The Social-Historical Outlook of Contemporary Chinese Marxism

The grand view of history is a new social-historical outlook that comprehensively grasps social elements, temporal-spatial orientation, the general trend of the times, historical laws, and social structure, on the basis of contemporary Chinese Marxism’s summation of the centurial historical experience of the Chinese Communist Party, its correct assessment of the epochal orientation, and its mastery of historical initiative. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has on multiple occasions put forward the grand view of history, insisting on interpreting history with the historical materialist viewpoint and method that unify historical laws and historical initiative, placing the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the Chinese nation’s development all within the broad perspective of the grand view of history. This has formed the grand view of history of contemporary Chinese Marxism, elevating our Party’s scientific understanding of a series of matters concerning the process of Chinese social and historical development to a new height, and demonstrating our Party’s scientific attitude of conscious understanding of human social history.

大历史观是当代中国马克思主义在总结中国共产党百年历史经验、正确研判时代方位并掌握历史主动的基础上，全方位把握社会要素、时空方位、时代大势、历史规律、社会结构的新社会历史观。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记在多个场合提出大历史观，坚持用历史规律和历史主动相统一的历史唯物主义观点和方法阐释历史，将党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史都置于大历史观的宏阔视野中，形成了当代中国马克思主义的大历史观，将我们党对一系列关乎中国社会历史发展进程的科学认知提升到一个新高度，展示了我们党对人类社会历史自觉认识的科学态度。

The theoretical foundation of the grand view of history is the historical materialism founded by Marx and Engels. Historical materialism is a scientific theory for studying human social history and its laws of development. The grand view of history both inherits the basic viewpoints of historical materialism and presents contemporary innovative development. It connects the inner logic of past history with the practical logic of the current era, thereby making reasonable judgments and interpretations of the developmental thread and direction of human social history. The grand view of history examines the development of human social history on a general coordinate, revealing the broad clues of history through holistic thinking. The grand view of history integrates the view of the people as history, the view of practice as history, and the view of development as history. It is a scientific cognition of the overall process by which the people create history, the multi-layered field of practice of the people, and the entire process of social and historical development. It is a panoramic display of the complete historical process in which the masses of the people promote social development through practical activities, constituting the social-historical outlook of contemporary Chinese Marxism. As the social-historical outlook of contemporary Chinese Marxism, the grand view of history has become the scientific worldview and methodology for today’s Chinese Communists to grasp the laws of human social development and promote our country’s social and historical development.

大历史观的理论基础是马克思恩格斯创立的历史唯物主义。历史唯物主义是研究人类社会历史及其发展规律的科学理论，大历史观既秉承历史唯物主义的基本观点，又呈现当代的创新性发展，它将过往历史的内在逻辑、当下时代的现实逻辑联系起来，从而对人类社会历史的发展脉络和走向作出合理的判断和解释。大历史观把人类社会历史发展放在一个总体坐标上进行考察，通过整体性思考展现历史的宏阔线索。大历史观集人民史观、实践史观、发展史观于一体，是对人民创造历史的整体过程、人民的多层次实践场域、社会历史发展全过程的科学认知，是全景展示人民群众通过实践活动推动社会发展的完整历史过程的当代中国马克思主义社会历史观。作为当代中国马克思主义的社会历史观，大历史观成为当今中国共产党人把握人类社会发展规律、推动我国社会历史发展的科学世界观和方法论。

Grasping the View of the People as History, in Which the Social-Historical Subject Creates Human History

