Foreign Communist Parties’ Judgments on the Current Stage of Socialist Development and New Trends

World socialism has undergone a historical process from utopia to science, from theory to practice, and from the practice of one country to the development of many countries. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s were major events in the history of world socialism, plunging the world socialist movement into a low ebb and severely impacting many communist parties in capitalist countries. Since the 21st century, the international situation has undergone major changes. So, “what is the current state of world socialism? It is well worth in-depth study.” This is a major research topic raised by Xi Jinping based on the development process and stages of world socialism, with a view to upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and looking ahead to the future trends of world socialism. It is also a major epochal issue concerning the development process of world socialism. Examining foreign communist parties’ historical positioning of the current stage of world socialist development and their understanding of its dynamic changes is an important way to scientifically grasp the current development process of world socialism and to understand the new trends in contemporary foreign communist parties and world socialist development.

I. Foreign Communist Parties Generally Firmly Uphold the Judgment of the “Historical Era Indicated by Marxism”

Xi Jinping pointed out on September 29, 2017, when presiding over the 43rd group study session of the 18th Central Committee Political Bureau: “Although the era we live in has undergone tremendous and profound changes compared with the era in which Marx lived, from the broad perspective of 500 years of world socialism, we are still in the historical era indicated by Marxism.” This is a judgment made based on the basic principles of historical materialism, revealing the essence and basic characteristics of the era from the unity of opposites between productive forces and relations of production, and between the economic base and the superstructure, and examining the current process and trends of human social historical development from the perspective of a grand view of history. Therefore, the “historical era” mentioned here refers to the “grand historical era” in a broad sense, which, according to the Marxist view, is the historical era of transition from capitalism to socialism. The Marxist discourse on historical eras accurately grasps the essence and characteristics of the era and contains the inevitable law of human social development whereby the socialist system replaces the capitalist system. Foreign communist parties, more often from the perspectives of capitalism’s inherent contradictions, real crises, and socialism’s achievements, experiences, and lessons, make the judgment that today’s human society is still in the historical era of transition from capitalism to socialism, and firmly uphold the lofty belief that the future belongs to socialism and communism.

Foreign communist parties generally believe that, regardless of the setbacks and failures world socialism has encountered, the only alternative to decadent and degenerate imperialism and monopoly capitalism can only be socialism. On July 8, 2022, the general secretaries of the Communist Party of Greece, the Communist Party of Mexico, the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain, and the Communist Party of Turkey held a quadrilateral meeting and issued a joint statement on strengthening united struggle and advancing the international communist movement under the current international situation. They argued that the current external offensives and aggressions of imperialism are a concrete manifestation of monopoly capitalism in the most reactionary era and a hallmark of capitalism at its highest stage; the current era is an era of revolutionary transition from capitalism to socialism. The Communist Party of Sweden emphasized in its new party program adopted in 2021: “The era we live in is characterized by the transition from capitalism to socialism, and our goal of struggle is to build the working people’s own organizations and political power.” The Communist Party of Canada similarly argued in its new party program adopted in 2019 that, although the revolutionary process has encountered setbacks, “this is a historical period of transition from capitalism to socialism on a world scale, in which the working class plays an increasingly central role in advancing democratic, progressive, and revolutionary change.” In October 2022, at the 22nd International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, the Communist Party of Greece reiterated: “Our era is an era of transition from capitalism to socialism-communism. Counter-revolution does not change the essence of our era; on the contrary, it only confirms the exploitative and barbaric nature of capitalism.” The Initiative of Communist and Workers’ Parties of Europe issued a joint statement on the centenary of the victory of the October Revolution, emphasizing that the failure of the Soviet Union, the world’s first socialist state, was a temporary setback for the international communist movement and did not erase the fact that the current era is one of transition from capitalism to socialism. Reality instead proves that capitalism is obsolete, and the only alternative is the path and direction indicated by the Russian October Revolution; socialist revolution is irreversible. In August 2020, the Communist Party of Turkey emphasized in its report to the 13th Party Congress that socialist revolution is not only an urgent current goal but also the only realistic way to solve current problems. This is the strategy and historical mission of the Communist Party of Turkey.

