The Evolution of Values among Contemporary European Left-Wing Parties

In a general sense, party values reflect, from the ideological level, the profound changes in the existing socio-economic, political, and cultural structures, while in terms of content, they manifest as a party’s political outlook, class outlook, state outlook, and social outlook. Since the 20th century, the volatile international situation and social structural changes in capitalist societies have constituted the real social foundation upon which the social critique of European left-wing parties has unfolded.

从一般意义上看，政党价值观从思想层面反映着既有社会经济、政治和文化结构的深刻变迁，而从内容上体现为政党的政治观、阶级观、国家观和社会观等。20世纪以来，资本主义社会的国际风云变幻和社会结构变迁，是欧洲左翼政党社会批判得以展开的现实社会基础。

The values of contemporary European left-wing parties uphold the intellectual tradition of European social democracy and have gradually emerged on the basis of critiquing the mainstream capitalist values centered on liberalism. For over a hundred years, driven by anger at the inequality of capitalist society and sympathy for those suffering unjust treatment (mainly including the working class, women, ethnic minorities, and people of color), contemporary European left-wing parties and their theorists have been committed to establishing, through democratic means, an ideal society that fully realizes freedom, equality, and solidarity. They believe that socialism is not a transcendent, fixed historical blueprint, nor an inevitable product of economic development, but rather a process of people’s pursuit of value ideals such as freedom, equality, and solidarity.

当代欧洲左翼政党的价值观秉持了欧洲社会民主主义的思想传统，并在批判以自由主义为核心内容的资本主义主流价值观的基础上逐步孕育出来。百余年来，出于对资本主义社会不平等现象的愤怒和对遭受不公正待遇的人们（主要包括工人阶级、妇女、少数族裔和有色人种等）的同情，当代欧洲左翼政党及其理论家致力于通过民主的方式建立彻底实现自由、平等和团结的理想社会。他们认为社会主义不是一个先验固定的历史图式，也不是经济发展的必然产物，而是人们对自由、平等和团结等价值理想的追求过程。

Unlike classical liberalism and neoliberalism, the values of European left-wing parties regard freedom, equality, and solidarity as an organic whole, mutually constraining and complementing each other. Freedom means the unleashing of individual potential and self-realization; freedom is the starting point of the value system, equality is the prerequisite for freedom, and solidarity is the condition for achieving equality and freedom. In short, a society of freedom, equality, and solidarity is an ideal society built on mutual assistance, where everyone enjoys equal freedom. A sense of social justice, a spirit of mutual assistance and solidarity, democratic conviction, and the capacity for social critique constitute the core concepts of the values of contemporary European left-wing parties.

与古典自由主义和新自由主义不同，欧洲左翼政党的价值观将自由、平等和团结看作一个有机的整体，它们互相制约并且相辅相成。自由意味着个人潜能的发挥和自我实现，自由是价值体系的起点，平等是自由的前提，团结是实现平等自由的条件。简而言之，自由、平等和团结的社会是在团结互助基础上形成的每个人享有平等自由的理想社会。社会正义感、团结互助精神、民主信念和社会批判能力构成当代欧洲左翼政党价值观的核心理念。

Seeking Social Change

寻求社会变革

The adjustment of the values of contemporary European left-wing parties is closely related to the changes in the capitalist economic and political structures; changes in values are embedded within the economic and class structures of society. Since the Second World War, in order to cope with the value conflicts and social problems caused by changes in the capitalist mode of production and class structure, contemporary European left-wing parties have, through economic strategy considerations, continuously downplayed traditional ideological and class struggle demands, sought reconciliation between the state and the market, and made social reform, capitalist critique, and the issue of the state system in international society the center of their thinking. They attempt to seek social change within the cracks of the harmonious coexistence of capital and the state, a point that determines the plurality and ambiguity of the ideology and value positions of contemporary European left-wing parties.