把握社会历史主体创造人类历史的人民史观

The masses of the people are the creators of history and the subjects that determine the direction of historical development. The grand view of history holds that the origin and evolution of human social history are closely related to the practical activities of the masses of the people. Only by fully recognizing the role played by the masses of the people as the social-historical subject in social development can we scientifically understand the development of human society. First, the masses of the people are the creators of material wealth. The production and reproduction of material means of subsistence undertaken by humans constitute the foundation for the survival of the entire human society and are the fundamental factor determining the development of human social history. Second, the masses of the people are the creators of spiritual wealth. While producing material means and products for daily life, they also produce spiritual products that sustain their own existence and play an important role in social development. Although the social division of labor gives social consciousness a relatively independent development, it is ultimately a product of the productive activities of the masses of the people and a reflection of social production and life. Finally, the masses of the people are the main force for transforming society. When old relations of production become fetters on the development of new productive forces, the masses of the people, as the social-historical subject representing the developmental requirements of the new productive forces, are the main force for breaking down old relations of production and liberating productive forces, and are the direct force driving human society to a higher stage of development. In summary, the masses of the people are the creators of the material and spiritual wealth of human society and the main force driving social change. They are the social-historical subject as the subject of creation, the subject of development, and the subject of transformation.

人民群众是历史的创造者、是决定历史发展方向的主体。大历史观认为，人类社会历史的源起和演进同人民群众的实践活动密切相关。只有充分认识人民群众作为社会历史主体对社会发展所起的作用，才能科学理解人类社会的发展。首先，人民群众是物质财富的创造者，人类从事的物质资料生产和再生产构成整个人类社会存续的基础，是决定人类社会历史发展的根本性因素。其次，人民群众是精神财富的创造者，他们在生产物质资料和生活产品的同时也生产着维系自身生存和对社会发展产生重要作用的精神产品，虽然社会分工使社会意识获得相对独立的发展，但其归根到底都是人民群众从事生产活动的产物，是社会生产和生活的反映。最后，人民群众是变革社会的主体力量，当旧的生产关系成为新的生产力发展的桎梏时，人民群众作为代表新的生产力发展要求的社会历史主体，是破除旧生产关系、解放生产力的主力军，是推动人类社会向更高阶段发展的直接力量。概言之，人民群众是人类社会物质财富和精神财富的创造者，以及推动社会变革的主体力量，是作为创造的主体、发展的主体、变革的主体的社会历史主体。

Starting from the starting point of Chinese social and historical development, the grand view of history depicts the general schema by which the masses of the people, as the historical subject, create social history. It is a scientific theory and method that reveals the overall process of the masses of the people creating history based on the ontology of social history. The grand view of history, on the premise of fully grasping that the masses of the people are the social-historical subject, emphasizes that promoting social and historical development must “take a firm stand on the side of the people, grasp the aspirations of the people, respect the creativity of the people, and pool the wisdom of the people” — this is the view of the people as history. In the more than one hundred years of struggle in which the Chinese Communist Party has united and led the Chinese people, since its founding the Chinese Communist Party has adhered to taking seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation as its original aspiration and founding mission, always rooted itself among the people, maintained the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses of the people, fully respected the pioneering spirit of the masses of the people, brought into play the people’s role as the historical subject, and ensured that development is for the people, development relies on the people, and the fruits of development are shared by the people. It has not only successfully achieved the first centenary goal [n1] but also embarked on a new journey toward achieving the second centenary goal [n2], advancing toward the grand goal of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The series of great achievements made by the Chinese Communist Party over more than one hundred years have greatly enriched and developed the historical materialist theory of the people as the subject, fully proving that respecting the people’s status as the historical subject is the code for our Party’s continuous success in its undertakings, because “the magnificent history of the development of the Chinese nation is written by the Chinese people.”

