The Contemporary Development of Dialectical Materialism

Marxist dialectical materialism is not an abstract principle imposed a priori on any specific content; it reveals the real existence of the world and represents the intrinsic unity and high consistency of worldview and methodology. The adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has made a holistic and systematic contribution to dialectical materialism, reflecting the original practice of China’s revolution, construction, reform, and governance, and condensing the essence of the spirit of the times.

马克思主义唯物辩证法并不是先验地强加到任何特定内容之上的抽象原则，它揭示的是世界的真实存在，是世界观和方法论的内在一致和高度统一。中国化时代化的马克思主义对唯物辩证法作出了整体而系统的贡献，反映的是中国革命、建设、改革、治理的原创性实践，凝结着时代精神的精华。

On the basis of a comprehensive survey of academic research, we believe that the contribution of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to dialectical materialism is mainly manifested in five aspects: a “problem-oriented” practical dialectics that reveals the scientific materialist nature of dialectics; a “contradiction-transformation” process dialectics that reveals the process of contradiction resolution and thing development; a “strategy-as-essential” systemic dialectics that reveals the structure, overall character, and developmental trends of things; a “people-first” subject dialectics that reveals the subjective forces driving the development of the real world; and a “historical initiative” historical dialectics that deepens the scientific foresight and guidance of the world historical process.

在综合学界研究的基础上，我们认为中国化时代化的马克思主义对唯物辩证法的贡献主要体现在五个方面：以“问题导向”的实践辩证法揭示辩证法的科学唯物论本性；以“矛盾转化”的过程辩证法揭示矛盾解决和事物发展过程；以“战略为要”的系统辩证法揭示事物结构、总体特质和发展趋向；以“人民至上”的主体辩证法揭示现实世界发展的主体力量；以“历史主动”的历史辩证法深化对世界历史进程的科学预见和引领。

First, a “problem-oriented” practical dialectics. Adhering to a “problem orientation” is an original contribution in the dimension of practical dialectics. It strives to hit upon the real existence of the world, taking “problem orientation,” “seeking truth from facts,” “proceeding from reality in everything,” “investigation and research,” “pilot projects and promotion,” and “practice as the sole criterion for testing truth” as its core concepts. It upholds the high consistency of the Marxist worldview and methodology, revealing the scientific materialist nature of dialectics, rather than a “rationalist idealism” divorced from practice or a mere “pragmatism” centered on utilitarian action. A “problem orientation” does not proceed from the subjective “self” but from objective “facts”; in seeking out “facts,” one must grasp the “problems” that are the focal points of contradictions; “problems” are the voice of the times, the concrete and concentrated manifestation of the contradictions of things. This dialectics requires grasping three key types of “problems”: universally occurring problems that reflect the basic attributes of a given thing; paradoxically occurring problems that reflect the degree of antagonism of a given thing; and newly emerging problems that reflect the developmental trends of things.

一是“问题导向”的实践辩证法。坚持“问题导向”是实践辩证法维度上的原创。它力求切中世界的真实存在，以“问题导向”“实事求是”“一切从实际出发”“调查研究”“试点推广”“实践检验”等为核心理念，坚持马克思主义世界观与方法论的高度一致，揭示辩证法的科学唯物论本性，而不是那种脱离实践的“唯理论主义”或单纯以功利行动为核心的“实用主义”。“问题导向”不是从主观“自我”出发，而是从客观“实事”出发；探求“实事”，要抓住矛盾聚焦点的“问题”；“问题”是时代的声音，是事物矛盾具体而集中的表现。这一辩证法要求抓住三类关键“问题”：普遍出现的、反映某一事物基本属性的问题，悖反出现的、反映某一事物对抗程度的问题，以及最新出现的、反映事物发展趋势的问题。

