October 30–31, 2013: The Fourth World Socialism Forum Held in Beijing

On October 30–31, 2013, the “Fourth World Socialism Forum: Current Situation and Development Trends of World Socialism and Left-Wing Thought” international academic seminar was grandly held in Beijing, jointly hosted by the World Socialism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Contemporary World Research Center of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. Wang Weiguang, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, sent a message of address to the conference. Li Shenming, former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Director of the World Socialism Research Center, delivered a report titled “The Era, the Cold War, and the U.S. Asia-Pacific Rebalance.” Li Jie, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, gave the conference summary. The meeting was chaired by Wang Xuedong, Deputy Director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau. Deng Chundong, Dean and Party Secretary of the Academy of Marxism, attended the meeting and sat on the presidium. Fan Jianxin, Vice Dean of the Academy of Marxism, along with some researchers from the Academy of Marxism who are members of the World Socialism Research Center, participated in the conference.

2013年10月30-31日，由中国社会科学院世界社会主义研究中心和中联部当代世界研究中心联合主办的“第四届世界社会主义论坛：世界社会主义和左翼思潮的现状及发展趋势”国际学术研讨会在北京隆重举行。中国社会科学院院长王伟光给大会发来致辞，中国社会科学院原副院长、世界社会主义研究中心主任李慎明作题为《时代、冷战与美国亚太再平衡》的报告，中国社会科学院副院长李捷作会议总结。会议由中央编译局副局长王学东主持。马研院院长、党委书记邓纯东出席会议并在主席台就坐，马研院副院长樊建新以及作为世界社会主义研究中心会员的部分马研院研究人员参加了会议。

Over the two-day forum, more than 150 delegates from 18 countries across five continents—including China, the United States, Russia, Belarus, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, India, Egypt, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Japan, and Colombia—gathered together. They conducted extensive and lively discussions on topics such as neoliberalism and international financial monopoly in relation to the world pattern and social class structure, the characteristics and development trends of the new imperialism, the current situation and prospects of world left-wing and socialist thought, and common prosperity as the essence of socialism.

在为期两天的论坛中，来自中国、美国、俄罗斯、白俄罗斯、英国、法国、澳大利亚、印度、埃及、古巴、朝鲜、越南、保加利亚、西班牙、葡萄牙、希腊、日本、哥伦比亚等五大洲18个国家的150多位参会代表共聚一堂，就新自由主义和国际金融垄断与世界格局和社会阶级结构、新帝国主义的特征及发展趋势、世界左翼与社会主义现状及前景、共同富裕是社会主义的本质等议题进行了广泛热烈的探讨。

In his address, Wang Weiguang pointed out that in the century and a half since the founding of scientific socialism, the practice of the game between the two forces, two paths, and two systems of socialism and capitalism has fully confirmed the historical development trend that capitalism is doomed and socialism is bound to triumph. It has fully demonstrated the powerful truth and vitality of Marxism, presenting us with the bright prospects for the development of Marxism and world socialism. The development trend of human society will inevitably be the replacement of capitalist globalization by socialist globalization, and world socialism has bright prospects. He noted that within the revival of world socialism, there still exist various difficulties and contradictions of many kinds. To promote the revival of the world socialist movement, as scholars, we need to strengthen research in two areas: first, to strengthen research on the experiences and lessons of socialist practice, especially research on the causes of the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the drastic changes in Eastern Europe, and to strengthen research on socialism with Chinese characteristics. Second, to strengthen understanding of the essence and new characteristics of capitalism, particularly in terms of theory, involving the challenges posed by democratic socialism, neoliberalism, and historical nihilism and their impact on the development of the international communist movement. Only by clarifying these major theoretical and practical issues can the analysis of the prospects of world socialism be grasped more accurately, and there will be greater confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system. Amid international vicissitudes, the era we live in has still not exceeded the theoretical horizon of Marxism. Socialism has a late-developing vitality. No matter what reforms contemporary capitalism undergoes, it cannot escape the fate predicted by Marxist science. World socialism has bright prospects. Socialism with Chinese characteristics demonstrates the tenacious vitality of socialism and will surely lead world socialism toward a great rejuvenation.

王伟光在致辞中指出，科学社会主义创立至今一个半世纪以来，社会主义与资本主义两大力量、两条道路、两种制度博弈的实践，充分印证了资本主义必然灭亡、社会主义必然胜利的历史发展大趋势，充分显示了马克思主义强大的真理性和生命力，为我们展示了马克思主义与世界社会主义发展的光明前景。人类社会的发展趋势必将是社会主义的全球化代替资本主义的全球化，世界社会主义前景光明。他指出，世界社会主义的复兴当中还存在着各种困难和各种各样的矛盾。为了促进世界社会主义运动的复兴，作为我们学者来讲，还需要加强两个方面的研究：一是要加强对社会主义实践中经验与教训的研究，特别是要加强对苏联解体、东欧剧变原因的研究，加强对中国特色社会主义的研究。二是要加强对资本主义本质和新特征的认识，特别是在理论方面涉及民主社会主义、新自由主义和历史虚无主义思潮的发难及其对国际共产主义运动发展的影响。只有把这些重大理论和实践问题搞清楚了，对世界社会主义前景的分析才能把握得更加准确，就更会有道路自信、理论自信和制度自信。国际风云变幻，我们所处的时代仍然没有超出马克思主义的理论视野，社会主义具有后发的生命力，当代资本主义无论进行何种改良，仍然逃脱不了马克思主义科学预见的命运，世界社会主义前景光明。中国特色社会主义彰显了社会主义顽强的生命力，必将引领世界社会主义走向伟大复兴。

In his report, Li Shenming pointed out that the world is in a historical period of great turbulence, great transformation, and great adjustment. In the next two to three decades, and even the first half of the 21st century, the cooperation, competition, game-playing, and confrontation among the world’s major powers and major strategic blocs may not necessarily yield a predetermined result. But it is highly likely that socialism with Chinese characteristics will stand firm and that world socialist thought, theory, and movement will experience a relatively large revival. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we are even more confident about this prospect. However, it cannot be ruled out that China and the vast majority of third-world countries may encounter new and greater difficulties. Regardless of what outcome emerges, from the outbreak of this international financial crisis until the first two to three decades, or even the first half of the 21st century, the world pattern may be in a state of intense turbulence or even leaps. This is the inevitable result of the accumulation and conflict of various major contradictions in the world, and it is not subject to the will of any country or individual.

李慎明在报告中指出，世界正处在大动荡、大变革、大调整的历史时期。在未来二三十年乃至21世纪上半个世纪，世界各大国、各主要战略集团相互合作、竞争、博弈、较量，其结果还很难说一定是一个既定的结果，但极可能是中国特色社会主义的巍然屹立与世界社会主义思潮、理论和运动的较大复兴。党的十八大之后，我们对这一前景更加充满信心。但也决不排除中国和广大第三世界的发展遇到新的更大的困难。不管出现何种结果，从这次国际金融危机爆发开始直到21世纪前二三十年乃至上半个世纪的世界格局，都可能处于一种激烈动荡甚至跳跃的状态，这是世界各种各类重大矛盾累积冲突的必然结果，不以任何国家与个人的意志为转移。