大历史观从中国社会历史发展的起点描绘了人民群众作为历史主体创造社会历史的总体图式，是基于社会历史本体揭示人民群众创造历史整体过程的科学理论和方法。大历史观是在充分把握人民群众是社会历史主体的前提下，强调推动社会历史发展必须“站稳人民立场、把握人民愿望、尊重人民创造、集中人民智慧”的人民史观。在中国共产党团结带领中国人民进行的百余年奋斗征程中，中国共产党自成立之日起就坚持把为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴作为初心使命，始终扎根人民、保持党同人民群众的血肉联系，充分尊重人民群众的首创精神，发挥人民的历史主体作用，做到发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享，不仅成功实现了第一个百年奋斗目标，而且开启了实现第二个百年奋斗目标的新征程，朝着实现中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟目标迈进。中国共产党百余年来取得的一系列伟大成就，极大地丰富和发展了历史唯物主义的人民主体理论，充分证明了尊重人民群众历史主体地位是我党不断获得事业成功的密码，因为“波澜壮阔的中华民族发展史是中国人民书写的”。

The View of Practice as History, Which Understands the Development of Human History Based on the Social Field

立足社会场域认识人类历史发展的实践史观

Fundamentally, the history of human social development is a history of practice. Adhering to understanding, developing, and creating history on the basis of a comprehensive grasp of practice is the grand view of history’s scientific cognition of the relationship between practice and history. The grand view of history attaches great importance to the fundamental role of practice in promoting the development of human social history. In addition to examining practice from the perspectives of its occurrence, its essence, and its operational mechanisms, it also focuses on the relationship between the social field and human practical activities from the perspective of the evolution of human history.

从根本上说，人类社会发展史就是一部实践史，坚持在全面把握实践的基础上认识历史、发展历史和创造历史，是大历史观对实践与历史关系的科学认知。大历史观十分重视实践在推动人类社会历史发展中的根本性作用，除了从实践的发生、实践的本质、实践的运行机制等方面进行考察外，也从人类历史演进的角度关注社会场域与人类实践活动之间的关系。

In the historical process of human social development, the social field is closely related to human practical activities. The former, as a product of practice, once it becomes a new form of practice, will inevitably have an important impact on practice itself and on the development of human history. On the one hand, the relationship between the practical subject and the practical object constitutes the main thread of human practical activities, and the practical subject’s exercise of initiative to transform the practical object all takes place within a certain social field; the content and form of practice are both related to the specific social field. On the other hand, the social relations formed among practical subjects are also inseparable from a certain social field. Practice, as a group-based, cooperative activity linked by social relations, is the sum total of the relations of interaction formed among practical subjects. The relations of interaction among practical subjects have a multi-dimensional and structural character. They not only constitute the social relations among practical subjects but also cause practical activities to occur within a certain social field and to continuously change their modes, thereby promoting the progress of human history. The grand view of history analyzes human history from the unity of social practice and the social field, and grasps the direction of human history through the three dimensions of the social-historical process, practical activities, and the social field. This deepens the understanding of the historical materialist concept of history and demonstrates that the grand view of history is a view of practice as history that grasps the development of human history by revealing the social field.

在人类社会发展的历史进程中，社会场域与人的实践活动密切关联，前者作为实践的产物一旦成为新的实践样态，必定会对实践本身和人类历史发展产生重要影响。一方面，实践主体和实践客体的关系构成人类实践活动的主线，而实践主体发挥主动性改造实践客体都是在一定的社会场域中进行，实践的内容和形式都与特定的社会场域有关。另一方面，实践主体之间形成的社会关系也离不开一定的社会场域。实践作为由社会关系联结而成的群体性、协作式活动，是实践主体之间形成的交往关系的总和。实践主体间的交往关系具有多维立体的结构性特点，不仅构成实践主体之间的社会关系，而且使实践活动在一定的社会场域中发生、并不断变换方式，由此推动人类历史的进步。大历史观从社会实践与社会场域的统一中阐析人类历史，以及通过社会历史进程、实践活动、社会场域三个维度把握人类历史走向，深化了对历史唯物主义历史概念的理解，彰显了大历史观是通过揭示社会场域把握人类历史发展的实践史观。

The View of Development as History, Which Examines Human Society through Historical Integration

以历史一体化考察人类社会的发展史观

On the basis of regarding human society as a collective encompassing the past, present, and future, the grand view of history proceeds from the holistic thinking of historical integration to cognitively grasp and interpret the developmental picture of human society in its entirety, and to make holistic responses to numerous factors such as time and space that influence social evolution. The grand view of history provides a panoramic interpretation of human social history, presenting an innovative development of the theory and method of historical materialism. The process of human social development reveals that human social history possesses the integrated characteristic of the dialectical unity of inheritance and development.