II. Different Positionings of the Current Stage of World Socialist Development by Foreign Communist Parties

After the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe, world socialism has also undergone major changes and transformations over more than 30 years.[1]1 The “drastic changes in Eastern Europe” (东欧剧变) refers to the wave of anti-communist revolutions Currently, the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century. What stage of development is the world socialist movement in? Communist parties are the main force of the world socialist movement, and the judgments of foreign communist parties on the stage of world socialist development have important reference value. Overall, the judgments of foreign communist parties on the current stage of world socialist development can be mainly divided into four views: entering a major period of opportunity for revitalization and development, a period of intense struggle to emerge from the low ebb, a period of difficult development in a predicament, and China becoming a “new era of hope” leading the development of the world socialist movement.

(A) Some Communist Parties Believe That World Socialism Has Entered a Major Period of Opportunity for Revitalization and Development

Some foreign communist parties, based on assessments of the crisis and decline of capitalism, the construction achievements of socialist countries, and the development of socialist movements around the world, believe that world socialism has ushered in a revolutionary upswing and that the 21st century will be a century of major victories for world socialism. As early as its 13th Congress in 2008, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation regarded China as one of the leaders of the modern world, noting Vietnam’s remarkable economic growth, the forward development of the Cuban revolution, and the anti-imperialist front in Venezuela and other Latin American countries, all demonstrating the rising trend of socialist and anti-capitalist forces. At the same time, the 2008 financial crisis caused the United States and the entire West to face the most serious problems since the Great Depression of 1929–1933. Therefore, they believe that “the decline of the world communist movement has ended.” In November 2022, Gennady Zyuganov again emphasized at a plenary session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation that the current capitalist crisis is increasingly prominent, the masses are increasingly losing trust in neoliberalism, voices demanding change are growing, the overall balance of world forces is changing, and the socialist cause is gaining new opportunities. The Communist Party of Sweden discussed its party program at its 37th Congress and, from the perspective of current social productive forces, pointed out: “The productive forces of our era have matured and developed to the point where it is objectively possible to directly transition to socialism.” At its 38th Congress, the Communist Party of Sweden again pointed out that the capitalist crisis caused by the pandemic is likely to suddenly create an unexpected but almost unpredictable revolutionary situation. The Workers’ Communist Party of Denmark, in its “Socialist Denmark Manifesto,” believes that the international working class and the broad masses, under the leadership of new Marxist-Leninist communist parties, are preparing for a new wave of anti-imperialist and socialist revolution. On the one hand, the political consciousness of the working class as a group is in a period of rapid elevation; on the other hand, the scale and scope of class struggle triggered by the capitalist crisis worldwide are continuously expanding. Therefore, they believe that the capitalist and imperialist systems have reached their developmental limits, “revolutionary transformation of this system is ripe,” and “the 21st century may become the century of socialism, the century in which the working class successfully achieves socialism through socialist struggle.”

(B) Some Communist Parties Believe That World Socialism Is in a Period of Intense Struggle to Emerge from the Low Ebb

