The Community with a Shared Future for Mankind from the Perspective of Marxist Human Studies

Humanity is a whole, and the Earth is our common home. Facing the complex situation of the world economy and various global problems, China follows the general trend of history and the currents of the times, insists on seeking the overall interests and common values of all humanity, and scientifically answers the questions posed by the world. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Working Together Toward a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. pointed out: "China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of maintaining world peace and promoting common development, and is dedicated to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind." Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and achieving win-win cooperation and shared benefits is China's answer. It is not only an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization, but also the future of the people of the world. Peace and development remain the themes of the times. The increasingly interconnected people of the world, as the subjects driving historical progress, must pay greater attention to their own living conditions, development paths, and future destiny. From the perspective of Marxist human studies, we can deeply understand the philosophical foundation, theoretical connotation, and practical orientation of a community with a shared future for mankind through theoretical angles such as "species-being," the essence of humanity, and human liberation.

人类是一个整体，地球是我们共同的家园。面对世界经济的复杂形势和各种全球性问题，中国顺应历史大势和时代潮流，坚持寻求全人类整体利益和共同价值，科学回答世界之问。党的二十大报告指出：“中国始终坚持维护世界和平、促进共同发展的外交政策宗旨，致力于推动构建人类命运共同体。”推动构建人类命运共同体，实现共赢共享，就是中国的答案。它不仅是中国式现代化的本质要求，还是世界人民前途之所在。和平与发展依然是时代主题，联系日益密切的世界人民作为推动历史进步的主体，必须更加关注自身生存境遇、发展路径及未来命运。在马克思主义人学视域下，我们可以从“类存在”、人的本质和人的解放等理论角度来深刻理解人类命运共同体的哲学基础、理论内涵和实践指向。

I. The Thought of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind is a Contemporary Interpretation of the Marxist "Philosophy of Species"

一、人类命运共同体思想是马克思主义“类哲学”的当代诠释

Marx pointed out that "man is a species-being" [2]2 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The Communist Manifesto* (1848), Chapter II.. The essence of species-being is free, conscious life activity, an internally unified relationship between man and nature, man and man, and man and himself formed on the basis of material productive practice. From the perspective of human existence, Marx revealed three basic forms of human society: "relations of personal dependence," "personal independence founded on objective dependence," and "free individuality, based on the universal development of individuals and on their subordination of their communal, social productivity as their social wealth" [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022.. The forms of human existence corresponding to these three social forms are respectively group-standard, individual-standard, and species-standard. It can be seen that the realization of man as "species-being" represents the future direction of the development of human society, and the form of realization of species-being is the "association of free individuals." Thus, Marx's philosophy of species and the thought of community are logically consistent and mutually interpenetrating. The thought of a community with a shared future for mankind, as a contemporary interpretation of the Marxist "philosophy of species," on the one hand, is a theoretical extension of the logical thread of Marxist human studies theory, conforming to the inherent requirements of man's species-essence; on the other hand, it is an important manifestation of our country's practical efforts to explore the overall interests and common values of humanity, promoting the continuous manifestation of man's species-essence through common action.

马克思指出，“人是类存在物”，类存在的本质是自由自觉的生命活动，是在物质生产实践基础上形成的一种人与自然、人与人、人与自身的内在统一关系。马克思从人的存在角度揭示了人类社会的三种基本形态：“人的依赖关系”，“以物的依赖性为基础的人的独立性”，“建立在个人全面发展和他们共同的、社会的生产能力成为从属于他们的社会财富这一基础上的自由个性”。这三种社会形态对应的人的存在形式分别为群体本位、个体本位与类本位，由此可见，人作为“类存在”的实现代表着人类社会发展的未来方向，而类存在的实现形式即为“自由人联合体”。可见，马克思的类哲学与共同体思想逻辑一致，相互贯通。人类命运共同体思想作为马克思主义“类哲学”的当代诠释，一方面是在理论层面对马克思主义人学理论思维逻辑的延伸，符合人的类本质的内在要求；另一方面是我国在实践层面努力探寻人类的整体利益和共同价值的重要体现，在共同行动中推动人的类本质不断得到彰显。

