On Mao Zedong’s Original Contributions to Marxist Philosophy

The “Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century,” adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, points out: “Marxist theory is not a dogma but a guide to action; it must develop in tandem with practice, and it must be adapted to the Chinese context in order to take root and become deeply embedded in people’s hearts.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee was held in November 2021. The “Resolution” is a key Party document summarizing the CPC’s history. Mao Zedong organically integrated Marxism-Leninism with China’s actual conditions and its fine traditional culture, made theoretical generalizations of a series of original experiences in the practice of the Chinese revolution and socialist construction, and carried out the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s fine traditional culture, thereby founding Mao Zedong Thought. This was the first historic leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. [2]2 “Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” (马克思主义中国化) is the official term for the process of applying Marxism to China’s specific conditions. From a philosophical perspective, it was also the first historic leap in the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy. The formation of this leap means that Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought made original contributions to Marxist philosophy. Yet for a long time, some people, proceeding from dogmatism and empiricism, have neglected or even denied the original contributions of Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought and of Chinese Marxist philosophy. Today, some people still, proceeding from a Western-centric viewpoint, deny the national characteristics of Chinese Marxist philosophy and Chinese modernization, advocating so-called unitary modernity and universal values. On the basis of clarifying the substantive connotation of the concept of originality, this article will examine the essence, content, and important significance of Mao Zedong’s original theoretical contributions to Marxist philosophy, in the hope of offering a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions. [3]3 “A modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions” (抛砖引玉) is a Chinese idiom expressing humility, meaning to offer one’s own rough ideas to elicit better ones from others.

党的十九届六中全会审议通过的《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验的决议》指出：“马克思主义理论不是教条而是行动指南，必须随着实践发展而发展，必须中国化才能落地生根、本土化才能深入人心。”毛泽东将马克思列宁主义与中国实际和中国优秀传统文化有机结合起来，对中国革命和社会主义建设实践中一系列独创性经验做出了理论概括，对中国优秀传统文化进行了创造性转化与创新性发展，创立了毛泽东思想，这是马克思主义中国化的第一次历史性飞跃。从哲学层面看，这也是马克思主义哲学中国化的第一次历史性飞跃。这一飞跃的形成，意味着毛泽东哲学思想对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。但长期以来，总有人从教条主义和经验主义出发，忽视甚至否认毛泽东哲学思想以及中国马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献。今天，依然有人从西方中心论的观点出发，否认中国马克思主义哲学与中国现代化的民族特性，倡导所谓的一元现代性与普世价值观念。本文将在厘清原创性概念实质内涵的基础上，考察毛泽东对马克思主义哲学原创性理论贡献的实质、内容与重要意义，以期抛砖引玉。

I. Originality and the Essence of Mao Zedong’s Theoretical Contributions to Marxist Philosophy

一、原创性与毛泽东对马克思主义哲学理论贡献的实质

While adhering to Marxist philosophy, Mao Zedong combined it with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution and construction, thereby developing Marxist philosophy and making original contributions to it at both the content and form levels and from both the theoretical and practical dimensions. What Mao Zedong confronted was the reality of Chinese society, a situation vastly different from the backgrounds of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and others. He maintained a strong vigilance against capitalist modernity and ideology and possessed a profound understanding of the actual life of the Chinese people. The generative mechanism of Mao Zedong Thought was not a simple application of Marxist theory, nor was it an empiricism based on China’s concrete practice; rather, it was the interactive effect of Marxist theory and China’s specific historical circumstances. In terms of content, Mao Zedong, targeting China’s actual conditions, employed the methodology of Marxist philosophy to guide China’s revolutionary and construction practice, summarized new experiences, and put forward original theories. In terms of form, Mao Zedong truly made Marxist philosophy speak the Chinese language, giving it a Chinese-style expression and endowing it with a Chinese style and Chinese manner, thereby making important original contributions. On the theoretical dimension, Mao Zedong, based on the basic principles and methodology of Marxist philosophy, revealed the basic laws of China’s new-democratic revolution, socialist revolution, and modernization construction, effectively “interpreting the world,” and founded the original Mao Zedong Thought. On the practical dimension, Mao Zedong applied Marxist philosophy to “changing the world,” transforming both China’s objective world and the people’s subjective world through original revolutionary and construction practice.