Some foreign communist parties, proceeding from the opportunities and challenges, favorable trends and real problems of current socialist development, hold that world socialism today is in a period of intense struggle to work its way out of a trough. On the one hand, after the 2008 financial crisis and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the response of capitalist countries has been feeble, various resistance struggles have grown increasingly fierce, and many communist parties have experienced their best development trends since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe. For example, at the time of the 56th Congress of the Communist Party of Britain in November 2021, party membership had grown by nearly two-thirds compared with 2018, reaching 1,200. Joe Sims, co-chair of the Communist Party USA, cited data pointing out that the United States has ushered in a socialist moment, a comprehensive socialist moment has arrived. In 2019, the Communist Party USA gained 1,033 new members; in 2020, 2,152 new members; and in 2021, it gained as many as 2,800 new members. In 2019, on the centenary of the founding of the Communist International and on the eve of the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of Turkey, the Communist Party of Turkey revealed that its membership had increased by more than 30% in one year. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) explained that the pandemic and economic recession had further deepened the capitalist crisis, leading to an intensification of global political rightward shifts and a strengthening of revolutionary resistance movements. The development of socialist countries, especially China and Cuba, once again proved the superiority of the socialist system, boosting the spirit and confidence of countries, parties and organizations that still adhere to socialism under the global crisis. The Communist Party of Denmark believes that the economic and political strength of socialist countries represented by China is continuously increasing, the superiority of the socialist system is increasingly evident, and the balance of international forces has shifted in favor of socialism, peace and international cooperation. Hanna Gharib, General Secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party, pointed out that against the backdrop of economic crisis and pandemic, imperialist aggression is growing stronger, and a favorable situation for promoting socialist development has emerged: the relative decline of US world hegemony, the rapid progress of socialist China in science, technology, economy and other fields, and the further strengthening of economic and political cooperation among emerging countries.

On the other hand, foreign communist parties believe that world socialism still faces many challenges. First, most communist parties are organizationally weak, with low political and social influence, and some even face a survival crisis. Although membership has increased, most communist parties still face the predicament of too few members. The Communist Party of Ukraine, the Iraqi Communist Party, the Communist Party of Kenya, the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia and others have long suffered blockade and suppression by their own governments, and their situation is difficult. Second, sectarianism is a force tearing apart the development of communist parties and the world socialist movement; the overall fragmentation of world socialism has not changed. A few communist parties, such as the Communist Party of Greece, take “maintaining ideological orthodoxy” as their primary goal and frequently use the weapons of “revisionism” and “opportunism” to attack other communist parties in the world. The Communist Party of Chile emphasizes that under the circumstances where the direction of the international community remains uncertain, there is an urgent need for countries and peoples to strengthen ties, unity and cooperation, which is especially important in confronting imperialist aggression. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) calls for opposing the growth of right-wing and reactionary ideologies and populism, which requires strengthened cooperation among communist parties and progressive forces worldwide. Third, some communist parties have fallen into the predicament of “wavering left and right” in theoretical construction. Some parties are trapped by historical baggage and rigidified theory, clinging to old ways and hesitating in advancing the adaptation of Marxism to their national conditions and the needs of the times; some communist parties carry out “adaptive reforms,” eager to erase the traces of “revolutionization,” “Stalinism” and “Leninism,” moving closer to Western parties, causing ideological confusion within the party. It is in this sense that Luciana Santos, chair of the Communist Party of Brazil, pointed out that for communists, it is very necessary to develop the cognitive categories of Marxism in line with new environments and to recognize the new predicaments brought by reality. Fourth, the class consciousness and revolutionary consciousness of the masses, an important force of reliance for revolution, are insufficient. The class base of many communist parties is being wooed or squeezed by far-right parties and other populist parties, further narrowing their own development space. The Communist Party of Turkey believes that the biggest problem facing the socialist movement today is that many people lack revolutionary consciousness and have deviated from the direction of socialist revolution in their concrete practical goals.

(3) Some communist parties believe that world socialism is still in a difficult period of arduous development

Some communist parties, represented by the Communist Party of Greece, proceeding from the current reactionary nature of capitalism and the severe ideological struggle situation, believe that the international communist and world socialist movement is in a difficult period of arduous development. The Communist Party of Greece has put forward similar views at four consecutive party congresses since 2009. The political resolution of the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece in 2009 held that the international workers’ movement remains organizationally and ideologically fragmented and faces new risks at any time. The 19th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece in 2013 adopted a new party program, pointing out that the current international communist movement is still in a period of great recession, and the Communist Party of Greece is still trapped in the era of decline and crisis following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe. The resolution of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece in 2017 stated: “The international communist movement is in decline and finds it difficult to respond to the attacks of the class enemy.” The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of Greece in 2021 believed that “the international communist movement is still in a profound crisis.” On the one hand, acute ideological and political struggles are still being waged among communist parties, and most communists have not yet deeply studied the experience and lessons of socialist construction in the Soviet Union and other socialist countries; on the other hand, with the unfolding of social revolution, the basic strategic choices of bourgeois parties to oppose socialism have become increasingly convergent. Aleksandar Banjanac, General Secretary of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia, pointed out that today’s imperialism has implemented policies of state terrorism in its efforts to secure its own economic and strategic positions, further blocking all paths to national liberation, progress and revolution, intensifying ethnic, religious and border conflicts, stimulating the birth of extreme reactionary forces, and causing serious difficulties for the socialist revolutionary struggle.