Second, a “contradiction-transformation” process dialectics. “Contradiction transformation” is an original contribution in the dimension of process dialectics. It hits upon the internal relations and developmental impetus of things, taking “contradiction,” “transformation,” “reform,” “baseline,” “innovation,” and “harmony” as its core concepts. It applies and reveals dialectics in the process of resolving contradictions and developing things, rather than a mode of thinking that remains at the phenomenal level of “either/or.” The unity and struggle of opposites, universality and particularity of contradictions, principal contradiction and secondary contradictions, the principal aspect and secondary aspect of a contradiction, etc., are both opposite and mutually interconnected and transformative; conditions must be created to promote the transformation of the two sides of a contradiction and drive the development of things. Reform promotes the continuous transformation of the principal contradiction in society by changing and innovating the relations of production and the superstructure; baseline thinking scientifically analyzes and correctly grasps things from the objective situation, sets and adheres to baselines from the unity of the subjective and objective, and envisions changes in the situation and the development of things from the worst possible scenario; innovative thinking, based on the process of the emergence, development, and transformation of things, analyzes their different developmental stages, characteristics, positions, and relations, so as to reveal the essential laws and primary driving force of thing development; harmony is the process and result of correctly handling contradictions on the basis of thing development, achieving the maximization of the interests of survival and development and the minimization of losses through the principled and measured struggle of the two sides of a contradiction.

二是“矛盾转化”的过程辩证法。“矛盾转化”是过程辩证法维度上的原创。它切中事物的内在联系和发展动力，以“矛盾”“转化”“改革”“底线”“创新”“和谐”等为核心理念，在矛盾的解决和事物的发展过程中运用、揭示辩证法，而不是那种流于现象层面“非此即彼”的思维方式。矛盾的统一性和斗争性、普遍性与特殊性、主要矛盾和次要矛盾、矛盾的主要方面和次要方面等，既是对立的，也是相互联系和转化的，要创造条件促进矛盾双方转化，推动事物的发展。改革是通过对生产关系和上层建筑进行改变和革新，促使社会主要矛盾不断转化；底线思维从客观形势出发科学分析和正确把握事物，从主客观的统一上设置底线和坚守底线，从最坏的可能设想形势变化和事物发展；创新思维立足事物的产生、发展和转化的过程分析其不同发展阶段及特点、地位、关系等，以揭示事物发展的本质规律与第一动力；和谐是在事物发展的基础上正确处理矛盾的过程和结果，通过矛盾双方有理有据有节的斗争，实现生存发展利益最大化而损失最小化。

Third, a “strategy-as-essential” systemic dialectics. “Strategy as essential” is an original contribution in the dimension of systemic dialectics. It grasps the deep structure, overall character, and developmental trends of the existence of things, taking “strategy,” “foresight,” “system,” “overall situation,” and “totality” as its core concepts. It applies and reveals dialectics in systemic practice and strategic planning, rather than a metaphysical mode of thinking characterized by “immediacy,” “partiality,” or “one-dimensionality.” “Strategy” occupies the primary position in systemic dialectics. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times possesses a systemic and strategic character, carrying out strategic, continuous, and systemic planning for fundamental issues such as “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and “Chinese-path modernization.” “Strategy as essential” encompasses three inherent logical levels: “strategic significance—strategic planning—strategic realization.” Strategic significance is systematically considered through “strategic vision,” “strategic issues,” “strategic thought,” and “strategic judgment”; strategic planning is systematically designed through “strategic goals,” “strategic layout,” and “strategic steps”; strategic realization is systematically achieved through “strategic resolve.”

三是“战略为要”的系统辩证法。“战略为要”是系统辩证法维度上的原创。它抓住了事物存在的深层结构、总体特质及发展趋势，以“战略”“前瞻”“系统”“全局”“总体”等为核心理念，在系统性实践和战略性谋划中运用、揭示辩证法，而不是“眼前性”“局部性”“单向度”等的形而上学思维方式。“战略”居于系统辩证法的首要地位。中国化时代化的马克思主义具有系统性战略性特质，对“中华民族伟大复兴”“中国式现代化”等根本问题进行战略性、连续性、系统性谋划。“战略为要”包含“战略意义—战略谋划—战略实现”三个内在逻辑层次。战略意义以“战略眼光”“战略问题”“战略思想”“战略判断”来系统思考，战略谋划以“战略目标”“战略布局”“战略步骤”来系统谋划，战略实现以“战略定力”来系统实现。

Fourth, a “people-first” subject dialectics. “People first” is an original contribution in the dimension of the “real individual” subject dialectics. Taking “serving the people” and “people-centered” as its core concepts, it reveals that real people, as the subjects of practice, are the people’s subject that embodies the general requirements of material production and the sum total of concrete social relations, rather than an “atomistic individualism” proceeding from abstract human nature. The people’s subject is an organic whole conforming to historical development, led by the proletariat and its vanguard, the Communist Party, and based on the working masses. It continuously understands and transforms the world according to the principles of the unity of subjective initiative and objective constraint, the unity of conformity to law and conformity to purpose, and the unity of truth and value, thereby achieving the organic unity of individual freedom and social development. “People first” always respects the people’s subject position, always upholds the people as the highest value evaluation standard of the “examiner,” and profoundly answers the fundamental value stance, value realization, and value standard questions of a Marxist political party: “for whom,” “relying on whom,” and “who am I.”