毛泽东在坚持马克思主义哲学的同时，结合中国革命和建设中的具体实践，发展了马克思主义哲学，在内容与形式两个层面、从理论与实践两个向度对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。毛泽东所面对的是与马克思、恩格斯、列宁等人所处背景都大不相同的中国社会的现实情况，他对资本主义的现代性和意识形态具有强烈的警惕性，对中国人民的生活现实具有深刻的认识。毛泽东思想的生成机制，不是对马克思主义理论的简单运用，也不是基于中国具体实践的经验主义，而是马克思主义理论与中国具体历史情境的交互作用。在内容上，毛泽东针对中国现实情况，运用马克思主义哲学方法论指导中国的革命与建设实践，总结出新的经验，提出了原创性理论。在形式上，毛泽东真正实现了让马克思主义哲学说中国话，对马克思主义哲学进行了中国式的表达，使马克思主义哲学具有了中国风格与中国气派，做出了重要的原创性贡献。在理论向度上，毛泽东立足于马克思主义哲学基本原理和方法论，揭示了中国新民主主义革命、社会主义革命与现代化建设的基本规律，有效地“解释世界”,创立了原创性的毛泽东思想。在实践向度上，毛泽东将马克思主义哲学运用于“改造世界”,在独创性革命与建设实践中改造中国的客观世界与人民的主观世界。

How, then, should originality be understood? Originality is not groundless novelty for its own sake, but rather pioneering innovation on the basis of predecessors, putting forward new concepts and categories, viewpoints and principles, methods and paradigms, experiences and laws, structures and systems, and other systems of thought and theory and their elements. It is not a simple repetition or mechanical copying of existing theory. Originality is based on subjectivity; its essence lies in “continuing the discussion” or “engaging in a dialogue,” articulating one’s own ideas. Originality is the life and value of theory, and it is also the foundation of confidence in the theory. [4]4 “Confidence in the theory” (理论自信) is one of the “Four Confidences” (四个自信), a set of political slogans promoting faith in the CPC’s path, theory, system, and culture. Original theories include multiple types. Besides the creation of new methodologies and theoretical systems as theoretical achievements, they also include original theoretical thinking in the epistemological sense. This refers to, on the basis of a profound grasp of the laws of the development of things and the laws of human thought, and the effective exploration of new fields of social practice, the establishment of new principles, new theoretical schools, or new theoretical systems. This constitutes original theoretical thinking. In the epistemological sense, the emergence of an original theory includes not only some new theoretical framework, theoretical paradigm, or research method, but also the process of theory guiding practice, obtaining new concrete experience in practice, and then abstracting and generalizing that original experience into theory. This process of thinking, which forms new theory on the basis of effectively exploring new fields of social practice, is precisely original theoretical thinking.

究竟如何理解原创性?原创性不是没有根据的标新立异，而是在前人基础上的开拓创新，提出新的概念与范畴、观点与原理、方法与范式、经验与规律、结构与体系等思想理论系统及其要素，它不是原有理论的简单重复与照搬照抄。原创性以主体性为基础，其本质在于“接着讲”或“对着讲”,讲出自己的东西。原创性是理论的生命与价值之所在，也是理论自信的基础。原创性理论包括多种类型，除了理论成果意义上的开创新的方法论和理论体系等，还包括认识论意义上的原创性理论思维。它是指在深刻把握事物发展规律及人的思维规律、有效探索社会实践新领域的基础上，创立新的原理、新的理论学派或者理论体系，这属于原创性理论思维。在认识论意义上，原创性理论的产生除了某种新的理论框架、理论范式和研究方法，也包括理论指导实践，在实践中得到新的具体的经验，再将独创性经验抽象概括为理论的提升过程。这种在有效探索社会实践新领域的基础上形成新理论的思维过程，正是原创性理论思维。

In light of the above analysis, we believe that the contribution of Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought to Marxist philosophy is not a general theoretical innovation; in essence, it is an original theoretical innovation. It realized the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy and inaugurated the academic tradition and theoretical enterprise of the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy. Specifically, this is reflected in three aspects.

