The Theoretical Dimensions and Value of the Study of the Intellectual History of Western Marxism

The theoretical dimensions of the study of the intellectual history of Western Marxism include research into three meanings: the theoretical general problematic, the theoretical logic, and the theoretical effects of Western Marxism. Studying and grasping the theoretical dimensions of Western Marxism is an important pathway for advancing China’s research on Western Marxism, and it holds significant value for correctly understanding the theoretical value of Western Marxism and for promoting the study of Marxist theory in China.

西方马克思主义学术史研究的理论维度包含了对西方马克思主义的理论总问题、理论逻辑和理论效应的研究三重含义。研究和把握西方马克思主义的理论维度是推进我国西方马克思主义研究的重要途径，对于我们正确认识西方马克思主义的理论价值和推进中国马克思主义理论研究具有重要意义。

The “theoretical general problematic” determines the mode of theoretical production and the logic of problems in Western Marxism.

“理论总问题”决定了西方马克思主义的理论生产方式和问题逻辑

The concept of the “theoretical general problematic” was proposed by the French scholar Althusser, a Western Marxist theorist. It refers to the framework of thought and the mode of theoretical production that governs a theorist’s intellectual work. It determines the theoretical nature of a system of theory. Only by excavating the “theoretical general problematic” hidden behind a theorist’s theoretical texts can we grasp the process of construction and the essence of that theorist’s theory. The significance of grasping the “theoretical general problematic” lies in the following:

“理论总问题”的概念是西方马克思主义理论家法国学者阿尔都塞提出的，指的是支配理论家理论思考的思维框架和理论生产方式。它决定了一个理论体的理论性质，我们只有挖掘出隐藏在理论家理论文本背后的“理论总问题”，才能把握理论家理论的建构过程和实质。把握“理论总问题”的意义在于：

First, since the “theoretical general problematic” is the framework of thought and the mode of theoretical production of a theorist’s intellectual work, only by grasping the “theoretical general problematic” of Western Marxist theorists can we reveal the logic by which they think through the issues of their era and conduct their theoretical operations, and only then can we grasp the problem-field of Western Marxist theorists.

第一，既然“理论总问题”是理论家理论思考的思维框架和理论生产方式，那么只有把握了西方马克思主义理论家的“理论总问题”，我们才能揭示出西方马克思主义理论家思考时代问题及其理论运思的逻辑，才能把握西方马克思主义理论家的问题域。

Second, the “theoretical general problematic” determines the overall nature of the theoretical system. This means that only by grasping the “theoretical general problematic” of Western Marxist theorists can we understand the nature of their thought at different stages, avoid the earlier practice in research of simply treating the thought of Western Marxist theorists at different stages as homogeneous, determine the value and significance of their thought at different stages for the formation of their theoretical system, and truly grasp the internal logic of the theoretical development of Western Marxist theorists.

第二，“理论总问题”决定了理论体系的总体性质，这就意味着只有把握西方马克思主义理论家的“理论总问题”，才能理解他们在不同阶段的思想的性质，才能避免过去研究中简单地把西方马克思主义理论家不同阶段的思想看作同质性的做法，才能确定他们在不同阶段的思想对于其理论体系形成的价值与意义，才能真正把握西方马克思主义理论家理论发展的内在逻辑。

Third, descriptive introductions to Western Marxist materials were necessary in the initial stage of research on Western Marxism, but these can only familiarize us with specific theoretical viewpoints; they cannot enable us to grasp the theoretical problems they raised. Only by grasping the “theoretical general problematic” of Western Marxist theorists can we see through their specific theoretical viewpoints, grasp their theoretical problems, theoretical logic, and theoretical effects, and effectively advance China’s research on Western Marxism, making the study of Western Marxism one of the intellectual resources for the theoretical construction of Marxist philosophy in China.