四是“人民至上”的主体辩证法。“人民至上”是“现实的个人”主体辩证法维度上的原创。它以“为人民服务”“以人民为中心”等为核心理念，揭示出现实的人作为实践的主体，是体现物质生产总要求、体现具体社会关系总和的人民主体，而不是那种从抽象人性出发的“原子式个人主义”。人民主体是以无产阶级及其先锋队共产党为引领的、以劳动群众为基础的符合历史发展的有机整体，不断地按照主体能动和客体制约相统一、合规律性与合目的性相统一、真理性和价值性相统一的原则，来认识世界和改造世界，从而实现个性自由与社会发展的有机统一。“人民至上”始终尊重人民的主体地位，始终坚持人民是“阅卷人”的最高价值评价标准，深刻回答了马克思主义政党“为了谁”“依靠谁”“我是谁”的根本价值立场、价值实现和价值标准问题。

Fifth, a “historical initiative” historical dialectics. “Historical initiative” is an original contribution in the dimension of historical dialectics. Taking “initiative,” “confidence,” “original aspiration,” and “responsibility” as its core concepts, it organically unifies the understanding of laws, respect for laws, and the practice of laws, rather than a mechanical materialism that waits for laws to “automatically realize” themselves. Giving play to the spirit of “historical initiative” requires continuously deepening the understanding of the laws of the development of human society, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the governance of the Communist Party; profoundly observing and grasping the historical direction of the great changes in the world; giving play to “theoretical initiative” to “precisely recognize change”; giving play to “practical initiative” to “actively respond to change”; and giving play to “strategic initiative” to “actively seek change.” Giving play to the spirit of “historical initiative” requires deepening Marxism’s scientific foresight and guidance of the world historical process, always standing on the correct side of history, organically unifying the promotion of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the revitalization of scientific socialism, and the commitment to world peace and development, continuously solving world problems and common issues of all humanity, and advancing the transformation of the world order from capital first to people first.

五是“历史主动”的历史辩证法。“历史主动”是历史辩证法维度上的原创。它以“主动”“自信”“初心”“担当”等为核心理念，把认识规律、尊重规律和实践规律有机统一起来，而不是那种等待规律“自动实现”的机械唯物主义。发挥“历史主动”精神，要求不断深化对人类社会发展规律、社会主义建设规律和共产党执政规律的认识，深刻观察和把握世界大变局的历史走向，发挥“理论主动”，“精准识变”；发挥“实践主动”，“积极应变”；发挥“战略主动”，“积极求变”。发挥“历史主动”精神，要求深化马克思主义对世界历史进程的科学预见和引领，始终站在历史正确的一边，把推动中华民族伟大复兴、振兴科学社会主义与致力世界和平发展三者有机统一，不断解答世界难题和全人类共同问题，推进资本至上的世界格局向人民至上的世界格局不断转化。

Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has given Marxist dialectical materialism a unique form of expression in China, reflecting the level of theoretical thinking and dialectical wisdom of the Chinese Communists in understanding and transforming the world. Continuously and deeply revealing the contribution of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to dialectical materialism is an extremely important task for Marxist theoretical workers.

中国化时代化的马克思主义使马克思主义唯物辩证法在中国获得了独特的表现形式，体现了中国共产党人认识世界和改造世界的理论思维水平和辩证智慧。持续不断地深入揭示中国化时代化的马克思主义对唯物辩证法的贡献，是马克思主义理论工作者一项极为重要的任务。

(This article is a phased result of the National Social Science Fund General Project “Research on the Contribution of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times to Dialectical Materialism” (24BKS002))

（本文系国家社科基金一般项目“中国化时代化的马克思主义对唯物辩证法的贡献研究”（24BKS002）阶段性成果）

(The author is an Associate Professor at the School of Marxism, Anhui Normal University)

（作者系安徽师范大学马克思主义学院副教授）

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