鉴于以上分析，我们认为，毛泽东哲学思想对马克思主义哲学的贡献不是一般的理论创新，在实质上是一种原创性的理论创新，它实现了马克思主义哲学中国化，开创了马克思主义哲学中国化的学术传统与理论事业。具体而言，体现在三个方面。

First, in terms of content, Mao Zedong, based on China’s reality, solved China’s own problems of revolution and construction. Therefore, Mao Zedong’s philosophy possesses a distinct subjectivity, and it enriched and developed Marxist philosophy, making original contributions. Regarding the understanding of theoretical innovation in Marxist philosophy, a prevalent view is that Marxist philosophy itself is original, but research on Marxist philosophy cannot be original. This view is specious. The founding of Marxist philosophy itself also started from the critique of German classical philosophy, British classical political economy, and utopian socialism. It was precisely on the basis of their predecessors that Marx and Engels founded the new methodology of materialist dialectics. Therefore, the founding of Marxist philosophy was an original process of creating a new theoretical framework and methodology out of nothing. What needs to be emphasized is that integrating Marxist philosophy with China’s actual conditions and its traditional culture is itself also an original process of creating something out of nothing; it is the process of the formation and founding of Chinese Marxist philosophy in theory. As some in the academic community have pointed out: “Developing Marxism generally has two forms: one is non-breakthrough development, and the other is breakthrough development.” [5]5 The source of this quotation is not identified in the original text. Non-breakthrough development refers to applying the basic principles of Marxist philosophy, combining them with practice, deepening the understanding of their connotations, and expanding the understanding of their extensions and scope of application. This is “continuing the discussion.” Breakthrough development occurs when certain theories of Marxist philosophy can no longer guide new practical activities; based on the methodology of Marxist philosophy, new problems of the era are solved to guide new practical activities and obtain new theory. In a certain sense, this is also “engaging in a dialogue.” Breakthrough development and non-breakthrough development are divisions in terms of theoretical achievements, but original contributions are reflected not only in theoretical achievements but also in the process of the elevation of understanding. Under the methodology of Marxist philosophy, Mao Zedong’s philosophy made outstanding original contributions. This is precisely the process of applying the methodology of Marxist philosophy to guide practice, summarizing original experiences, and then abstracting and generalizing them into theory. It embodies original theoretical thinking. In this process, Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought greatly enriched and developed dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Its principles of the relationship between the universality and particularity of contradiction, the relationship between practice and knowledge, and the ideological line of seeking truth from facts all greatly advanced the enrichment and development of dialectical materialism. Mao Zedong’s ideas of “two transformations,” [6]6 “Two transformations” (两个改造) refers to Mao’s concept of transforming both the objective world (society and nature) and the subjective world (people’s consciousness). the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, the view of the peasantry as the main body, China’s new-democratic theory and socialist revolution theory, and the theory of Chinese-path modernization, among others, greatly advanced the enrichment and development of the materialist conception of history. [7]7 “Chinese-path modernization” (中国式现代化) is a term later formalized under

首先，在内容上，毛泽东立足于中国现实，解决中国自身的革命与建设问题，因而毛泽东哲学具有鲜明的主体性，并对马克思主义哲学进行了丰富和发展，做出了原创性贡献。在对马克思主义哲学理论创新的理解上，一种流行的看法是，马克思主义哲学具有原创性，但对马克思主义哲学的研究就不可能具有原创性了。这种看法是似是而非的。马克思主义哲学的创立本身也是从对德国古典哲学、英国古典政治经济学和空想社会主义的批判出发的，正是在前人的基础上，马克思恩格斯才创立了唯物主义辩证法这一新的方法论。因此，马克思主义哲学的创立是一种新的理论框架和方法论从无到有的原创性过程。需要强调的是，将马克思主义哲学与中国实际和中国传统文化结合，本身也是一个从无到有的原创过程，是中国马克思主义哲学在理论上形成和创立的过程。正如学界有人指出的：“发展马克思主义，大体上有两种形式：一种是非突破性的发展，一种是突破性的发展。”非突破性发展是指运用马克思主义哲学的基本原理，通过与实践相结合，加深对内涵的认识，扩大对外延和适用范围的认识，这就是“接着讲”。突破性发展则是马克思主义哲学中的某些理论不能用来指导新的实践活动，根据马克思主义哲学方法论解决新的时代问题，以指导新的实践活动，获取新的理论，这在一定意义上也是“对着讲”。突破性发展与非突破性发展是理论成果上的划分，但是原创性贡献除了体现在理论成果上，也体现在认识的提升过程中。在马克思主义哲学的方法论之下，毛泽东哲学做出了突出的原创性贡献。这就是运用马克思主义哲学方法论指导实践，总结出独创性经验，又抽象概括为理论的过程，它体现的正是一种原创性的理论思维。在这个过程中，毛泽东哲学思想极大地丰富和发展了辩证唯物主义与历史唯物主义，其矛盾的普遍性与特殊性关系原理、实践与认识关系原理、实事求是的思想路线等都极大推进了辩证唯物主义的丰富与发展；毛泽东提出的“两个改造”思想、全心全意为人民服务宗旨、农民主体观、中国新民主主义理论与社会主义革命理论、中国式现代化理论等则极大地推进了唯物史观的丰富和发展。

