How Marxism Understands "Happiness"

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection tour in Rizhao, Shandong, that "the happy life of the common people is achieved through hard work." [1]1 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. It set the strategic direction for the period up to the mid-21st century, including the goal of “comprehensively building a modern socialist country” by around 2035 and achieving the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by mid-century. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in October 2022. states: "Bringing benefit to the people is the fundamental requirement of exercising governance in the public interest and serving the people," and emphasizes the need to improve people's wellbeing and raise the quality of their lives. So how does Marxism understand "happiness"?

习近平总书记在山东日照考察时指出，“老百姓的幸福生活是干出来的。”党的二十大报告指出：“为民造福是立党为公、执政为民的本质要求”，强调要增进民生福祉，提高人民生活品质。那么，马克思主义是如何理解“幸福”的呢？

The happiness understood by Marxism is the unity of subjective pursuit and objective creation. Before Marx, scholarly understandings of happiness could be roughly divided into two categories: first, understanding happiness as people's sensory experience, emphasizing the hedonistic view of happiness based on sensory pleasure; second, understanding happiness as people's spiritual delight, emphasizing the rationalist view of happiness based on people's virtue and inner pursuit. Marx believed that "real individuals" are the starting point for examining a happy life, and that happiness can only be the happiness of real individuals. Real individuals are by no means merely biological beings manifesting animal instincts. For this reason Marx criticized the hedonistic view of happiness, pointing out that blindly "pursuing good food and good drink" while "destroying all spiritual content" is "vulgar." [3]3 Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," MECW 3, p. 309. Nor are real individuals abstract persons remaining at the level of ideas. Hence Marx criticized the views of happiness held by Kant, Hegel, Feuerbach, and others, pointing out that their views of happiness were "designs" of abstract spirit, powerless in the face of the real world. Real individuals, "as people acting in history," [4]4 Marx and Engels, "The German Ideology," MECW 5, p. 36. are first of all people with needs, people with pursuits. People's subjective needs and pursuits are the internal driving force for obtaining happiness, constantly stimulating people's actions and practice to satisfy needs and pursuits. At the same time, the satisfaction of any need or pursuit cannot remain only at the subjective level; it must face objective reality and create happiness in reality. Real individuals are always people situated in a particular stage of social history, which determines that any creation by people is "not made arbitrarily" but "under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past." [5]5 Marx, "The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte," MECW 11, p. 103. Therefore, the happiness Marx understands is the unity of people's subjective pursuit and objective creation. How is this unity realized? Marx's answer is "practice." In practice, the person as the subject of activity and the objective world as the object interact. On the one hand, the world becomes a "humanized" world through people's practice; through practice people continuously create the objective material conditions needed to satisfy their survival and development. On the other hand, practical activity is the manifestation of people's essential forces; in the process of transforming the objective world, people not only satisfy and develop their needs but also feel the value and meaning of their own existence as subjects. It is precisely people's practical activity that concretely connects and unifies subjective pursuit with objective creation. In the process of creative practice, people continuously obtain happiness and accumulate happiness. This is the practical view of happiness that Marxism emphasizes.

马克思主义理解的幸福是主观追求与客观创造的统一。在马克思之前，学者们对于幸福的理解大致可以分为两类：其一，将幸福理解为人的感性体验，强调感官快乐的感觉主义幸福观；其二，将幸福理解为人的精神愉悦，强调人的德性及内在追求的理性主义幸福观。马克思认为，“现实的人”是考察幸福生活的基点，幸福只能是现实的人的幸福。现实的人绝不仅是生物学意义上体现动物本能的人，为此马克思批判感觉主义的幸福观，指出一味“追求吃得好，喝得好”，而“毁掉了一切精神内容”，这是“粗鄙的”。现实的人也不是停留在理念层面上抽象的个人，所以马克思批判康德、黑格尔、费尔巴哈等人的幸福观，指出他们的幸福观是抽象精神的“设计”，在现实世界面前是软弱无力的。现实的人“作为在历史中行动的人”首先是有需要的人，有追求的人。人的主观需要与追求是获得幸福的内在动力，不断激发着人们的行动与实践去满足需要与追求。同时，任何需要与追求的满足都不能只停留在主观层面，必须面向客观现实，在现实中创造幸福。现实的人总是处在一定社会历史阶段中的人，这决定了人的任何创造都“不是随心所欲地”,“而是在直接碰到的、既定的、从过去承继下来的条件下创造”。所以马克思理解的幸福是人的主观追求与客观创造的统一，这种统一是如何实现的呢？马克思的回答是“实践”。在实践中，作为活动主体的人与作为客体的对象世界相互作用，一方面，世界在人的实践中成为“人化的”世界，人通过实践不断创造出满足人的生存发展所需的客观物质条件；另一方面，实践活动是人的本质力量的展现，在改造客观世界的过程中，人不仅使自己的需要得到了满足与发展，而且感受到主体存在的价值与意义。正是人的实践活动，现实地把人的主观追求与客观创造联结起来、统一起来，人们在创造性实践过程中不断获得幸福、累积幸福。这就是马克思主义强调的实践幸福观。