大历史观是在把人类社会看作涵盖过去、现在、未来的集合体的基础上，从历史一体化的整体性思维出发，全过程地认知、把握和阐释人类社会发展图景，对影响社会演进的时空等众多因素作出整体性回答。大历史观对人类社会历史作出全景式的阐释，呈现出对历史唯物主义理论和方法的创新性发展。人类社会发展进程揭示了人类社会历史具有继承与发展辩证统一的一体化特征。

From the ontological level, the past, as completed practical activity, on the one hand signifies that the system constituted by the structure of practice and its elements has lost the character of presence as practical activity, while on the other hand it provides the ongoing practical activity with a concrete form through the presence of the results of practice; the present, as practical activity that is present, is a new practical activity unfolding on the basis of past practical structures and their elements, revealing the presence of practical activity through its actual existence and exerting an effect on the production and life of human society; contrary to past and present practical activity, the future belongs to practical activity that is not present, and can only acquire presence when the present practical activity is completed and, as the result of practice, becomes its own mode of existence. In sum, the grand view of history places greater emphasis on wholeness and continuity, emphasizing that the past, present, and future, as different spatiotemporal realms, are closely connected and possess an integrated character based on the entire process of human social development.

从存在论层面看，过去作为完成了的实践活动，一方面表征以往由实践结构及其要素构成的系统已经丧失了作为实践活动的在场性特征，另一方面则以实践结果的在场性为正在进行着的实践活动提供现实形态；现在作为在场的实践活动，则是在过往的实践结构及其要素的基础上展开的新的实践活动，它以现实性的存在揭示实践活动的在场性，并对人类社会的生产和生活发生作用；与过去和当下的实践活动相反，未来属于未在场的实践活动，只有当现在的实践活动完结并作为实践结果成为自身存在形态时才能获得在场性。总而言之，大历史观更强调整体性、持续性，强调过去、现在、未来作为不同的时空存在着密切关联，具有基于人类社会发展全过程的一体化特征。

From the epistemological level, although history has lost its presence as practical activity, as completed practical activity it is a complete practical process integrating practical goals, the practical process, and practical results. Through an overall examination of this complete practical process, people can summarize practical experience, explore the laws of practice, and obtain a complete view of practical activity. Therefore, whether from the determination of practical goals or the unfolding of understanding of practical activity, as well as the scientific summary of historical experience and the scientific grasp of historical laws, the grand view of history concentrates human cognition throughout the entire process of social development—past, present, and future—and is a scientific theory and method that emphasizes the integrated examination of the past, present, and future. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Only in the long river of the entire

从认识论层面看，历史虽然已经丧失了作为实践活动的在场性，但是作为已完成的实践活动，它是集实践目标、实践过程、实践结果于一身的完整实践过程，人们能够通过对这一完整实践过程的整体考察，总结实践经验、探析实践规律，获得对实践活动的完整看法。因此，无论是从实践目标的确定还是对实践活动认识的展开，以及对历史经验的科学总结和对历史规律的科学把握，大历史观都集中把人类的认知贯穿于过去、现在和未来的社会发展全过程，是强调将过去、现在、未来进行一体化考察的科学理论和方法。习近平总书记强调：“只有在整个人类发展的历史长河中，才能透视出历史运动的本质和时代发展的方向。”以大历史的视角将过去、现在、未来进行整体考察，彰显了大历史观是坚持历史一体化考察人类社会的发展史观。

The social-historical view that upholds and innovates historical materialism in the contemporary era