The world today is still in the social form of "personal independence founded on objective dependence." Under the historical background where the capitalist mode of production occupies a dominant position, capital has become the dominant abstract force, the material root cause of division, conflict, and confrontation between people, between countries, and between nations, and the further deterioration of the relationship between man and nature. This causes people to view the existence and development of man, nature, and society, and their interrelationships, in the way they view things. This one-sided, isolated, mechanical "thinking of things" is self-centered, takes profit maximization as its purpose, fails to see human subjectivity, initiative, and sociality, fails to see the wholeness, openness, and inclusiveness of the world, and ultimately manifests as the loss of man's species-essence. Therefore, the transformation from "thinking of things" to "species-thinking" is an inevitable requirement for human society to evolve towards a higher social form and thus realize the free and comprehensive development of man. Currently, the deep evolution of world history and the urgent need to solve global problems have stimulated the awakening of humanity's "species" consciousness. The "species-thinking" thus formed is a logical thread that, starting from man's species-essence, constantly explores the mode of existence that man himself and human society as a whole should have. The thought of a community with a shared future for mankind follows precisely the cognitive logic of "species-thinking," embodying a deep-level interpretation of man's species characteristics, and represents the overcoming and transcendence of "thinking of things."

当今世界依然处于“以物的依赖性为基础的人的独立性”的社会形态之中。在资本主义生产方式占据主导地位的历史背景下，资本成为占统治地位的抽象力量，是导致人与人之间、国家与国家之间、民族与民族之间分裂、冲突和对抗，人与自然关系进一步恶化的物质根源。这使得人们以看待物的方式看待人、自然和社会的存在与发展及其相互关系。这种片面的、孤立的、机械的“物的思维”以自我为中心，以利益最大化为宗旨，看不到人的主体性、能动性和社会性，看不到世界的整体性、开放性和包容性，最终表现为人的类本质的丧失。因此，由“物的思维”向“类思维”的转变，是人类社会向更高级的社会形态演进从而实现人的自由全面发展的必然要求。当前，世界历史的深入演进以及全球性问题的亟待解决，刺激了人的“类”意识的觉醒。由此形成的“类思维”是一种从人的类本质出发，不断探索人自身以及作为一个整体的人类社会应有的存在方式的思维逻辑。人类命运共同体思想遵循的正是“类思维”的认知逻辑，体现了对人的类特性的深层次解读，是对“物的思维”克服和超越。

Different eras have different themes, and people under different social and historical conditions have different modes of existence. On the basis of taking "species-thinking" as its cognitive logic, the thought of a community with a shared future for mankind explores the practical path and phased goals for the realization of man's "species-being." Man's "species-being" requires nature as its material foundation, interaction between people as its practical need, and human material productive practice as the most basic practical activity and the most fundamental driving force for transforming the world. At the same time, factors such as human society's politics, diplomacy, national defense, and ideology also affect humanity's living conditions and development prospects to varying degrees. Under the era theme of peace and development, the thought of a community with a shared future for mankind systematically creates a practical plan covering politics, security, economy, culture, ecology, and other aspects, advocating the universal participation of people of all countries in building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and clean and beautiful, thereby creating conditions for the ultimate realization of man's "species-being" and the realization of the internal unity of man and nature, man and man, and man and himself.

