Preface: Creating a New Realm for the Study of Marxist Classics Preface Introduction: The Theory of the Division of Labor—Heading into the Depths of Historical Materialism

  1. Research Approach
  2. Research Significance
  3. Current State of Research
  4. Research Methodology

Chapter 1: The Historical Development of Marx’s Thought on the Division of Labor Section 1: Theoretical Origins of Marx's Thought on the Division of Labor

  1. The Genius Insights of Classical Antiquity: Represented by Plato
  2. The Scientific Foundations of Classical Political Economy: Represented by Smith
  3. The Genius Conceptions of the Utopian Socialists: Saint-Simon, Fourier, and Owen
  4. Methodological Enlightenment from German Classical Philosophy: Hegel and Feuerbach Section 2: The Developmental Trajectory of Marx's Thought on the Division of Labor
  5. The Discovery of Division of Labor: "Division of Labor" in the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844
  6. The Formation of Division of Labor: "Division of Labor" in The German Ideology
  7. The Enrichment of Division of Labor: "Division of Labor" in The Poverty of Philosophy
  8. The Development of Division of Labor: "Division of Labor" in Capital and its Manuscripts

Chapter 2: The Logical Progression of Marx’s Thought on the Division of Labor Section 1: Alienation: The Initial Domain of the Division of Labor

  1. Alienated Labor and an Analysis of its Roots
  2. The Critique of National Economy and the Essence of the Division of Labor Section 2: World History: The New Horizon of the Division of Labor
  3. The Division of Labor and the Formation of Social Critique Discourse
  4. The Division of Labor and the "Transformation of History into World History" Section 3: Communism: The Future Destiny of the Division of Labor
  5. The Natural Emergence and Expansion of the Division of Labor
  6. Consciousness and the Solution to the "Riddle of History"
  7. The True Meaning of the "Abolition of the Division of Labor"

Chapter 3: The Basic Determinacy and Dual Implications of the Division of Labor Section 1: The Basic Determinacy of the Division of Labor

  1. Division of Labor as the "Social Form of Existence" of Labor
  2. Division of Labor as a "Synonym" for Private Property
  3. Division of Labor as the "Abstraction" of Social Relations of Production Section 2: The Dual Implications of the Division of Labor
  4. The Dual Horizon of Division of Labor: The Fusion of Economics and Philosophy
  5. The Dual Attributes of Division of Labor: The Mediation between Productive Forces and Relations of Production
  6. The Dual Logic of Division of Labor: The Interweaving of Division of Labor in General and Division of Labor in Particular
  7. The Dual Effects of Division of Labor: The Motor of Historical Progress and the Source of Social Inequality

Chapter 4: The Theoretical Orientation of Marx’s Thought on the Division of Labor Section 1: Division of Labor and the Materialist Conception of History

  1. The Study and Critique of Political Economy
  2. The Vindication and Revolution of the Materialist Conception of History
  3. The Decoupling and Founding of "Material Production" Section 2: Division of Labor and Social Formations
  4. Division of Labor and "Social Typology"
  5. Division of Labor and the "Dialectics of Productive Forces and Relations of Production"
  6. The Evolution of Social Formations as a "Natural-Historical Process" Section 3: Division of Labor and Human Civilization
  7. "True Division of Labor": The Separation of Material and Mental Labor
  8. Division of Labor and the Discovery of "Consciousness"
  9. Division of Labor and "Free Spiritual Production"
  10. Division of Labor and the "Dialectics of Civilization" Section 4: Division of Labor and All-around Human Development
  11. Division of Labor and "The Real Man Is Not Man"
  12. The "Diminished Man" and the "All-around Man"
  13. "All-around Human Development" and its Conditions of Realization

Chapter 5: Contemporary Interpretation of Marx’s Thought on the Division of Labor Section 1: Division of Labor and Human Self-Differentiation/Integration

  1. "Humanity is Fated to Engage in an Activity of Dividing Labor"
  2. Human Self-Differentiation and Integration Section 2: Division of Labor and the Differentiation/Integration of Modern Society
  3. "Understanding the Division of Labor from the Perspective of Social Differentiation"
  4. Social Integration: The "True Function" of the Division of Labor
  5. Differentiation and Integration: The Special Characteristics of Modern Society

Concluding Remarks: Division of Labor and the Construction of a Modern Civilizational Order

Bibliography Postscript

(Central Compilation and Translation Press, 2012 Edition) Source: Marxist Studies Network (Marxism.org.cn) Web Editor: Yang Guang