The happiness understood by Marxism is the unity of material abundance and spiritual richness. Realizing people's free and comprehensive development is the highest value goal of Marxism and also the key to the happiness Marxism understands. People's happiness cannot be separated from a foundation of abundant material life, because the production of material means of subsistence is the premise for the unfolding of human history. Marx pointed out: "When people cannot obtain sufficient guarantees in terms of quality and quantity for their food, drink, shelter, and clothing, they fundamentally cannot achieve liberation," [6]6 Marx and Engels, "The German Ideology," MECW 5, p. 43. let alone realize happiness. Therefore, material abundance is the basic condition for happiness. However, one-sidedly and blindly pursuing material goods and wealth does not bring people happiness; on the contrary, it leads into the abyss of the fetishism of capital. Although the development of productive forces under capitalism brings an abundance of things, under the capitalist system "the increase in the value of the world of things is directly proportional to the devaluation of the world of people." [7]7 Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," MECW 3, p. 272. The logic of capital, which dominates everything, does not bring happiness to the majority of people; instead, it causes people's alienation and misfortune. Marx pointed out that the labor of workers under capitalist conditions of production is alienated labor; in such labor they "do not feel happy but feel unhappy, do not freely develop their physical and mental energies but instead torment their bodies and ruin their spirits." [8]8 Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," MECW 3, p. 274. Marx criticized how in capitalist society people are reduced to appendages of capital, coerced and dominated by capital, becoming slaves of money and capital. People's developmental needs are one-sidedly inflated into materialism and money-worship, losing the pursuit of higher-level spiritual needs and a rich and varied life. Marx indicated the need to break through the mirage of the fetishism of capital, overcome one-sided and narrow materialism, liberate people from the alienation of capital, and realize "the complete emancipation of all human senses and attributes." [9]9 Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," MECW 3, p. 306. Only in this way can people's subjectivity and creativity be truly manifested, their freedom and richness be demonstrated, and people's truly substantial happiness be realized. Material poverty is not happiness; spiritual emptiness is also not happiness. Happiness is the coordination of people's body and mind; it requires both material abundance and spiritual richness. This is the comprehensive view of happiness that Marxism pursues.

马克思主义理解的幸福是物质富足与精神富有的统一。实现人的自由全面发展是马克思主义的最高价值目标，也是马克思主义所理解的幸福的关键所在。人的幸福离不开丰富的物质生活基础，因为物质生活资料的生产是人类历史展开的前提。马克思指出：“当人们还不能使自己的吃喝住穿在质和量方面得到充分保证的时候，人们就根本不能获得解放”，更不可能实现幸福，因此物质富足是幸福的基本条件。但是片面地、一味地追求物质和财富并不会带来人的幸福，反而会落入资本拜物教的深渊。资本主义生产力的发展虽然带来了物的丰富，但是在资本主义制度下“物的世界的增值同人的世界的贬值成正比”，宰制一切的资本逻辑并没有带来大多数人的幸福，反而造成了人的异化和不幸。马克思指出工人在资本主义生产条件下的劳动是一种异化劳动，他们在劳动中“不是感到幸福，而是感到不幸，不是自由地发挥自己的体力和智力，而是使自己的肉体受折磨、精神遭摧残”。马克思批判资本主义社会中人沦为资本的附属品，受到资本的裹挟与支配，成为金钱与资本的奴隶。人的发展需要，被片面化、膨胀化为物质主义、金钱至上，丧失了对更高层次的精神需要及对丰富多彩生活的追求。马克思指明要破除资本拜物教的迷障，克服单一、片面的物质主义，将人从资本的异化中解放出来，实现“人的一切感觉和特性的彻底解放”。唯有如此才能真正展现人的主体性与创造性，彰显人的自由性与丰富性，实现人的真正充实的幸福。物质贫乏不是幸福，精神空虚也不是幸福。幸福是人的身心协调，既需要物质富足，也需要精神富有。这就是马克思主义追求的全面幸福观。