第三，对西方马克思主义资料性的评介在西方马克思主义研究的起步阶段是必要的，但是这些只能使我们熟悉其具体理论观点，却无法使我们把握他们所提出的理论问题。只有把握西方马克思主义理论家的“理论总问题”，才能使我们能够透过其具体理论观点，把握其理论问题、理论逻辑和理论效应，才能有效地推进我国的西方马克思主义研究，使得西方马克思主义研究成为中国马克思主义哲学理论建设的思想资源之一。

The theoretical problems and theoretical logic of Western Marxism.

西方马克思主义的理论问题与理论逻辑

In the early 1920s, debates arose within the Marxist camp over the strategy and tactics of revolution in the West, and these debates in turn sparked an exploration of the essence of Marxist philosophy. Although there were differences and disputes among Western Marxist theorists over specific theoretical viewpoints, they all opposed understanding Marxist philosophy as a modern form of epistemological philosophy and as a break from modern Western philosophy. Instead, they emphasized the foundational role of practice and dialectics in Marxist philosophy, stressed the critical value-function of Marxist philosophy, and regarded Marxist philosophy as a modern form of philosophy aimed at human freedom and emancipation. This formed their theoretical problems and logical脉络.

20世纪20年代初，马克思主义阵营针对西方革命战略和策略问题展开争论，这场争论又引发了对马克思主义哲学本质的探索。虽然西方马克思主义理论家之间的具体理论观点存在着分歧和争论，但是他们反对把马克思主义哲学理解为一种近代形态的知识论哲学以及把马克思主义哲学看作是同近代西方哲学断裂的结果，而是注重实践和辩证法在马克思主义哲学中的基础地位，强调马克思主义哲学的批判价值功能，把马克思主义哲学看作以实现人的自由和解放为目的的现代形态哲学，形成了其理论问题及逻辑脉络。

In order to explore the path of socialist revolution in the West, Western Marxist theorists used their Marxist philosophical outlook to analyze the characteristics of the social structure of contemporary Western society, the transformation of its modes of domination, changes in the forms of expression of the basic social contradiction, and changes in class structure. They argued that the mode of domination in contemporary Western society was increasingly shifting toward ideological control as the primary means, forming a total mode of domination that included both political violent domination and cultural-ideological control. They emphasized that Western society was not, as bourgeois ideology proclaimed, a conflict-free affluent society; on the contrary, it was a society characterized by “surplus repression” [1]1 “Surplus repression” (额外压抑) is a term used by Herbert Marcuse in *Eros and Civilization* (1955) to denote the additional restrictions on human instincts imposed by capitalist social domination beyond the basic repression necessary for civilization. based on the interests of capital, making it even more unfree and unjust. The form of expression of the basic social contradiction had shifted from economic crisis to the contradiction between the increasing totalization and homogenization of social development, on the one hand, and the free development of individual personality, on the other. How to free the proletariat and individuals from the total control of capitalism and form a mature class consciousness and autonomous consciousness was the precondition for revolution in the West. The exploration of these issues gave rise to the contemporary capitalist theory of Western Marxism.

为了探索西方社会主义革命道路，西方马克思主义理论家运用他们的马克思主义哲学观分析当代西方社会结构的特点、统治方式的转变、社会基本矛盾表现形式的变化和阶级结构的变化，认为当代西方社会的统治方式越来越转向了以意识形态控制为主，包括政治暴力统治和文化意识形态控制在内的总体统治方式，强调西方社会并不如资产阶级意识形态所宣扬的那样是一个无矛盾的丰裕社会，恰恰相反，西方社会是一个存在着以资本利益为基础的“额外压抑”的更加不自由不公正的社会，社会基本矛盾的表现形式已经从经济危机转向社会发展日益总体化、一体化和个人个性化自由发展之间的矛盾，如何使无产阶级和个人从资本主义的总体控制下摆脱出来，形成成熟的阶级意识和自主意识是西方革命的前提。对上述问题的探讨形成了西方马克思主义的当代资本主义理论。