(4) Some communist parties believe that world socialism has entered a “New Era of Hope” led by China’s development

Many communist parties highly affirm and praise the socialist cause led by the Communist Party of China and its great achievements, pointing out that socialism with Chinese characteristics plays a model and leading role in revitalizing world socialism. In October 2022, at the 22nd International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, “the participating communist and workers’ parties, in their speeches, could not help but express their heartfelt admiration for the Communist

III. New Trends in Foreign Communist Parties’ Pursuit of the Development and Revitalization of Socialism

Foreign communist parties’ understanding of the stage of development of world socialism, under the same judgment of the “historical epoch,” embodies the unity of the essence of the times and the characteristics of the times. It is precisely in grasping the dialectical unity of these two aspects that foreign communist parties further strengthen their faith in socialism and communism, and combine the goal of achieving the transition from capitalism to socialism with the new changes in the Party’s conditions, national conditions, and world conditions, launching a series of changes and struggles in theory and practice aimed at revitalizing socialism.

III. New Trends in Foreign Communist Parties’ Pursuit of Development and Revitalization of Socialism

Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement. Combining the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete realities of one’s own country, and innovating and developing localized and modernized Marxism, is the basic principle of scientific socialism upheld by communist parties of various countries. It is a scientific truth summed up from the long-term struggle experience of the socialist movement, and it is also an effective means for many communist parties today to advance the cause of socialism.

The communist parties of Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, and North Korea emphasize inheriting revolutionary traditions, adhering to and innovating revolutionary theory, and advancing the socialist cause. The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam [n2] emphasized unswervingly applying and developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, and adhering to the Party’s innovative line. The Communist Party of Cuba clearly states in its Party Constitution that it inherits the radical revolutionary thought of revolutionary leader José Martí, adheres to the traditions of Raúl Castro and Fidel Castro in leading Cuba’s struggle for national and social liberation, and integrates these with the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, at its 11th National Congress, emphasized enriching and developing Kaysone Phomvihane Thought in light of Laos’s realities, and strengthening the Party’s ideological and theoretical construction work. The 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea [n3] emphasized the “people-first principle,” clearly stating that “Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is an encyclopedia of revolution and construction comprehensively systematized on the basis of the Juche idea, a revolutionary thought whose truthfulness and vitality have been scientifically verified in the practical struggle to realize the independence of the popular masses,” and that it is the Party’s “eternal guiding ideology,” declaring the Party’s highest program to be “the realization of the Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism-ization of the whole society.”