Secondly, in terms of form, Mao Zedong made original contributions to Marxist philosophy through his discursive expression. Discursive symbols are the carriers of values; there are no meaningless symbols, nor symbols without meaning. The world of meaning is shared by subjects through common symbols, and only subjects who share the same world of meaning can understand each other. Gadamer once pointed out: “As we say, understanding means reaching an agreement in language (SichinderSpracheVerständigen), not putting oneself in the position of another person and empathetically grasping his experience. We have emphasized that the experience of meaning that arises in understanding always includes application (Applikation).” [8]8 Hans-Georg Gadamer, *Truth and Method* (Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr, 1960), p. 387. The English translation of the German phrase is: “As we say, understanding means reaching an agreement in language, not putting oneself in the position of another person and empathetically grasping his experience. We have emphasized that the experience of meaning that arises in understanding always includes application.” Mao Zedong made Marxist philosophy speak Chinese, expounding it in language that the Chinese people could understand, so that Marxist philosophy became grounded in expression, understood by the masses, and thereby achieved the Sinicization and popularization of Marxism. Mao used phrases such as “no investigation, no right to speak” and “concrete analysis of concrete conditions” to explain that Marxism is not a dogma but a guide to action; he used “paper tiger” to describe all reactionaries; he used “we want to do business” to elaborate that China must unite all forces that can be united and establish diplomatic relations with all countries with which diplomatic relations can be established, and so on. Mao Zedong gave Marxist philosophical discourse a Chinese form and Chinese style, making it a Marxist philosophy with Chinese character.

其次，在形式上，毛泽东从话语表达上对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。话语符号是价值观念的载体，没有无意义的符号，也没有无符号的意义。意义世界通过共同的符号被主体共享，而享有相同意义世界的主体才能相互理解。伽达默尔曾经指出：“正如我们所说的，所谓理解就是在语言上取得相互一致(SichinderSpracheVerst?ndigen),而不是说使自己置身于他人的思想之中并设身处地地领会他人的体验。我们曾经强调说，在理解中这样所产生的意义经验总是包含着应用(Applikation)。”毛泽东使马克思主义哲学说中国话，以中国人民能够听得懂的话语进行阐述，使马克思主义哲学在表达上接地气，被大众所理解，进而实现马克思主义中国化与大众化。毛泽东用“没有调查就没有发言权”“具体情况具体分析”等阐释马克思主义并非教条，而是行动指南；用“纸老虎”形容一切反动派；用“我们要做生意”阐述中国必须团结一切可以团结的力量，与一切可以建立外交关系的国家建立外交关系等等。毛泽东使马克思主义哲学话语拥有了中国形式和中国风格，成为具有中国气派的马克思主义哲学。

Finally, the original contribution of Mao Zedong to Marxist philosophy is essentially reflected in breaking free from the shackles of dogmatism and empiricism, enriching and developing Marxist philosophy in both theoretical and practical dimensions. Engels pointed out: “Our theory is a developing theory, not a dogma to be learned by rote and mechanically repeated.” A developing Marxist philosophy cannot undergo original development only in theory; it must also achieve a higher level of understanding in practice, sum up original experience, and then elevate it into new theory. The theoretical dimension and the practical dimension are not sharply separated and mutually indifferent, but rather intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Under these two dimensions, the subject rises from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge, thereby making original contributions. In terms of content and form, Sinicizing Marxist philosophy is an inherent part of theoretical originality and an inevitable path for applying Marxist philosophy to the practice of Chinese revolution and construction. This is an elevation and innovation in the theoretical dimension, as well as a result of continuously testing and applying Marxist philosophy in the practical dimension, a result of the continuous elevation from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge. This is not taking the evil path of changing the banner, nor is it subjectivism; it is not, as some Western researchers of Mao Zedong Thought believe, that Mao was a “voluntarist.”