Based on their critique of capitalist society and their reflections on actually existing socialism, Western Marxist theorists put forward conceptions such as “humanitarian socialist society,” “market socialist society,” and “ecological socialist society,” forming their views on socialism. In order to cultivate a mature class consciousness in the proletariat and autonomous consciousness and independent personality in individuals, they carried out a cultural-ideological critique of capitalist society, forming theories of cultural ideology that include Lukács’s theory of class consciousness, Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony, the Frankfurt School’s theory of mass culture, Althusser’s theory of ideological state apparatuses, and the ecological Marxist critique of consumerist culture. They placed great importance on analyzing the actual existential conditions of human beings and, building on Lukács’s theory of reification, further developed theories of alienation and critique of everyday life aimed at human freedom and emancipation, including the Frankfurt School’s theory of total alienation, Lefebvre’s theory of the alienation of everyday life, and the ecological Marxist theory of ecological alienation.

西方马克思主义理论家基于对资本主义社会的批判和现实社会主义的反思，提出了“人道主义的社会主义社会”“市场社会主义社会”“生态社会主义社会”等构想，形成了他们的社会主义观；为了培育无产阶级成熟的阶级意识和个人的自主意识与独立人格，他们对资本主义社会展开了文化意识形态批判，形成了包括卢卡奇的阶级意识理论、葛兰西的文化领导权理论、法兰克福学派的大众文化理论、阿尔都塞的意识形态国家机器理论、生态学马克思主义的消费主义文化批判理论等在内的文化意识形态理论；他们重视分析人的现实生存境遇，并以卢卡奇所提出的物化理论为基础，进一步发展为以实现人的自由和解放为目的的，包括法兰克福学派的总体异化理论、列斐伏尔的日常生活异化理论和生态学马克思主义的生态异化理论在内的异化与日常生活批判理论。

As ecological problems increasingly became a common challenge facing the globe, ecological Marxism, in response to the questioning by ecocentrism and anthropocentrism of whether Marxist philosophy could serve as a theoretical tool for the scientific analysis of ecological problems, elucidated the specific character of Marxist philosophy and its consistency with ecological thinking, thereby opening up an ecological horizon within Marxist philosophy. It emphasized that the way out of the ecological crisis lies in organically combining the ecological movement with the organized workers’ movement, turning the ecological movement into a radical class movement. By achieving a dual transformation that abolishes both the capitalist system and capitalist values, correctly handling the relationship among commodities, needs, satisfaction, and happiness, establishing a concept of happiness based on creative labor as labor happiness, and building an ecological socialist society that practices productive justice and follows ecological rationality, ecological Marxism formed its theory of ecological critique.

由于生态问题日益成为全球面临的共同挑战，生态学马克思主义在回应生态中心论和人类中心论对马克思主义哲学是否能作为科学分析生态问题的理论工具的质疑的基础上，阐发马克思主义哲学的特质及其与生态思维的一致性，开启马克思主义哲学的生态视域。强调解决生态危机的出路在于使生态运动同有组织的工人运动有机结合起来，使生态运动走向激进的阶级运动，通过实现破除资本主义制度和资本主义价值观的双重变革，正确处理商品、需要、满足和幸福的关系，树立以创造性劳动为基础的劳动幸福观，并建立生产正义和遵循生态理性的生态社会主义社会，形成了他们的生态批判理论。

Analytical Marxism, in response to the questioning of Marxism and socialism by contemporary Western political philosophy, revealed and criticized the exploitation, inequality, and injustice existing in capitalist society, forming a political philosophy centered on equality and justice.

分析学马克思主义在回应当代西方政治哲学对马克思主义和社会主义的质疑的基础上，揭示和批评了资本主义社会存在的剥削、不平等和不正义现象，形成了以平等和正义为主题的政治哲学。

The above theoretical problems of Western Marxism not only expand the theoretical space of Marxist philosophy and establish an organic connection between Marxist philosophy and the real life-world of human beings, but also hold significant value and meaning for our in-depth grasp of the new changes in Western society.