Communist parties in other countries, in direct confrontation with capitalism, also place great emphasis on theoretical innovation, putting forward plans with distinct characteristics of the times and national features. First, they develop specific theoretical systems of socialism and communism. In recent years, the French Communist Party has focused on the “greening” of its own theory and issues, putting forward the theory of “ecological communism.” In May 2018, the French Communist Party held its first Communist Ecology Congress, at which then-Secretary-General Pierre Laurent clearly stated that “communism must be ecological.” The French Communist Party believes that in Europe and the world, the class issue is the root of the spread of inequality, and this deepening is always accompanied by environmental and ecological inequality. Therefore, social inequality and ecological inequality are intertwined; ecology is both the core of the class issue and the core of the communist struggle. In its new plan “Let’s Build France Together,” promulgated in 2020, the French Communist Party clearly puts people and the planet first, injecting new content into “ecological communism” in areas such as the public health system, national education, basic livelihood guarantees, maintaining employment, and transforming production and lifestyle, striving to achieve social and ecological transformation. Second, although they have not proposed systematic new socialist theories, they add new elements of the times to the Party’s theory. For example, the Communist Refoundation Party of Italy and the Portuguese Communist Party have both absorbed the concept of ecological socialism, placing greater emphasis on “green” elements in their theoretical propositions. The Communist Party of the United States of America has proposed the “3P” principle (People and Planet Before Profits). The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of Spain emphasized democracy and solidarity, determining the Party’s strategy for the next four years to place work, feminism, and environmentalism at the center, and to make “solidarity” the basis for policy formulation, emphasizing domestically the establishment of a left-wing forces front and the promotion of municipalism, and internationally the formation of the broadest possible anti-imperialist alliance to advance a new multilateral order. Third, they plan specific revolutionary paths in parliamentary politics. The Communist Party of Britain updated its program “The British Road to Socialism” in 2020, proposing a “left-wing plan” for implementing Britain’s “Economic and Political Alternative Strategy” at the current stage, i.e., a “three-step” action plan: the first step is to establish a mass democratic anti-monopoly alliance led by the labor movement, winning broad support from the working class and the popular masses; the second step is to form a left-wing government on the basis of the Labour Party, socialist, communist, and progressive forces winning a parliamentary majority; the third step is for the left-wing government to win the support of a broader mass movement, mobilizing the masses to implement the advanced policies of the left-wing program, thereby establishing a socialist society.

(2) Orderly Promoting Socialist Reforms, Carrying Out Various Forms of Socialist Movements

Practice is the source of theory. The ruling parties of socialist countries explore socialist development paths suitable for their national conditions through continuous reform, trial and error, and the summing up of experience; communist parties in other countries carry out various forms of socialist movements to strengthen revolutionary forces and expand their space for survival.

In recent years, the Communist Party of Vietnam has focused on developing and perfecting the socialist-oriented market economy system, advancing key areas including agricultural and rural modernization, reform of state-owned enterprises, development of the tertiary industry, and expansion of opening up; in political system reform, it has taken developing and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state as its core task, emphasizing reform of the legal system, administrative system, and judicial system. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party insists on building a socialist-oriented market economy, focusing on solving rural economic and social development and poverty issues, formulating and implementing the national “Eighth Five-Year Plan” for development, and achieving rapid economic growth. The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party strengthens Party leadership by enhancing ideological and political education of Party members, emphasizing cadre team building, strengthening Party conduct construction and punishing corruption, and strengthening grassroots organization construction, providing a strong guarantee for the socialist-oriented reform cause. The Communist Party of Cuba insists on the idea of “updating” the economic model, focusing on developing a diversified ownership economy, adjusting the relationship between planning and the market, promoting administrative system reform and distribution system adjustment, maximizing the stimulation of market vitality, solving national development problems, and breaking free from the shackles of imperialism such as the United States. In recent years, the Workers’ Party of Korea, by implementing national economic development plans, adhering to the strategic line of “concentrating all forces on socialist economic construction,” has achieved certain economic development results in the process of strategic transformation from “simultaneous development of nuclear weapons and the economy” to “politics-first economy.”