不同时代有不同时代的主题，不同社会历史条件下的人有不同的存在方式。在以“类思维”为认知逻辑的基础上，人类命运共同体思想探索了人的“类存在”得以实现的实践路径和阶段性目标。人的“类存在”需要以大自然为物质基础，以人与人之间的交往为现实需要，以人类的物质生产实践为最基本的实践活动和改造世界最根本的动力。同时，人类社会的政治、外交、国防、意识形态等因素也在不同程度上影响着人类的生存状况与发展前景。在和平与发展这一时代主题下，人类命运共同体思想系统打造了涵盖政治、安全、经济、文化、生态等多方面的现实方案，倡导世界各国人民普遍参与建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界，从而为最终实现人的“类存在”，实现人与自然、人与人、人与自身的内在统一创造条件。

II. The Practical Mode of Human Existence Establishes the Practical Principles of the Thought of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

二、人的实践存在方式奠定了人类命运共同体思想的实践原则

In Marx's view, man is a real person based on perceptual activity and situated within certain social relations. That is, man is not abstract, but the sum total of all social relations, ultimately embodied as humanized society or socialized humanity. We need to deeply understand the practical logic of the thought of a community with a shared future for mankind from the perspective of man's essence, through practical thinking.

在马克思看来，人是基于感性活动的、处在一定社会关系中的现实的人，即人不是抽象的，而是全部社会关系的总和，最终体现为人类化的社会或社会化的人类。我们需要从人的本质角度，通过实践思维来深刻理解人类命运共同体思想的实践逻辑。

First, practical thinking emphasizes grasping man's characteristics and mode of existence in a human way, fundamentally different from theoretical thinking that views man abstractly, simplistically, and instrumentally. Man is not a thing; rich and profound perceptual needs and practical activities with infinite possibilities manifest man's "species" essence. Whether it is an individual, a country, or a nation, they are all organic entities of flesh and blood, each having the right to survival and development, all needing the practical needs of lasting peace and extensive interaction. China, as the advocate and practitioner of a community with a shared future for mankind, adheres to a people-centered approach, always promoting peaceful interaction and mutual learning with countries and regions with a sincere, friendly, open, and inclusive attitude, establishing different forms of partnership with the vast majority of its neighboring countries, fully understanding and respecting the perceptual needs, actual interests, and development paths of different countries and nations.

首先，实践思维强调以人的方式把握人的特性和存在方式，从根本上不同于将人抽象化、单一化、工具化看待的理论思维。人不是物，丰富而深刻的感性需要以及拥有无限可能性的实践活动彰显了人的“类”本质。不论是个人、国家还是民族，都是有血有肉的有机体，都有其生存与发展的权利，都需要持久和平与广泛交往的现实需要。中国作为人类命运共同体的倡导者和践行者，坚持以人为本，始终以真诚友好、开放包容的姿态推进与国家和区域之间的和平交往、互学互鉴，同绝大多数邻国建立了不同形式的伙伴关系，充分理解和尊重不同国家和民族的感性需要、实际利益和发展道路。

Second, there is an internal unity between man and man, man and society, and man and nature, but this unity is a negative unity based on practice. Man, as the subject of practice, needs to fully exert his initiative and revolutionary character to continuously resolve various contradictions in social life. Currently, world political and economic crises occur frequently, regional conflicts are constant, and the ecological environment further deteriorates. Facing various urgent crises and global challenges, every choice humanity makes is crucial. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is the best proof that the Chinese people are fully exercising their subjective initiative and actively undertaking the responsibility of promoting human development. For example, economically, leveraging the leading role of the Asia-Pacific to address world economic challenges; in international politics, practicing genuine multilateralism and continuously striving to build new-type major-country relations including those between China and the United States; ecologically, adhering to the harmonious coexistence of man and nature and jointly building a community of life on Earth; in national security, emphasizing the strengthening of the international nuclear security system and advancing global nuclear security governance.