当代欧洲左翼政党价值观的调整与资本主义经济、政治结构的变迁密切相关，价值观的变化内嵌于社会的经济和阶级结构之中。第二次世界大战以来，当代欧洲左翼政党为了应对资本主义生产方式和阶级结构变化所导致的价值冲突及社会问题，经济策略考量通过不断淡化传统意识形态和阶级斗争的诉求，寻求国家与市场的和解，把社会改革、资本主义批判和国际社会中的国家体系问题作为思考的中心。试图在资本与国家的和谐共生及裂缝中寻求社会变革，这一点决定了当代欧洲左翼政党意识形态及价值立场的多元性和模糊性。

Since 1945, contemporary European left-wing parties have attempted to construct a tripartite social change framework of “state-capital-labor,” namely the so-called social capitalist or state capitalist strategy. This strategy still influences the economic and political strategies of contemporary European left-wing parties today. In terms of specific operation, on the one hand, they utilize powerful capitalist economies, constantly emphasizing the stimulating effect of market competition mechanisms on social welfare; on the other hand, they use state power to intervene in market regulation. On this basis, they seek the greatest common divisor of interests among capital, the state, and labor, thereby consolidating their own political position.

1945年以来，当代欧洲左翼政党试图构建起“国家—资本—劳动”三位一体的社会变革框架，即所谓的社会资本主义或者是国家资本主义策略，这种策略至今影响着当代欧洲左翼政党的经济政治策略。从具体运作来看，一方面利用强大的资本经济，不断强调市场竞争机制对社会福利的刺激；另一方面利用国家的力量介入对市场的调控，在此基础上达成资本、国家和劳动三者之间利益的最大公约数，从而巩固自身的政治地位。

Contemporary European left-wing parties adhere to ethical pragmatism, that is, forming a close interest coordination mechanism among the party, trade unions, and capital, discarding traditional ideological baggage to meet the political needs of the party in gaining public support. Some contemporary European left-wing parties generally only nominally adhere to Marxism and its collective ownership of the means of production in terms of value ideals and form, while seeking political democracy and economic prosperity within the framework of capitalism becomes their core concern for survival.

当代欧洲左翼政党坚持伦理上的实用主义，亦即形成政党、工会和资方紧密的利益协调机制，抛弃传统意识形态包袱以满足政党获取民意的政治需要。部分当代欧洲左翼政党一般只是在价值理想和形式上信奉马克思主义及其生产资料集体所有制，而寻求在资本主义框架下的政治民主和经济繁荣，成为自身安身立命的核心关切。

From the perspective of global capitalist development, contemporary European left-wing parties seek capitalist reform and social change within the framework of the relationship between the state, capital, and labor. The deep-seated issues reflected behind this concern the mechanisms and strategies for the transition from capitalism to socialism in the era of globalization. In shaping their ideology, contemporary European left-wing parties need to rebuild value consensus and reshape their political outlook. Socialist parties operating within the framework of Western capitalist representative democracy must respond to the new political language emerging from working-class struggles (or feminist movements and student radical movements).

从全球资本主义发展看，当代欧洲左翼政党在国家、资本与劳动的关系框架下寻求资本主义改良和社会变革，背后反映出来的深层问题关涉全球化时代资本主义向社会主义过渡的机制策略问题。当代欧洲左翼政党在意识形态塑造上需重建价值共识、重塑政治观，在西方资本主义代议制民主范围内运作的社会主义政党必须对工人阶级斗争（或女权运动和学生激进运动）中出现的新政治语言作出回应。

Exploring Alternatives to Capitalism

摸索资本主义替代性方案

After the end of the Cold War, facing the low ebb of the world socialist movement and the new situations and problems arising from capitalist development, left-wing parties in capitalist countries continuously improved their policy propositions, exposing and criticizing the various ills of the capitalist system while hoping to realize the value ideals of socialist equality and solidarity.

冷战结束以后，资本主义国家左翼政党在世界社会主义运动发展处于低潮的情况下，面对资本主义发展出现的新情况、新问题不断改进政策主张，在揭露和批判资本主义制度种种弊端上，期望实现社会主义平等和团结的价值理想。

The reality is that left-wing parties in capitalist countries are not a monolithic entity. There are clear differences between left-wing parties in developed Western countries and those in developing countries. Even among left-wing parties within the group of developed Western countries, and even within the same country, there are significant differences in policy propositions and implementation strategies. However, viewed from the general trend of world economic and political development, left-wing parties in capitalist countries, whether in developed or developing countries, whether radical or moderate, all exhibit historical commonalities reflecting the characteristics of the capitalist era in their policy propositions and overall tendencies. These commonalities form their basic policy propositions and have a huge impact on the development and changes of the world economic and political landscape, as well as on the economic and social development of various countries. The US financial crisis that erupted in 2008 and the resulting global economic turmoil opened a historical opportunity to replace and transcend the capitalist system.