Communist parties in other countries are actively carrying out diverse forms of socialist movements, striving to expand their space for development. This is mainly manifested in four aspects. First, they hold commemorative activities on major anniversaries to reflect on experiences and lessons. On the one hand, communist parties in various countries have seized important historical milestones — such as the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, the 100th anniversary of the Communist International, the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, and significant leaders’ birth anniversaries, including the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth, the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth, and the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth — to conduct commemorative activities in forms such as party organizational meetings and theoretical seminars, summarizing the experiences and lessons of the revolutionary process, emphasizing the guiding role of revolutionary leaders’ thought, and strengthening revolutionary confidence for the future. On the other hand, the Communist Party of the United States, the Communist Party of Belgium, the Communist Party of France, the Communist Party of Turkey, the South African Communist Party, and others have seized the important historical moment of their party’s centenary to convene major meetings, reviewing the party’s history, summarizing its struggles and experiences, emphasizing fine traditions, and determining the party’s historical tasks in the present and future. Second, they convene new congresses to analyze the world situation, strengthen Party building, and deploy future work. Some foreign communist parties’ new congresses have profoundly analyzed the current domestic and international situation, pointedly identified the imperialist nature of capitalist countries and the global crises it causes, and reaffirmed their socialist and communist ideals and convictions — for example, the 23rd Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the 21st Congress of the Communist Party of Greece, and the 7th Congress of the New Communist Party of the Netherlands. Many other communist party congresses have focused on solving major practical problems facing the party and adjusting the party’s theory and policy, such as the 12th Congress of the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus, the 38th Congress of the Communist Party of Sweden, and the 15th Congress of the Communist Party of Brazil. Third, they participate in parliamentary politics to seek opportunities for participation in government or holding power. In recent years, many communist parties have actively engaged in parliamentary elections, hoping to win more seats for their party and gain opportunities to participate in or hold government office. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, as the second-largest party in the State Duma, received 18.95% of the vote in the 2021 Duma elections, winning 57 seats, an increase of 15 over the previous term. In the 2019 European Parliament elections, the Workers’ Party of Belgium, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, the Communist Party of Denmark, the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus, the Communist Party of Greece, and the Communist Party of Spain all made gains. As the largest communist party organization on the African continent, the South African Communist Party has been part of a tripartite governing alliance with the African National Congress and the Congress of South African Trade Unions since the first general election after the end of apartheid in 1994, making it one of the ruling parties in South Africa. Fourth, they continue to participate in and support mass social movements. The deepening crisis of capitalism further intensifies the contradictions of capitalist society, leading to successive mass resistance movements, in which communist parties are involved and lead. On October 18, 2022, the Workers World Party of the United States and the National Anti-War Coalition jointly launched a protest called “Back to the Streets! Say No to U.S. Wars!” in New York, Philadelphia, Portland, and other cities, condemning the wars provoked by imperialism around the world and calling on people to unite and join the anti-war movement.

(3) Internationalism leading new forms of international unity has become a highlight

Engels pointed out: “Since the conditions of life of the workers in all countries are the same, since their interests are the same, and their enemies are the same, they must fight together, and they must confront the brotherly alliance of the bourgeoisie of all nations with a brotherly alliance of the workers of all nations.” [5]5 Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party*, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 6 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 497. The passage is from Section II, “Proletarians and Communists.” Adhering to proletarian internationalism and carrying out the international unity of proletarians is a fundamental principle for proletarian parties to persist in the struggle against capitalism, seize political power, and ultimately achieve communism. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, following more than 30 years of persistence and exploration, foreign communist parties have carried out new forms of international unity under the new international situation, different from those of the past. This new posture of united struggle has become a highlight of the current international communist and world socialist movements, mainly forming the following four mechanisms of unity.

First, an organized and networked mechanism of unity. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the upheavals in Eastern Europe, many new international or regional conferences and organizations of the proletariat have emerged in the international community, such as the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP, with 119 member parties), the International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties and Organizations (ICOR, with 62 member parties and organizations), and the Communist and Workers’ Parties Initiative (INITIATIVE, with 31 member parties). These have become new organizational structures for the international unity of proletarian parties today. The communist parties belonging to these organizations carry out explorations and actions for unity at multiple levels — domestic, regional, and global — and the parties belonging to them may simultaneously be members of multiple conferences or organizations, causing the current international unity to present a network pattern of mutual interweaving in terms of geography and membership.

Second, a pluralistic and equalitarian mechanism of inclusion. This is manifested in the diversity of identities among participating entities, including communist parties that adhere to scientific socialism, as well as communist and workers’ parties of other currents, and even some organizations that include democratic parties believing in other socialist currents. Regardless of size, these parties are equal in status, and there is no great-power chauvinism within parties, as existed during the period of Soviet-led international unity.

