Speech at the “Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Forum (2013 • International Marxism) – Socialism and the Contemporary World and the Second Annual Meeting of the Editorial Board of International Critical Thought,” November 16, 2013

Deng Chundong, President and Party Secretary of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

中国社会科学院马克思主义研究院院长、党委书记邓纯东

Respected Vice President Li Jie, respected scholars and guests:

尊敬的李捷副院长，尊敬的各位学者、各位来宾：

The international academic symposium “Socialism and the Contemporary World and the Second Meeting of the Editorial Board of International Critical Thought,” hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and organized by the CASS Academic Division of Marxist Studies and the Academy of Marxism, is convened here today. On behalf of the Academy of Marxism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, I extend a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all of you for coming!

由中国社会科学院主办、中国社科院马克思主义研究学部和马克思主义研究院承办的国际学术研讨会：“社会主义与当代世界暨第二届《国际思想评论》杂志编委会议”，今天在这里召开，我代表中国社科院马克思主义研究院，向大家的到来表示热烈的欢迎和衷心感谢！

This conference brings together many influential and renowned scholars from multiple disciplines across the globe. Centering on the theme “Socialism and the Contemporary World,” it jointly explores the development of Marxism in the 21st century and the new situation of socialism, and elucidates advanced ideas in economics, politics, society, culture, ecology, international relations, and other fields. This is of great necessity against the backdrop of the contemporary global financial crisis.

此次会议汇聚全球多学科领域众多有影响的知名学者，围绕 “社会主义与当代世界”的主题，共同探讨21世纪马克思主义的发展与社会主义的新形势，阐发经济、政治、社会、文化、生态、国际关系等方面的先进思想，这在当代全球金融危机背景下有着很大的必要性。

Marxism reveals the general laws of the development of human society. Under the conditions of an era marked by many new characteristics, how to advance research on the basic principles of Marxism, and to seriously study Marxist thought on economics, politics, society, culture, ecology, international relations, and other fields, as well as its contemporary value, is an important responsibility for scholars of Marxist theory.

马克思主义揭示了人类社会发展的一般规律。在具有很多新特点的时代背景下，如何推进马克思主义基本原理研究，认真研究马克思主义关于经济、政治、社会、文化、生态、国际关系等方面的思想及其现时代价值，是马克思主义理论研究学者的重要责任。

Marxism is a theory that advances with the times. It fully absorbs the outstanding achievements of the development of human civilization, while at the same time continuously gaining new vitality as human civilization develops. It always pays close attention to practical development and the characteristics of the times, and provides its own analysis and interpretation of contemporary human life and economic and social life. As is well known, the capitalist crisis that broke out in 2007 has still not been overcome to this day. How, under new historical conditions, to re-understand Marx’s theory of economic crisis, to use developing Marxism to deeply understand the current state and essence of the capitalist crisis, the changes in capitalism under the background of the financial crisis, to explore the trends of capitalist development, to re-understand contemporary capitalism, to study the prospects for socialist development, and to advance the adaptation of Marxism to the needs of the times – these are things that contemporary Marxist scholars should do well. Many scholars’ papers at this conference will address issues in this regard, which fully reflects the theoretical consciousness of contemporary Marxist researchers.

马克思主义是与时俱进的理论。它充分吸取了人类文明发展的优秀成果，同时又随着人类文明的发展而不断获得新的生命力。它始终关注实践发展和时代特征，并对当代人类生活和经济社会生活作出自己的分析和解释。正如众所周知，2007年爆发的资本主义危机至今仍未摆脱。如何在新的历史条件下重新认识马克思主义的经济危机理论，用发展着的马克思主义深刻认识资本主义危机的现状和本质、金融危机背景下资本主义的变化，探讨资本主义发展的趋势，对当代资本主义进行再认识，研究社会主义发展的前景，推进马克思主义的时代化，是当代马克思主义学者应该做好的事情。这次会议上许多学者的论文都将涉及这方面的问题，这充分体现了当代马克思主义研究者的理论自觉。

Marxism is a highly practical theory. Only in its integration with the concrete practice of each country can it exert its power of truth and achieve its goal of transforming the world. The process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is precisely the process by which Chinese Marxists integrate the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality. Through this integration, Chinese Communists have achieved two historical leaps in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, creating two major theoretical achievements: Mao Zedong Thought and the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Marxists outside China have also actively explored the indigenization of Marxism in their own ways. At this conference, some scholars will discuss the experiences and problems of the indigenization of Marxism, and explore several frontier issues in the study of Marxism in the contemporary world. We believe these discussions will certainly provide positive inspiration for the participants.

马克思主义是实践性很强的理论，它只有在同各国具体实践的结合中才能发挥其真理性力量，才能实现其改造世界的目的。马克思主义中国化过程就是中国的马克思主义者把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合的过程。通过这个结合，中国共产党人实现了马克思主义中国化的两次历史性飞跃，创立了毛泽东思想和中国特色社会主义理论体系两大理论成果。中国以外的马克思主义者，在马克思主义本土化方面也进行了自己的积极探索，我们这次会议中将有一些学者来讨论马克思主义本土化的经验及问题，探讨当今世界马克思主义研究的若干前沿问题，我们相信这些讨论一定会对与会者有积极的启发作用。

For decades, the Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people in striding forward on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, achieving remarkable accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is in essence scientific socialism. It fully embodies the basic principles of scientific socialism while at the same time possessing strong Chinese characteristics. It is both Chinese and global. Seriously studying the basic theory, basic line, basic program, basic experience, and basic requirements of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an important task for contemporary Chinese Marxists, and also a focus of academic interest for Marxists around the world. There are various understandings and commentaries on socialism with Chinese characteristics internationally. For this reason, this conference has specially set up a dedicated session to exchange research findings on socialism with Chinese characteristics from abroad and their implications.