最后，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献在实质上体现为突破教条主义与经验主义的束缚，在理论与实践两个向度上丰富和发展马克思主义哲学。恩格斯指出：“我们的理论是发展着的理论，而不是必须背得烂熟并机械地加以重复的教条。”发展着的马克思主义哲学并不能只在理论上进行原创性发展，还必须在实践中进行更高级的认识，总结独创性经验，再提升为新的理论。理论向度与实践向度并非截然二分、互不干涉的关系，而是相互交织、相互促进的关系。在两种向度下，主体从感性认识提升至理性认识，进而做出原创性贡献。在内容和形式上，对马克思主义哲学进行中国化是理论原创的应有之义，也是将马克思主义哲学运用于中国革命和建设实践的必然路径。这是理论向度上的提升与创新，也是实践向度中不断检验与应用马克思主义哲学的结果，是从感性认识到理性认识不断提升的结果。这并非走改旗易帜的邪路，也不是主观主义，不是像一些西方毛泽东思想研究者所认为的毛泽东是“唯意志论者”。

II. The Main Content of Mao Zedong’s Original Contributions to Marxist Philosophy

二、毛泽东对马克思主义哲学原创性贡献的主要内容

Mao Zedong founded Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought, making multi-dimensional original contributions to Marxist philosophy, the content of which is very rich. This is reflected in Mao Zedong’s philosophy breaking free from the shackles of dogmatism and empiricism, adhering to the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, greatly enriching and developing the content of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and inaugurating the academic tradition and theoretical enterprise of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, as described above. More importantly, it is also reflected in Mao Zedong’s consistent adherence to taking practice as the center, highlighting the subjectivity of the Chinese nation, organically unifying Marxist philosophy with the Chinese people’s practice of revolution and construction, and pioneering a Chinese-style path of revolution and modernization.

毛泽东创立了毛泽东哲学思想，对马克思主义哲学做出了多维度的原创性贡献，内容十分丰富。这体现在毛泽东哲学突破了教条主义与经验主义的束缚，坚持实事求是的思想路线，极大丰富和发展了辩证唯物主义与历史唯物主义的内容，开创了马克思主义哲学中国化的学术传统与理论事业，如上文所述。更为重要的是，它还体现在毛泽东始终坚持以实践为中心，突出中华民族的主体性，把马克思主义哲学与中国人民的革命与建设实践有机统一起来，开创了中国式的革命与现代化建设道路。

On the one hand, Mao Zedong made original contributions to the theory of modernization in Marxist philosophy. Since modern times, the Chinese nation has faced the arduous task of achieving national independence and rejuvenation. After the founding of New China achieved national independence, realizing national rejuvenation through socialist modernization became an urgent issue of the times. Based on historical materialism, Mao Zedong advocated that China could not take the Western capitalist path of modernization, nor could it take the traditional socialist path of modernization of the Soviet Union’s rigid model, but must take the path of Chinese-path modernization. In the 1960s, the Sino-Soviet debate he led was not only an ideological controversy but also reflected the differences between the two sides on the path of modernization development. Theoretically, it reflected the different understandings of Mao Zedong and the Soviet leaders regarding the theory of modernization in Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Mao Zedong broke free from the shackles of dogmatism and empiricism, and on the basis of adhering to and developing dialectical materialism and historical materialism, he enriched and developed the theory of modernization in Marxist philosophy.

一方面，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学现代化理论做出了原创性贡献。近代以来，中华民族面临着实现民族独立与复兴的艰巨任务，在新中国成立实现民族独立以后，通过社会主义现代化实现民族复兴就成为时代的紧要课题。毛泽东立足于唯物史观，主张中国不能走西式资本主义现代化道路，也不能走苏联僵化模式的传统社会主义现代化老路，而要走中国式现代化道路。20世纪60年代，他领导的中苏论战，不仅仅是一种意识形态的论争，也体现了双方在现代化发展道路上的分歧。在理论上，则体现了毛泽东与苏联领导人对马克思列宁主义哲学现代化理论的不同理解，毛泽东摆脱了教条主义与经验主义的束缚，在坚持和发展辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义基础上，丰富和发展了马克思主义哲学的现代化理论。

On the other hand, Mao Zedong formed a unique Chinese modern thought in the practice of Chinese revolution and construction. Mao Zedong always adhered to the path of socialist modernization and prevented the peaceful evolution of capitalism in China. [9]9 “Peaceful evolution” refers to the strategy, attributed to U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, of subverting socialist states through non-military means such as cultural infiltration and economic pressure, a term frequently used in CPC political discourse to warn against capitalist influence. Through criticizing and transforming the core concepts of capitalist modernity, he made multi-dimensional original contributions to the theory of social development in Marxist philosophy. In terms of core concepts of modernity such as science, democracy, freedom, equality, and fraternity, he criticized and transcended Western capitalist theories of modernity, and innovatively put forward the scientific thought of seeking truth from facts, a rich and concrete concept of people’s democracy, a concept of freedom in the sense of the organic unity of understanding and practice, a concept of substantive equality among all the people, and the thought of serving the people wholeheartedly, thus solving the fundamental problems of revolution and construction such as “where is China going” and “how to achieve national independence and liberation.” This is specifically reflected in the following aspects.