Third, an issue-oriented and democratic mechanism of consultation. When communist parties use organized unity platforms to convene important meetings, they typically combine pressing global issues to be resolved with the advancement of the international communist movement as the conference theme. Participating entities can engage in full discussion and exchange, forming collective resolutions that are unanimously agreed upon and accepted by all parties to the greatest extent possible, thereby expressing the collective attitude of communists. For example, the 22nd International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, held in Havana, Cuba, in 2022, had the theme: “Solidarity with Cuba and all struggling peoples. In the face of the threat of capitalism and its policies, fascism and war, unite in the anti-imperialist struggle; together with social and popular movements we will be stronger; defend peace, the environment, workers’ rights, solidarity and socialism.” The participating parties formed a unified action plan, a joint resolution of solidarity with Cuba, and other declarations.

Fourth, a diversified and coordinated mechanism of action. This is mainly manifested in communist parties using unity platforms to issue joint declarations on current global issues, important historical milestones, and expressions of solidarity with fraternal parties and oppressed regions and peoples in their struggles. For example, on the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth (2020), 93 communist and left-wing organizations, represented by the Communist Party of Greece, jointly signed a declaration titled “We pay tribute to the great revolutionary leader Lenin, we are committed to inheriting and developing his cause!” expressing respect for the great revolutionary mentor. Moreover, different unity organizations and communist parties, when issuing declarations or even directly participating in social movements, demonstrate coordination and consistency in time or space. For instance, in the anti-imperialist struggles in Cuba, Venezuela, Sudan, and elsewhere; on issues concerning the situations in Iran, Afghanistan, and other countries; and in the “Black Lives Matter” racist protests in the United States, many communist parties have used multiple unity platforms to issue declarations and simultaneously organize various solidarity activities around the world.

(4) World socialism is in a critical period of slow revival

The outbreak of the international financial crisis in 2008 triggered a general crisis of the capitalist world. “The end of history” turned, less than twenty years after the upheavals in Eastern Europe, into the “institutional decay” of capitalism. Capitalism, after its “wild rush forward,” has already shown signs of exhaustion. In the period of deepening economic globalisation that followed the 2008 financial crisis, a trend of de-globalisation emerged in Western capitalist countries, indicating a marked decline in the ability of developed capitalist states to control and steer the world. The health crisis in capitalist countries also triggered a chain of more severe political, economic, social and moral crises at home, with anti-capitalist mass movements rising one after another. Western hegemonic states, led by the United States, provoked wars in the external world in an attempt to divert domestic crises, exacerbating turbulence in the global situation. Socialist countries, especially China, have held high the banner of socialism, continuously deepened reform, and achieved a series of historic accomplishments. The Communist Party of China insists on “standing on the right side of history and the side of human progress,” putting forward initiatives such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting the common values of all humanity, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative, thereby becoming an important force driving historical development and the progress of the times. In the contest between socialism and capitalism, communists have become more confident in socialism. It can thus be seen that since the 2008 financial crisis, the world situation has generally begun to shift in favour of socialism. The current new global crisis, along with the concurrent general crisis in the capitalist world, objectively presents a more favourable real opportunity. On a global scale, socialism is currently in a critical period of struggle for revival. This critical period lies in whether communist parties in various countries can “foster new opportunities amidst crises and open up new horizons amidst changes,” and how to promote the revolutionary transformation from “the rise of the East and the decline of the West” to “the rise of socialism and the decline of capitalism” amidst the political changes of “the East rising and the West falling.” [6]6 “The rise of the East and the decline of the West” (东升西降) and “the East rising and the West falling” (东升西降) are the same Chinese phrase, a contemporary geopolitical shorthand for the relative ascent of China and other Eastern powers and the relative decline of Western hegemony. “Foster new opportunities amidst crises and open up new horizons amidst changes” (在危机中育先机，于变局中开新局) is a standard formulation from Chinese Communist Party discourse, often attributed to Xi Jinping.