西方马克思主义的上述理论问题，不仅扩展了马克思主义哲学的理论空间，建立了马克思主义哲学与人的现实生活世界的有机联系，而且对于我们深入把握西方社会的新变化，具有重要的价值和意义。

The problem of the theoretical effects of Western Marxism.

西方马克思主义的理论效应问题

Western Marxism primarily discusses issues such as how to understand the essence of Marxist philosophy, how to understand the relationship between Marxist philosophy and modern philosophy, how to handle the relationship between the scientific character and the ideological character of Marxist theory, how to view and study the new changes in contemporary capitalist society, how to grasp the formation of a mature class consciousness in the proletariat through cultural-ideological critique, and how to find the revolutionary subject. The theoretical effects of Western Marxism are mainly reflected in its influence on the history of the development of Western Marxism itself and on the theoretical construction of Marxism in China.

西方马克思主义主要讨论的是如何理解马克思主义哲学的本质、如何理解马克思主义哲学与近代哲学的关系、如何处理马克思主义理论的科学性与意识形态之间的关系、如何看待和研究当代资本主义社会的新变化、如何把握通过文化意识形态批判形成无产阶级成熟的阶级意识、如何寻找革命主体等问题。西方马克思主义的理论效应主要体现在它对西方马克思主义发展史和中国马克思主义理论建设的影响上。

In terms of the influence of Western Marxism on the history of the development of Marxism abroad, although Western Marxism shifted the theme of theoretical research to the study of cultural issues in the superstructure, focusing on the role of subjective factors in the study of practice, dialectics, and the process of historical development, and striving to properly handle the relationship and function of subjective and objective factors in the process of historical development, Western Marxism also had many defects in handling the relationship between subjective and objective factors in the process of historical development and the relationship between the scientific nature and value nature of Marxist theory. On the one hand, this allowed the theoretical innovations and research methods of Western Marxist theorists to be borrowed and extended by new trends in Marxism abroad, becoming intellectual resources for constructing their theoretical systems and promoting the development of Marxism abroad; on the other hand, the defects and errors in their theories were exploited and exaggerated by new trends in Marxism abroad, becoming excuses to deconstruct Marxism and negate Marxism, displaying a negative theoretical effect. This is prominently reflected in the “cultural turn” and the “return to political economy research” in the study of Marxism abroad.

就西方马克思主义在国外马克思主义发展史上的影响来看，虽然西方马克思主义把理论研究的主题转向了上层建筑中的文化问题的研究，注重对实践、辩证法以及历史发展进程中的主观因素作用的研究，并力图处理好主观因素与客观因素在历史发展进程中的关系和作用，但西方马克思主义在处理历史发展进程中主观因素和客观因素的关系以及马克思主义理论的科学性与价值性的关系上也存在着诸多缺陷。这一方面使得西方马克思主义理论家的理论创新和理论研究方法为国外马克思主义新思潮所借用和引申，成为其建构理论体系的思想资源，促进了国外马克思主义的发展；另一方面他们理论中的缺陷和失误又为国外马克思主义新思潮利用和夸大，成为其解构马克思主义、否定马克思主义的借口，显示了消极的理论效应，这突出地体现在国外马克思主义研究的“文化转向”和“政治经济学研究的回归”上。

Although the “cultural turn” of Western Marxism highlighted the modern character of Marxist philosophy and helped establish an organic connection between Marxist philosophy and the real life-world of human beings, it also had the defect of exaggerating the role of subjective factors while detaching from the determining role of economic factors. This defect was exploited and exaggerated by post-Marxist theorists represented by Laclau and Mouffe. On the basis of erroneously utilizing and extending Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony and Althusser’s “overdetermination” and theory of ideology, they deconstructed the historical inevitability and class politics of Marxism, negated the determining role of the economic base, and fundamentally deviated from Marxism. In contrast, Marxist theorists represented by Eagleton, Jameson, Harvey, and Negri, while inheriting the Western Marxist method of totality and emphasis on cultural research, stressed that cultural research and cultural critique must be based on political economy research, giving rise to a return to political economy research in Marxism abroad. Its purpose was to reveal the new changes and new forms of expression of contradictions in contemporary Western society through political economy research, and to explore the real pathways for Western people to achieve freedom and liberation.