几十年来，中国共产党带领中国人民在中国特色社会主义的道路上阔步前进，取得了举世瞩目的成就。中国特色社会主义在本质上是科学社会主义，它充分体现了科学社会主义的基本原理，同时又具有强烈的中国特色，它既是中国的也是世界的。认真研究中国特色社会主义的基本理论、基本路线、基本纲领、基本经验、基本要求，是当代中国马克思主义者的重要任务，也是世界各国马克思主义者很感兴趣的学术焦点，国际上对中国特色社会主义有着各种各样的认识和评论，为此，我们这次会议专门设立了专题交流国外中国特色社会主义的研究成果及其启示。

The development of Marxism requires the joint efforts of Marxists from all countries, forming a collective wisdom and theoretical synergy for developing Marxism. Based on this understanding, the CASS Academic Division of Marxist Studies and the Academy of Marxism founded the international English-language quarterly journal *International Critical Thought*. *International Critical Thought* was officially published and distributed globally by the British publisher Routledge (Taylor and Francis Group) in March 2011. In the two and a half years since its founding, it has provided an important platform for dialogue within Marxist and left-wing intellectual circles, as well as between left-wing academia and other academic currents. Its academic standards and international influence have been steadily rising. During this conference, we will also hold the second meeting of the editorial board. We hope to take this opportunity of the symposium and the editorial board meeting to hear the latest research findings of the scholars and their valuable suggestions for running *International Critical Thought* well, so that this important global platform for left-wing academic thought can play an even better role.

马克思主义的发展需要各国马克思主义者的共同努力，形成发展马克思主义的集体智慧和理论合力。基于这种认识，中国社会科学院马克思主义研究学部和马克思主义研究院创办了国际英文季刊《国际思想评论》(International Critical Thought)。《国际思想评论》于2011年3月正式由英国Routledge出版社 （Taylor and Francis Group）向全球公开出版发行，创刊两年半以来，为马克思主义及左翼思想界内部，以及左翼学术与其它学术思想之间进行对话提供了重要平台，其学术水准和国际影响不断上升。本次会议期间，我们还要召开第二届编委会议。希望借助此次研讨会和编委会的机会聆听各位学者的最新研究成果和对办好《国际思想评论》的宝贵建议，以期使这一重要的世界左翼学术思想平台发挥更好的作用。

Esteemed experts and scholars, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded just a few days ago. [1]1 The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC was held in Beijing from November 9 to 12, 2013. It focused on comprehensively deepening reform and adopted the landmark “Decision on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform.” This plenary session deliberated and approved the “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform,” which was published in full last night. It has made an overall plan for China’s comprehensive deepening of reform at a new historical starting point, and is a programmatic document for China’s comprehensive deepening of reform in the new period. This has provided top-level design and planning for perfecting the various systems and mechanisms of socialism with Chinese characteristics, for constructing a sound and mature national discourse system, and for ensuring the sustained and healthy development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the next step, the entire Party, the whole nation, and people of all ethnic groups will earnestly study, implement, and carry out the spirit of the plenary session, closely unite around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as General Secretary, forge ahead with determination, overcome difficulties, write a new historical chapter in the great cause of reform and opening up, and strive for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, continuously winning new victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation! At such a historical moment, scholars from all over the world gathering together to jointly discuss Marxism, socialism, and the contemporary world will certainly have important theoretical value and positive practical significance.

各位专家、各位学者，中国共产党十八届三中全会刚刚闭幕几天，这次全会审议通过并于昨晚全文公布了《中共中央关于全面深化改革若干重大问题的决定》，对新的历史起点上我国全面深化改革作出了总体性部署，是新时期中国全面深化改革的纲领性文件。这对于中国特色社会主义各方面体制机制的完善，对于构建健全成熟的国家话语体系，确保中国特色社会主义事业持续健康发展，作出了顶层设计、规划。下一步，全党全国各族人民将认真学习贯彻落实全会精神，紧密团结在以习近平同志为总书记的党中央周围，锐意进取、攻坚克难，谱写改革开放伟大事业的历史新篇章，为全面建成小康社会、不断夺取中国特色社会主义新胜利、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而奋斗！在这样的历史时刻，来自世界各地的学者齐聚一堂，共同探讨马克思主义、社会主义与当代世界问题，一定会有着重要的理论价值与实践上的积极意义。

For this reason, as the conference host, we sincerely wish the conference a complete success! At the same time, we wish all experts and scholars good health and a pleasant stay in Beijing!

正因为如此，作为大会主办方，我们要衷心预祝大会取得圆满成功！同时祝各位专家学者在北京期间身体健康，生活愉快！

Thank you!

谢谢！