其次，人与人、人与社会、人与自然之间具有内在统一性，但这种统一性关系是建立在实践基础上的否定性统一关系。作为实践主体的人需要充分发挥主动性和革命性来不断解决社会生活中的各种矛盾。当前世界政治经济危机频发，区域间冲突不断，生态环境进一步恶化。面对各种亟待解决的危机和全球性难题，人类的每一个抉择都至关重要。推动构建人类命运共同体就是中国人民充分发挥主观能动性、主动承担推动人类发展重任的最好证明。例如，在经济上，发挥亚太引领作用以应对世界经济挑战；在国际政治上，践行真正的多边主义，为构建中美在内的新型大国关系而不断努力；在生态上，坚持人与自然和谐共生，共建地球生命共同体；在国家安全上，强调加强国际核安全体系，推进全球核安全治理。

Finally, the practical activity and communicative needs of human beings determine their social essence, which requires us to use the dialectical thinking of universal connection and development to handle the various relations and contradictions in the process of human social development. While world multipolarization, economic globalization, cultural diversification, and social informatization continue to develop, division, conflict, and even war still exist. The people of all countries need to unite and exert the overall strength of humanity with a more united, open, and inclusive attitude. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “In this world, the degree of mutual connection and interdependence among countries is unprecedentedly deep. Humanity lives in the same global village, in the same time and space where history and reality intersect, increasingly becoming a community with a shared future where you have me and I have you.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Working Together Toward a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva, January 18, 2017. The “community with a shared future” accurately indicates the interdependence of human survival and development, the interactivity of social communication, and the consistency of future and destiny. Currently, China has proposed a series of “community” concepts, including a community with a shared future for mankind, a community for the Chinese nation, a Shanghai Cooperation Organization community with a shared future, a global community of health for all, and a community of life for man and nature. This reflects China’s practical wisdom and long-term vision, starting from the social essence of human beings, balancing special interests and universal interests, and pursuing overall interests and common values.

最后，人的实践活动和交往需要决定了人的社会性本质，这要求我们用普遍联系与发展的辩证思维来处理人类社会发展过程中的各种关系和矛盾。在世界多极化、经济全球化、文化多样化、社会信息化不断发展的同时，分裂、冲突甚至战争依然存在，各国人民需要以更加团结、开放、包容的姿态来凝聚并发挥人类整体的力量。习近平总书记指出：“这个世界，各国相互联系、相互依存的程度空前加深，人类生活在同一个地球村里，生活在历史和现实交汇的同一个时空里，越来越成为你中有我、我中有你的命运共同体。”“命运共同体”准确地指明了人类生存发展的依赖性、社会交往的交互性以及前途命运的一致性。当前我国已提出包括人类命运共同体、中华民族共同体、上海合作组织命运共同体、人类卫生健康共同体、人与自然生命共同体等在内的一系列“共同体”理念，体现了我国从人的社会性本质出发，平衡特殊利益和普遍利益、追求整体利益和共同价值的实践智慧和长远眼光。

III. The Thought of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind Is in the Same Lineage as the Marxist Theory of Human Liberation

三、人类命运共同体思想与马克思主义人的解放理论一脉相承

Marx regarded humanity as a concrete, realistic whole, and then explored the future destiny of humanity, seeking the path for the liberation of all mankind. The *Communist Manifesto* states: “In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” [2]2 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The Communist Manifesto* (1848), Chapter II. The lofty ideal of communism is to realize human liberation and establish a “true community.” Building a community with a shared future for mankind is China’s new exploration of the path to human liberation, based on the new historical environment and judgment of the times.

马克思将人类看作具体的、现实的整体，进而探究人类未来命运，寻找全人类得以解放的道路。《共产党宣言》提到，“代替那存在着阶级和阶级对立的资产阶级旧社会的，将是这样一个联合体，在那里，每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件。”共产主义远大理想就是实现人的解放，建立“真正共同体”。构建人类命运共同体是我国基于新的历史环境和时代判断，对人类解放路径的新探索。