实际情况是，资本主义国家左翼政党并不是一个整体。处于西方发达国家的左翼政党与处于发展中国家的左翼政党存在明显差异。西方发达国家群体内部的左翼政党，甚至同一国家内部的左翼政党在政策主张和实施战略上也都存在明显区别。但从世界经济政治大潮的发展来看，资本主义国家的左翼政党，无论是发达国家的，还是发展中国家的；无论是激进的，还是温和的，他们在政策主张和总体倾向上都体现资本主义时代特性的历史共性。而这些共性形成了他们的基本政策主张，并对世界经济、政治格局的发展变化，对各国经济社会的发展产生着巨大影响。2008年爆发的美国金融危机及其引发的世界经济震荡，开启了取代和超越资本主义制度的历史契机。

Contemporary European left-wing parties continuously reflect on the neoliberal economic system and explore alternative schemes within a post-neoliberal framework. In the social public sphere, they call for alternatives to capitalism, aiming to find new solutions that promote economic prosperity and uphold social justice, viewing this effort as the destiny and future of European left-wing parties. Similarly, in order to defend the interests of the working class and promote social equality, figures such as Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband of the British Labour Party, and Kevin Kühner of the German Social Democratic Party, are exploring new solutions using traditional means such as nationalization and Keynesianism, thereby consolidating the economic foundation of their own ideological identity.

当代欧洲左翼政党不断反思新自由主义经济制度，探索后新自由主义框架下的替代性方案。在社会公共领域，他们呼唤资本主义的替代性方案，意在寻找促进经济繁荣和维护社会正义的新方案，并将这种努力视为欧洲左翼政党的命运和前途。亦如，为了捍卫劳工阶级利益和促进社会实现平等，英国工党的科尔宾、米利班德和德国社会民主党的Kevin Kühner等人，正探索利用国有化和凯恩斯主义等传统手段探索新方案，进而巩固自身的意识形态认同的经济基础。

Where is the New Historical Subject Critiquing Capitalism?

批判资本主义的新历史主体在哪

Generally speaking, the tone of political debate in Europe today is much calmer; workers and the workers’ movement are no longer keen on solving problems through armed struggle. This poses a problem that contemporary European left-wing parties have to face. If the working class in capitalist society has become differentiated, and the class structure no longer has the working class as its sole subject, then where does the real power of contemporary European left-wing parties to resist capitalism come from? Where lies the possibility for them to critique capitalism and carry out the labor movement? How can they bridge the class divisions caused by capitalist development and shape a value consensus among multiple subjects? This is the so-called new change in the main subject forces of the struggle against capitalism in the “post-materialist era,” and it constitutes a new era issue that contemporary European left-wing parties urgently need to address in their critique of capitalism and their labor movement.

总的说来，现在欧洲政治论战的情绪要平和很多，工人和工人运动不再热衷以武装斗争的方式解决问题。这就给当代欧洲左翼政党提出了不得不面对的问题。如果资本主义社会的工人阶级已经分化，阶级结构不再以工人阶级为唯一主体，那么当代欧洲左翼政党反抗资本主义的现实力量从何而来？他们批判资本主义和开展劳工运动的可能性在哪里？如何弥合资本主义发展造成的阶级分化和塑造多元主体的价值共识？这就是所谓“后物质主义时代”反抗资本主义斗争主体力量出现了新变化，而这也构成当代欧洲左翼政党开展对资本主义批判和劳工运动亟须面对的新时代课题。

As the subject of a “distinctive” class and socialist revolutionary movement, the working class was formed alongside capitalism and endowed with class consciousness and the historical mission of overthrowing capitalism. This social group, united by common consciousness, is summoned by socialists through class struggle. However, in contemporary Western capitalist society, class identity is increasingly questioned by the identity politics proposed by new social movements. The revolutionary strategy of contemporary European left-wing parties, centered on the working class as the main subject, cannot effectively respond to the value concerns of the multiple subjects of Europe’s new social movements. The groups within Europe’s new social movements advocate breaking the illusion of the working class as the revolutionary subject, detest authoritarianism and bureaucracy, question the legitimacy of representative systems and representation, and always harbor sympathy for the oppressed. All of this torments contemporary European left-wing party members amidst the huge divide between concept and reality.