The happiness understood by Marxism is the unity of individual development and social progress. The people-centered character is the fundamental stance and essential attribute of the Marxist view of happiness. Marxism emphasizes that individual happiness must be closely integrated with social progress and human liberation, and that Communists regard striving for the people as their greatest happiness. As early as his middle school years, Marx clearly stated that "experience praises those who bring happiness to the greatest number of people as the happiest people," [10]10 Marx, "Reflections of a Young Man on the Choice of a Profession," MECW 1, p. 8. and resolved to choose "the profession that can work most for humanity," [11]11 Ibid., p. 8. believing that only then would what we feel not be "pitiful, limited, selfish pleasure, but our happiness will belong to millions of people." [12]12 Ibid., p. 9. Marx pointed out that "the essence of man is not an abstraction inherent in each single individual. In its actuality it is the ensemble of social relations." [13]13 Marx, "Theses on Feuerbach," MECW 5, p. 4. No individual can exist apart from society; individual happiness and the people's happiness are intimately linked. The individual's self-worth must be manifested and elevated in the process of realizing the people's happiness. Therefore, Marx made the liberation and happiness of all humanity his lifelong pursuit, vowing to "work for the interests of the vast majority of people." [14]14 Marx and Engels, "Manifesto of the Communist Party," MECW 6, p. 495. When asked by his family how to understand happiness, Marx's answer was "struggle." To realize humanity's liberation and happiness, Marx continuously struggled against the poverty and hardship of life, against the vicissitudes of fate, and against the old classes, old systems, and old society. As Engels said in his speech at Marx's graveside: "Struggle was his element. Few men have struggled with such passion, such tenacity, and such success." [15]15 Engels, "Speech at the Graveside of Karl Marx," MECW 24, p. 467. Marx led the proletarian revolutionary movement to oppose all unreasonable social systems, demanded the elimination of all phenomena of human alienation, and realized human liberation through a "people's revolution that destroys everything," [16]16 Marx, "The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850," MECW 10, p. 123. until the realization of communism. In the future communist society, not only will individuals achieve liberation and development, completing "the true appropriation of the human essence," [17]17 Marx, "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844," MECW 3, p. 296. but also "the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all," [18]18 Marx and Engels, "Manifesto of the Communist Party," MECW 6, p. 506. achieving the unity of individual happiness with social progress and human development. This is the people-centered view of happiness that Marxism advocates.

马克思主义理解的幸福是个人发展与社会进步的统一。人民性是马克思主义幸福观的根本立场和本质属性。马克思主义强调，要把个人的幸福同社会的进步、人类的解放紧紧结合起来，共产党人把为人民而奋斗作为自己最大的幸福。马克思在中学时就明确“经验赞美那些为大多数人带来幸福的人是最幸福的人”，立志选择“最能为人类而工作的职业”，认为只有这样我们所感到的才不是“可怜的、有限的、自私的乐趣，我们的幸福将属于千百万人”。马克思指出，“人的本质不是单个人所固有的抽象物，在其现实性上，它是一切社会关系的总和”。任何个人都不能离开社会而存在，个体幸福与人民幸福休戚与共，个人的自我价值必须在人民幸福的实现过程中得以体现和升华。所以马克思将实现全人类的自由与幸福作为自己毕生的追求，宣誓要“为绝大多数人谋利益”。面对家人如何理解幸福的提问，马克思的回答是“斗争”。为了实现人类的解放与幸福，马克思不断同生活的穷苦困顿、命运的颠沛流离作斗争，同旧阶级、旧制度、旧社会作斗争。正如恩格斯在马克思墓前的讲话中所说：“斗争是他的生命要素。很少有人像他那样满腔热情、坚韧不拔和卓有成效地进行斗争”。马克思领导无产阶级革命运动反对一切不合理的社会制度，要求消除人的一切异化现象，在“摧毁一切的人民革命”中实现人的解放，直至实现共产主义。在未来的共产主义社会中，不仅个人获得解放和发展，完成了“对人的本质的真正占有”，而且“每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”，个人幸福与社会进步、人类发展实现统一。这就是马克思主义倡导的人民幸福观。

The 20th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. It set the strategic direction for the period up to the mid-21st century, including the goal of “comprehensively building a modern socialist country” by around 2035 and achieving the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by mid-century. has drawn up the grand blueprint for comprehensively building a modern socialist country and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization, sounding the clarion call of the era to forge ahead on the new journey. “Happiness does not fall from the sky.” On the path forward, we must uphold the Marxist practical view of happiness, carry forward the spirit of struggle, be bold in innovation and creation, and rely on tenacious struggle to open up new horizons for our cause. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated. We must uphold the Marxist comprehensive view of happiness, continuously consolidate the material conditions for the people’s happy life, and at the same time vigorously develop advanced socialist culture, promoting both material abundance and the well-rounded development of the person. The road to a modernized great power is the road to common prosperity for all the people. We must uphold the Marxist people-centered view of happiness, take the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and ultimate goal of modernization, and strive to promote common prosperity for all the people. At the same time, a China that is continuously moving toward modernization will use Chinese-path modernization to promote the overall progress of humanity, bring new opportunities to the world with China’s new development, and continuously work to build a better world and benefit the people of the world.

党的二十大擘画了全面建设社会主义现代化国家、以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟蓝图，吹响了奋进新征程的时代号角。“幸福不会从天降”，前进道路上我们必须坚持马克思主义的实践幸福观，发扬斗争精神，勇于创新创造，依靠顽强斗争打开事业发展新天地。中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化，我们必须坚持马克思主义的全面幸福观，不断夯实人民幸福生活的物质条件，同时大力发展社会主义先进文化，促进物的全面丰富和人的全面发展。迈向现代化强国之路是实现全体人民共同富裕之路，我们必须坚持马克思主义的人民幸福观，把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点，着力促进全体人民共同富裕。同时，一个不断走向现代化的中国，将以中国式现代化推动人类整体进步，以中国新发展为世界带来新机遇，不断推动建设更加美好的世界，造福世界人民。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