当代对历史唯物主义守正创新的社会历史观

On the one hand, the grand view of history, as a new theory and new method of historical materialism, inherits the theoretical characteristics of historical materialism and forms a social-historical view that integrates the historical character of putting the people first, the practical character of problem-orientation, and the holistic character of the intersection of time and space. First, proceeding from the historical materialist view that the full development of productive forces is the condition for the realization of human liberation, the grand view of history emphasizes that the free and comprehensive development of the individual is the fundamental purpose and requirement of social-historical development, and that only by correctly applying the standard of productive forces can the unity of the increasing abundance of things and the comprehensive development of human beings be achieved, thereby inheriting the historical character of historical materialism in putting the people first. “Putting the people first” is the essential requirement of the grand view of history; whether it conforms to the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people is the ultimate criterion by which the grand view of history evaluates historical merits and demerits, examines contemporary practice, and scrutinizes future blueprints. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Take concrete actions to solve the people’s concerns, alleviate their grievances, and warm their hearts, so that the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security is more substantial, more guaranteed, and more sustainable,” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. fully demonstrating this historical character of the grand view of history. Second, the grand view of history clearly points out that the continuous resolution of problems in practice constitutes the process of human historical progress. Therefore, a distinct problem-orientation also reveals the practical character of the social-historical view of contemporary Chinese Marxism. Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is a process of constantly discovering, responding to, and solving problems with a truth-seeking and pragmatic attitude. Actively raising problems means finding in practice the fundamental issues that concern the overall situation and the big picture, and whether problems can be solved creatively depends on whether one can achieve “the integration of learning, thinking, and application, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action,” which is also a concentrated expression of the historical materialist view of practice. Finally, based on a profound understanding of the unity of the synchronic field and diachronic development of society, the grand view of history uses the spatiotemporal coordinates of human social development to form the basic logic for analyzing current human practical activities, thereby revealing that the grand view of history is a scientific methodology that adheres to the holistic thinking of historical materialism.

一方面，大历史观作为历史唯物主义的新理论新方法，秉承历史唯物主义的理论特质，形成了集人民至上的历史品格、问题导向的实践品格、时空交汇的整体品格于一身的社会历史观。首先，大历史观从历史唯物主义关于生产力的充分发展是实现人的解放条件的观点出发，强调人的自由全面发展是社会历史发展的根本目的和要求，只有正确运用生产力标准，才能实现物的不断丰富和人的全面发展的统一，秉承了历史唯物主义人民至上的历史品格。“人民至上”是大历史观的本质要求，是否符合最广大人民的根本利益，是大历史观评析历史功过、考察现实实践、审视未来蓝图的最终标准。习近平总书记强调，“真抓实干解民忧、纾民怨、暖民心，让人民群众获得感、幸福感、安全感更加充实、更有保障、更可持续”，充分彰显了大历史观的这一历史品格。其次，大历史观明确指出，对实践中问题的不断解决构成了人类历史进步的过程。因此，鲜明的问题导向也展现出当代中国马克思主义社会历史观的实践品格。马克思主义中国化时代化就是以求真务实的态度不断发现问题、应对问题、解决问题的过程，主动提出问题就是在实践中找到事关全局、大局的根本性问题，而能否创造性地解决问题就要看是否能做到“学思用贯通、知信行统一”，这也是历史唯物主义实践观的集中体现。最后，大历史观基于对社会共时性场域和历时性发展相统一的深刻认知，以人类社会发展的时空坐标形成阐析当下人类实践活动的基本理路，从而揭示了大历史观是坚持历史唯物主义整体性思维的科学方法论。