From the internal stipulations of the theory, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind possesses rationality, legitimacy, and historical inevitability. Bourgeois political liberation has historical limitations because, within the “illusory community,” class antagonism and human alienation still exist; therefore, it is not a true, thorough human liberation. Based on a stance of concern for the vital interests and future destiny of the vast majority of the people, Marx proposed the goal of “human liberation.” However, the realization of communism is characterized by stages, arduousness, and long-term nature; the Marxist theory of human liberation needs to keep pace with the times. On the one hand, we face a more complex and diverse world, where various contradictions between different countries, nations, and civilizations are intertwined, and multiple differentiated factors such as politics, economy, and culture interact. On the other hand, the theme of our era remains peace and development, which are also two major value concepts among the common values of all mankind. The thought of a community with a shared future for mankind is a development of the Marxist theory of human liberation that adapts Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, based on conforming to the trend of the times and grasping the laws and future of human social development. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind always follows the common values of all mankind—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—and is committed to building a new type of international relations. This is not only a powerful proof of China’s peaceful rise, a necessary measure for various differentiated countries, nations, and ideologies to seek common ground while reserving differences and coexist harmoniously, but also a necessary stage in the great journey of realizing human liberation.

从理论的内在规定来看，推动构建人类命运共同体具有合理性、正当性和历史必然性。资产阶级政治解放具有历史局限性，因为在“虚幻共同体”之中阶级对立、人的异化依然存在，所以不是真正的、彻底的人的解放。马克思立足对广大人民群众切身利益和未来命运的关切立场，提出“人类解放”的目标诉求。但是，共产主义的实现具有阶段性、艰巨性、长期性，马克思主义人的解放理论需要与时俱进。一方面，我们面对的是一个更加复杂多元的世界，不同国家、不同民族、不同文明之间各种矛盾相互交织，政治、经济、文化等多重差异化因素相互作用。另一方面，当今的时代主题依然是和平与发展，这也是全人类共同价值中的两大价值理念。人类命运共同体思想就是在顺应时代潮流、把握人类社会发展规律与发展前途的基础上，对马克思主义人的解放理论的中国化时代化发展。推动构建人类命运共同体始终以和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值为遵循，致力于构建新型国际关系。这不仅是我国和平崛起的有力证明，是使各种差异化国家、民族、意识形态求同存异、和谐共生的必然举措，还是实现人的解放伟大征程中的必要阶段。

In terms of concrete practice, China is not only an active advocate but also a firm practitioner of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC states: “Our Party is determined to achieve the century-long cause of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and is committed to the lofty cause of human peace and development. Our responsibility is incomparably heavy, and our mission is supremely glorious.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022. Currently, the problem of unbalanced development between countries and between regions is increasingly prominent. The path to changing the world pattern and seeking benefits for the vast majority of the world’s people is arduous and tortuous. However, China’s steps to join hands with like-minded partners to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind will not stop. It will inevitably achieve, on the practical dimension, the transcendence of the “illusory community” bound by interests and other ties. The thought of a community with a shared future for mankind takes the realization of peace, development, prosperity, and happiness for all mankind as its purpose. On the basis of continuously improving the theoretical system, it provides practical solutions for the sustainable development of human society in political, security, economic, cultural, ecological, and other aspects. It can be said that this action concerns the destiny of humanity and the future of the world. It is a great practice of extremely significant practical significance that promotes the transformation of the ideal pursuit of communism into reality.

在具体实践方面，中国不仅是推动构建人类命运共同体的积极倡导者，更是坚定践行者。党的二十大报告提出：“我们党立志于中华民族千秋伟业，致力于人类和平与发展崇高事业，责任无比重大，使命无上光荣。”当前国家与国家之间、区域与区域之间发展不平衡问题日益凸显，改变世界格局、为世界绝大多数人谋利益的道路艰辛且曲折。但是，中国携手志同道合的伙伴共同构建人类命运共同体的脚步不会停止，必将在实践维度上实现对以利益等为纽带的“虚幻共同体”的超越。人类命运共同体思想以实现全人类和平与发展、繁荣与幸福为宗旨，在不断完善理论体系的基础上为人类社会可持续发展提供政治、安全、经济、文化、生态等多方面的现实方案。可以说，这一行动关乎人类命运和世界前途，是推动共产主义这一理想追求转变为现实的极具现实意义的伟大实践。

(The authors are researchers at the Beijing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Research Center)

（作者系北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