西方马克思主义“文化转向”虽然突出了马克思主义哲学的现代性质，有利于建立马克思主义哲学与人的现实生活世界的有机联系，但也存在着脱离经济因素的决定作用夸大主观因素作用的缺陷，这一缺陷被以拉克劳、墨菲为代表的后马克思主义理论家所利用和夸大，他们正是在错误地利用和引申葛兰西的文化领导权理论、阿尔都塞的“多元决定论”和意识形态理论的基础上，解构马克思主义的历史必然性和阶级政治，否定经济基础的决定作用，从根本上背离了马克思主义。而以伊格尔顿、詹姆逊、哈维、奈格里等为代表的马克思主义理论家则力图在继承西方马克思主义的总体性研究方法和注重文化研究的基础上，强调文化研究和文化批判必须建立在政治经济学研究的基础上，形成了国外马克思主义的政治经济学研究的回归，其目的在于如何通过政治经济学研究揭示当代西方社会的新变化和矛盾表现的新形式，探讨西方人获得自由和解放的现实途径。

Systematic research on Western Marxism in Chinese academic circles began in the early 1980s. The history of interpretation, understanding, and reception of Western Marxism in Chinese academic circles has undergone a complex process of development. From initially regarding it as a non-Marxist trend of thought to be criticized, negated, and rejected, to gradually understanding and accepting Western Marxism, and demanding a change from mere introduction and evaluation of materials to emphasizing that serving and being subordinate to the study of Chinese Marxist theory should be the proper value position and value destination of Western Marxism research, Western Marxist theory has thus become an important intellectual resource for the theoretical innovation and theoretical construction of Chinese Marxism. The influence of Western Marxism on the study of Chinese Marxist theory is mainly reflected in promoting the understanding of the essence of Marxist philosophy and the construction of its theoretical system in Chinese academic circles, promoting the organic connection between Chinese Marxist theory and China’s modernization practice, and forming new philosophical sub-disciplines such as cultural philosophy, development philosophy, ecological philosophy, and political philosophy, thereby realizing the purpose and value of Western Marxism research in China.

中国学术界对西方马克思主义的系统研究开始于20世纪80年代初期，我国学术界对西方马克思主义的解释史、认识史和接受史经历了一个复杂的发展过程。从最初将其看作是非马克思主义思潮而批判、否定和拒斥，到人们开始逐步了解和接受西方马克思主义，并要求改变单纯的资料评介和引进的做法，强调应当把服从和服务于中国马克思主义理论研究看作是西方马克思主义研究应有的价值立场和价值归宿，西方马克思主义理论由此成为中国马克思主义理论创新和理论建设的重要思想资源。西方马克思主义对中国马克思主义理论研究的影响主要体现在促进了中国学术界对马克思主义哲学的本质的理解和理论体系的建构，促进了中国马克思主义理论与中国现代化实践的有机联系，形成了诸如文化哲学、发展哲学、生态哲学和政治哲学等新的哲学分支学科，实现了我国西方马克思主义研究的目的和价值。

(The author is a Distinguished Professor of the Changjiang Scholars Program of the Ministry of Education and a researcher at the Hubei Provincial Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law branch.)

（作者系教育部长江学者特聘教授、湖北省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心中南财经政法大学分中心研究员）

Online editor: Zhang Jian

网络编辑：张剑