Xi Jinping points out: “Marxism is an open theory that constantly develops. It can take root only when it is adapted to local conditions, and it can be full of vitality only when it is adapted to the needs of the times. Through the arduous exploration and joint efforts of Marxist political parties in various countries, Marxism in the twenty-first century is constantly opening up new realms, displaying a new outlook, and increasingly radiating new vitality.” We must clearly recognise that some foreign communist parties are still hesitating on the issue of adapting to local conditions and the needs of the times, unilaterally emphasising proletarian internationalism while ignoring or even maliciously attacking the explorations of other communists in adapting to the times, local conditions, and national characteristics. For example, at the 15th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, the Communist Party of Greece and others stressed: “History has proven that falling into ‘various national models’ and ‘various paths to socialism’ easily leads to errors and dangers, ‘which, under the guise of different national conditions, will cancel the revolutionary strategy, rely on the government to replace the socialist struggle, and formulate policies consistent with the bourgeoisie.’” The Communist Party of the Workers of Spain explicitly stated in its 2021 declaration: “The party is committed to organising a new united revolutionary centre, a new Communist International.” This view still represents an excessive insistence on proletarian internationalism and an erroneous critique of national paths, and has been refuted by the majority of communist parties. For instance, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation believes that, under the guidance of the principle of internationalism, national characteristics should be fully considered, and the relationship between internationalism and nationalism should be coordinated. It holds that each nation and each country should consider its own characteristics and historical experience in exploring a specific development model. The Communist Party of Canada believes that while strengthening international solidarity, the national and cultural diversity of the entire working class should be respected. The Communist Party of Brazil also believes that socialist construction must follow the historical, economic, social, cultural, and national characteristics of each country; if achievements and experience are not drawn from national history, socialism will not achieve victory.

It can thus be seen that the differences among foreign communist parties in their understanding of the relationship between nationalism and internationalism are essentially differences over the strategy for carrying out the international communist movement under the current situation. Improper understanding and handling of this issue will be detrimental to the unity of the international communist movement and will also have a negative impact on the revival of world socialism.

Foreign communist parties are the main force advancing the cause of the international communist and world socialist movement. Studying the historical positioning of the current stage of world socialist development by foreign communist parties, and examining the various actions they undertake and new development trends, is a practical requirement for gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the actual state of the international communist and world socialist movement on a global scale, and for forming a more objective understanding and judgment on the major historical and epochal issue of “the state of socialist development.” Judging from the different historical positionings of world socialism by foreign communist parties, the real challenges facing the current international communist and world socialist movement remain severe. In certain areas, such as ideological conflict and the awakening of mass revolutionary consciousness and subjective agency, the tasks are even more arduous. However, what is gratifying and encouraging is that world communist parties have a unified understanding of the current era’s historical epochal orientation as a period of transition from capitalism to socialism, and have a relatively comprehensive understanding of the urgent tasks of struggle facing the current international communist and world socialist movement. It is precisely on these premises that foreign communist parties have carried out a series of explorations, both theoretically and practically, that are conducive to deepening the development of the current international communist and world socialist movement, thereby enriching their experience of struggle. Socialist China has increasingly become a new hope recognised by most foreign communist parties for the revival of the international communist and world socialist movement. At the same time, China, by increasingly approaching the centre of the world stage, is proving that “socialism with Chinese characteristics is becoming the banner for the development of scientific socialism in the twenty-first century and the mainstay for revitalising world socialism.” [7]7 The “First Centenary Goal” (第一个百年奋斗目标) is the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC’s founding in 2021. The “Second Centenary Goal” (第二个百年奋斗目标) is the goal of building a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China in 2049. Currently, after the great transformations of the first decade of the New Era, socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved the First Centenary Goal and embarked on a new journey to achieve the Second Centenary Goal. [8]8 The “New Era” (新时代) refers to the period since the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, marking the entry of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new historical stage under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The 20th National Congress of the CPC held high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and made specific plans for the mission and tasks of the Communist Party of China on the new journey of the New Era. This means that China has sufficient confidence and ability to make greater contributions to the development of world socialism. (Notes and references omitted)

Online editor: Zhang Jian