World Socialism Amidst Great Changes
The world is currently in a period of great upheaval, adjustment, and transformation, during which both capitalism and socialism are undergoing profound changes. Standing at a new historical starting point, it is necessary to observe and study the new patterns, characteristics, and trends in the development of world socialism from a global and historical perspective. This collection of essays is a compilation of the author’s research papers on world socialism published over the past 20 years, representing a synthesis of the author’s long-term engagement in this field. The volume is divided into eight sections, providing an analysis of the new patterns, characteristics, and trends of contemporary world socialism; 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 developed Western capitalist countries; the condition of the Western working class; and issues such as Western market socialism, post-industrial socialism, and democratic socialism. The eight sections cover: the new patterns 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 status and changes of the working class in Western countries; socialist ideological trends and schools of thought; the essence and degeneration of democratic socialism; and the changes and prospects of the Western Left.
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, Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, a Research Fellow, and a doctoral supervisor. He concurrently serves as the Executive Director of the CASS Research Center for Xi Jinping New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics [1], 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 recognized as a National Expert with Outstanding Contributions, an expert receiving 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" [4]. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Central Marxist Theory Research and Construction Project and a member of the Subject Review Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council. Furthermore, he serves as Vice President of the Chinese Association for Scientific Socialism and Vice President of the Party History Association of the Communist Party of China. 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, as well as over 200 professional papers.
Table of Contents
I. New Patterns and Characteristics of World Socialism in the 21st Century World Socialism in an Era of Radical Change: Opportunities and Challenges (3) World Socialism in the 21st Century: New Patterns? New Characteristics? New Trends? (16) World Socialism in the 21st Century Moving Toward Revitalization Amidst Reform and Development (30) We Still Live in the Historical Epoch Indicated by Marxism (40)
II. Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and World Socialism Xi Jinping New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Opens a New Realm of Marxism (61) The Original Contributions of Xi Jinping New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics 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 the New Era in the History of Human Social Development (82) The Major Contributions of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era to World Socialism (87) The World Significance of 21st-Century Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (93) Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Opens a New Realm for the Development of Socialism (102) Major Contributions of 70 Years of Chinese Socialism to Scientific Socialism (109) Providing a Chinese Solution [5] for Humanity’s Exploration of 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 The Current Situation and Development Trends of Socialist Forces in Developed Capitalist Countries (149) Challenges Facing Traditional Western 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 Evaluations and Three Questions: On the Status and Influence of Communist Parties in Contemporary Developed European Countries (199) Current Situation and Development Trends of Communist Parties in Developed 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 Movements and Communists (232) From "Eurocommunism" to "New Communism"—The Theoretical Evolution of Communist Parties in Developed Western Capitalist Countries (235) Critiques of Neoliberal Globalization by Communist Parties in Developed European Countries (250) Ideological Changes in Communist Parties in Developed European Countries (260)
V. Status and Changes of the Working Class in Western Countries On the Question of Class in Contemporary Capitalism (269) Class Inequality in Western Society—From the 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 Facing Western Market Socialist Theory (349) A Systematic Analysis of Economic Efficiency Theory in Western Market Socialism (362) A Cautious Proposal for a "Substitute" for Capitalism (382) A Review and Commentary on "Post-Industrial Socialism" (394) The Socialist Views of Foreign Communist Parties and Leftist Scholars (413) The "New Socialist" Views of Independent Foreign Leftists (421) Theoretical Debates on the Relationship Between Marxism and "Western Marxism" (433)
VII. The Essence and Degeneration of Democratic Socialism Western Politics Chooses the "Third Way" (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 Facing the Political Division of West’s Left and Right and the Possibility of Its Continued Existence—Concurrently Discussing 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)