作为“具有鲜明特征的”阶级和社会主义革命运动的主体，工人阶级伴随着资本主义而形成，并被赋予阶级的意识和推翻资本主义的历史使命。这种由共同的意识联系起来的社会群体，由社会主义者通过阶级斗争召集起来。但在当代西方资本主义社会，阶级身份日益被新社会运动所提出的身份政治所质疑。当代欧洲左翼政党以工人阶级为核心主体的革命策略，无法有效回应欧洲新社会运动的多元主体价值关切。而欧洲新社会运动群体倡导打破工人阶级革命主体的幻想，厌恶威权主义和官僚主义，质疑代议制和代表制度的合法性，并始终怀有对受压迫者的同情，都在观念和现实的巨大分野中煎熬着当代欧洲左翼党人。

In their view, traditional European left-wing parties neglected the diverse subjects and cultural foundations of social movements; the working class’s control over its own living conditions did not strengthen with the expansion of political democracy, market power, and material prosperity. The new social movements and labor movements that emerged in the “post-material era” jointly prompted contemporary European left-wing parties to continuously adjust their practical strategies for social reform and criticism of neoliberalism. At the same time, to integrate the value consensus of different social subjects, they permeated the values advocated by class politics and identity politics into specific economic policies and political plans. They no longer emphasized the sole revolutionary identity of the working class and began to accept the market as the best mechanism for growing wealth. As demands expanded, democracy was no longer simply based on class principles but on the principle of individual rights. Concurrently, contemporary European left-wing parties still adhere in their party platforms to the traditional socialist ideal of ultimately abolishing capitalism, defend a social order of freedom, equality, and justice, and strive for a society under the joint control of producers.

在他们看来，传统欧洲左翼政党忽视了社会运动的多元主体和文化基础，工人阶级对自身生活条件的控制权没有随着政治民主、市场权力扩大和物质繁荣而增强。“后物质时代”出现的新社会运动和劳工运动共同促使当代欧洲左翼政党不断调整社会改革和批判新自由主义的实践战略。同时为了整合不同社会主体的价值共识，把阶级政治和身份政治倡导的价值观，渗透到具体的经济制定和政治规划中。他们不再强调工人阶级的唯一革命身份，开始接受市场是增长财富的最好机制。随着诉求的扩大，民主不再简单基于阶级原则，而是基于个人权利原则。与此同时，当代欧洲左翼政党在党纲中依然坚守最终消灭资本主义的传统社会主义理想，捍卫自由、平等和公正的社会秩序，建立一个生产者联合控制的社会。

Facing the downward trend in world economic development since 2008, the rise of populism, and the decline of the Third Way, left-wing party figures such as the British Labour Party and the German Social Democratic Party advocate criticizing neoliberalism, returning to the social democratic left-wing tradition, and enhancing social welfare through means such as collective control, public ownership, and expanding public investment, thereby safeguarding traditional left-wing values. The social inequality caused by the inherent laws of global capital’s self-expansion and capital accumulation has become the economic-institutional genetic code for the continuous development and change of European left-wing party ideologies. In recent years, European left-wing parties have lost some support from the traditional working class due to their acquiescence to neoliberalism. Especially since the 1990s, the transformation of industrial structures in European countries such as Britain and Germany has given rise to a new working class different from the traditional working class. Facing such a severe situation, contemporary European left-wing parties must bridge the internal differentiation between the traditional working class and the new working class of the 21st century in order to consolidate their class base. However, in essence, the changes in the class structure and labor-capital contradictions of contemporary capitalism are the social roots of the ideological evolution of contemporary European left-wing parties.

面对2008年以来世界经济发展的下滑趋势、民粹主义兴起和第三条道路的式微，英国工党、德国社会民主党等左翼政党人士主张批判新自由主义，回归社会民主主义左翼传统，通过集体控制、公有制和扩大公共投资等手段增强社会福利，进而维护左翼传统价值。全球资本自我扩张和资本积累内在规律造成的社会不平等，则成为欧洲左翼政党意识形态不断发展变化的经济制度基因密码。近年来，欧洲左翼政党因默认新自由主义而失去部分传统工人阶级支持，尤其自20世纪90年代以来，英国和德国等欧洲国家工业结构转型，催生出不同于传统工人阶级的新工人阶级，面对如此严峻形势，当代欧洲左翼政党必须弥合传统工人阶级和21世纪新工人阶级之间的内部分化，从而才能巩固阶级基础。但从本质看，当代资本主义的阶级结构和劳资矛盾变化，是当代欧洲左翼政党意识形态流变的社会根源。

Online editor: Zhang Jian

网络编辑：张剑