World Socialism Amidst Great Changes
The world is currently in a period of great transformation, great adjustment, and great transition, in which both capitalism and socialism are undergoing profound changes. Standing at a new historical starting point, it is necessary to utilize a global perspective and a historical lens to observe and study the new configuration, characteristics, and trends in the development of world socialism. This collection is a compilation of papers on world socialism research published by the author over the past 20 years, representing a crowning achievement [1] of the author’s long-standing engagement in this field. The collection is divided into eight parts, analyzing the current state of world socialism from the following dimensions: the new configuration and characteristics of world socialism in the 21st century; Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and world socialism; the status and trends of the world socialist movement; the changes and adjustments of Communist Parties in Western European countries; the condition and evolution of the working class in Western countries; socialist ideological trends and schools of thought; the essence and transformation of social democracy; and the shifts and prospects of the Western Left. It discusses the shifting balance of power between socialism and capitalism; the contributions of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics to world socialism and scientific socialism; the current status and development trends of socialist forces and Communist Parties in advanced Western capitalist countries; the condition of the Western working class; and issues regarding Western market socialism, post-industrial socialism, and social democracy.
About the Author Jiang Hui is a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies. He is a Research Fellow and doctoral supervisor. He concurrently serves as Executive Director of the CASS Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Director of the Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and Deputy Director of the World Socialism Research Center. He is a National Expert with Outstanding Contributions, a recipient of the State Council Special Government Allowance, a member of the National Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand Talents Project [2], a Cultural Master and "Four Batches" Talent [3], and a leading talent in philosophy and social sciences under the National "Ten Thousand Talents Program." He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Central Marxism Theoretical Research and Construction Project and a member of the Discipline Review Group of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee. He serves as Vice President of the Chinese Association of Scientific Socialism and Vice President of the China Association for Communist Party History. He has long been engaged in research on Marxist theory, scientific socialism and the international communist movement, Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, and contemporary world socialism. He has published numerous monographs, translations, and edited volumes, along with over 200 professional papers.
Table of Contents
I. The New Configuration and Characteristics of World Socialism in the 21st Century World Socialism in an Era of Violent Change: Opportunities and Challenges (3) World Socialism in the 21st Century: New Configuration? New Characteristics? New Trends? (16) World Socialism in the 21st Century Moving Toward Revitalization Amidst Reform and Development (30) We Are Still in the Historical Era Defined by Marxism (40)
II. Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and World Socialism Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Opens a New Realm for Marxism (61) The Original Contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to the Development of 21st-Century Marxism (67) The Major Significance of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era in the History of World Socialist Development (77) The Major Significance of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Entering a New Era in the History of Human Social Development (82) Major Contributions of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era to World Socialism (87) The World Significance of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the 21st Century (93) Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Opens a New Realm for Socialist Development (102) Major Contributions of 70 Years of Chinese Socialism to Scientific Socialism (109) Providing a Chinese Solution [4] for Humanity’s Quest for Better Social Systems (121) Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and 21st-Century Marxism (123) The Communist Party of China in the Perspective of the History of the International Communist Movement (136)
III. Status and Trends of the World Socialist Movement Current Status and Development Trends of Socialist Forces in Advanced Capitalist Countries (149) Challenges Facing Western Traditional Socialism at the Turn of the Century and “New Socialism” (159) The General Status and Development Prospects of Foreign Communist Party Organizations in the Early 21st Century (174) The Crisis of Capitalism and World Socialism (183)
IV. Changes and Adjustments of Communist Parties in Western Countries Three Assessments and Three Questions: On the Status and Influence of Communist Parties in Contemporary Advanced European Countries (199) Current Status and Development Trends of Communist Parties in Advanced European Countries—Three Relationships Affecting Their Development Prospects (213) From Moderate to Radical: The Openness and Innovation of the Italian Communist Refoundation Party (225) The Anti-War and Anti-Capitalist Globalization Movement and Communists (232) From “Eurocommunism” to “New Communism”—The Theoretical Evolution of Communist Parties in Advanced European Capitalist Countries (235) Critiques of Neoliberal Globalization by Communist Parties in Advanced European Countries (250) Changes in the Ideology of Communist Parties in Advanced European Countries (260)
V. Condition and Evolution of the Working Class in Western Countries On the Question of Class in Contemporary Capitalism (269) Class Inequality in Western Societies—Perspective of Western Leftist Scholars (300) The Actual Situation and Social Status of the Working Class in Western Countries (310) Is the Working Class Still the Subject of the Socialist Movement?—A Study on the Relationship Between the Western Working Class and the Socialist Movement (324)
VI. Socialist Ideological Trends and Schools of Thought Challenges and Development Prospects for Western Market Socialism Theory (349) A Systematic Analysis of Economic Efficiency Theory in Western Market Socialism (362) A Cautious Scheme for "Replacing" Capitalism (382) Review and Commentary on “Post-Industrial Socialism” (394) Conceptions of Socialism Among Foreign Communist Parties and Leftist Scholars (413) Conceptions of “New Socialism” Among Independent Foreign Leftists (421) Theoretical Debates on the Relationship Between Marxism and “Western Marxism” (433)
VII. The Essence and Transformation of Social Democracy The “Third Way” as a Western Political Choice (447) The Essence of Blair’s “New Labour” is the Americanization of Britain (452) The Political Situation Facing the Labour Party After the British General Election (458)
VIII. Changes, Adjustments, and Prospects of the Western Left Challenges to the Western Left-Right Political Divide and the Possibility of Its Continued Existence—With a Discussion on the Development Prospects of the Western Left (467) Whither the Western Left?—The Status and Prospects of the Western Left in the 21st Century (479) The Relationship Between Traditional Western European Left-Wing Parties and New Social Movements (490)