On the other hand, the grand view of history, as an innovative achievement of contemporary Chinese Marxism, pays particular attention to the theoretical and practical value of the concept of history. By strengthening historical thinking, firming up historical confidence, and providing theoretical and systematic explanations of grand historical phenomena, it constitutes the distinctive features of the social-historical view of contemporary Chinese Marxism and develops historical materialism. First, the grand view of history advocates returning to history, grasping and deepening the understanding of historical laws through active inquiry, because “only by acting in accordance with historical laws can we be invincible.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Marx,” May 4, 2018. “We must raise the telescope of historical laws to observe carefully.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Related to Foreign Affairs,” June 22-23, 2018. Only by truly scientifically grasping and conforming to the inherent historical laws of development of human society itself can we, based on the present, maintain strategic resolve and welcome a bright future. Second, the grand view of history uses the basic viewpoints and methods of historical materialism to comprehensively understand the Party’s history, facing some problems that have emerged in history in a truth-seeking manner, neither evading nor denying them. This is the correct attitude of better grasping the present and predicting the future by squarely facing history. Clearly, facing history with a spirit of historical initiative, learning from history, and persistently drawing lessons and experiences from history are among the key reasons for the continuous success of our Party and country. Finally, the fundamental purpose of the grand view of history in strengthening historical thinking is to draw valuable spiritual nourishment and enhance cultural confidence through a comprehensive grasp of the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The historical confidence of Chinese Communists is confidence not only in the achievements of struggle but also in the spirit of struggle.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. “Today, we review history not to seek comfort from success, nor to find an excuse to lie on our laurels and avoid the difficulties and problems we face today, but to summarize historical experience, grasp historical laws, and enhance the courage and strength to forge ahead.” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference on the History of the Party,” February 20, 2021. Clearly, the great methodological significance of contemporary Chinese Marxism’s emphasis on historical thinking lies in the fact that correctly applying historical thinking can not only provide people with the cultural confidence and spiritual motivation to enhance historical confidence but also provide a scientific cognitive method for undertaking today’s mission and living up to tomorrow’s great dream, thereby achieving the innovative development of historical materialism from the perspective of the unity of theory and practice.

另一方面，大历史观作为当代中国马克思主义的创新性成果，尤其注重历史概念的理论和实践价值，通过强化历史思维、坚定历史自信，以及对大历史现象的理论化学理化阐释，构成了当代中国马克思主义社会历史观的鲜明特点，发展了历史唯物主义。首先，大历史观主张回到历史中去，在主动探究历史规律中把握历史规律并深化认识，因为“只有按历史规律办事，我们才能无往而不胜”。“要端起历史规律的望远镜去细心观望”，只有真正做到科学把握并顺应人类社会自身的历史发展规律，才能立足当下做到保持定力和迎接美好的未来。其次，大历史观运用历史唯物主义的基本观点和方法全面认识党的历史，实事求是面对历史上曾经出现的一些问题，不回避、不否认，这是通过正视历史，更好地把握现实和预测未来的正确态度。显然，以历史主动精神面对历史，做到以史为鉴，坚持从历史中汲取经验和教训是我们党和国家不断取得事业成功的关键原因之一。最后，大历史观强化历史思维的根本目的，是通过对党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史的全面把握，从中汲取宝贵的精神营养，增强文化自信。习近平总书记指出：“中国共产党人的历史自信，既是对奋斗成就的自信，也是对奋斗精神的自信。”“今天，我们回顾历史，不是为了从成功中寻求慰藉，更不是为了躺在功劳簿上、为回避今天面临的困难和问题寻找借口，而是为了总结历史经验、把握历史规律，增强开拓前进的勇气和力量。”显然，当代中国马克思主义强调历史思维的重大方法论意义，就在于正确运用历史思维不仅能使人们获得增强历史自信的文化底气和精神动力，而且能为承担今日之使命担当和不负明日的伟大梦想提供科学的认识方法，从理论与实践相统一的角度实现了对历史唯物主义的创新发展。

(Author: Liu Zhuohong, Professor, School of Marxism, Guangxi Normal University)

（作者：刘卓红，系广西师范大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