另一方面，毛泽东在中国革命与建设实践中形成了独特的中国现代性思想。毛泽东始终坚持走社会主义现代化道路，防止资本主义在中国的和平演变，他通过对资本主义现代性核心观念的批判和改造，对马克思主义哲学社会发展理论做出了多维度的原创性贡献。在科学、民主、自由、平等、博爱等现代性核心观念方面，批判并超越了西方资本主义现代性理论，创新性地提出了实事求是的科学思想、丰富具体的人民民主概念、认识与实践有机统一意义上的自由概念、全体人民之间的实质平等概念、全心全意为人民服务思想等，解决了“中国向何处去”“如何实现民族独立和解放”等革命和建设的根本问题。具体体现在如下几个层面。

First, Mao Zedong enriched the content and form of the concept of science, making original contributions to the Marxist philosophical concept of science. Since modern times, Western modernity has been equated with technological rationality, and science has become an important part of modern ideological enlightenment. The essence of science is understood as instrumental rationality. Marxist philosophy itself originated from the critique of Western modernity, including the critique of its concept of science. Mao Zedong adhered to and developed the Marxist philosophical concept of science, advocating adherence to materialist dialectics and seeking truth from facts. He opposed dogmatism and empiricism, believing that only a scientific Marxist attitude could yield scientific understanding. He opposed always citing the Greeks and emphasized conducting research from China’s own reality. Mao Zedong pointed out: “This attitude is the attitude of seeking truth from facts. ‘Facts’ are all things that exist objectively, ‘truth’ is the internal connection of objective things, that is, regularity, and ‘seeking’ is our study.” Seeking truth from facts is also the unity of the subjective and the objective, the unity of understanding and practice. Mao Zedong believed that dogmatism and empiricism, especially dogmatism, would cause serious harm to the Chinese revolution and China’s socialist construction, and that Marxist philosophy must be integrated with China’s reality to solve China’s problems, and all “book worship” must be opposed. [10]10 “Book worship” (本本主义) is a term Mao Zedong used in his 1930 essay “Oppose Book Worship” to criticize dogmatic reliance on texts and authority, particularly in the context of the Chinese Communist Party’s early revolutionary practice. Therefore, Mao Zedong not only emphasized a scientific attitude in theory but also advocated the use of scientific Marxist empirical methods. He believed that one-sided and static methods that did not conform to Marxist materialist dialectics were “unscientific.” At the same time, Mao Zedong applied the scientific connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context to the building of the Communist Party of China. He pointed out: “This attitude is a manifestation of Party spirit, the style of Marxism-Leninism that unifies theory and practice.” The Communist Party of China is guided by Marxist philosophy, while constantly using Marxism to transform itself, forming a style that unifies theory and practice. It can be seen that Mao Zedong greatly enriched and developed the Marxist philosophical concept of science, criticizing and transcending the Western instrumental rationalist concept of science.

第一，毛泽东丰富了科学观的内容与形式，对马克思主义哲学的科学观做出了原创性贡献。近代以来，西方现代性被等同于科技理性，科学成为现代思想启蒙的重要内容。科学的实质被理解为工具理性。马克思主义哲学本身产生于对西方现代性的批判，包括对其科学观的批判。毛泽东坚持和发展了马克思主义哲学的科学观，主张坚持唯物辩证法与实事求是。他反对教条主义和经验主义，认为只有科学的马克思主义态度，才能取得科学的认识。他反对言必称希腊，强调从中国自己的实际出发进行研究。毛泽东指出：“这种态度，就是实事求是的态度。‘实事’就是客观存在着的一切事物，‘是’就是客观事物的内部联系，即规律性，‘求’就是我们去研究。”实事求是也是主观与客观相统一，认识与实践相统一。毛泽东认为教条主义和经验主义特别是教条主义，会对中国革命与中国社会主义建设造成严重危害，马克思主义哲学必须与中国实际结合才能解决中国问题，要反对一切“本本主义”。因此，毛泽东不仅在理论上强调科学的态度，也主张使用科学的马克思主义实证方法。他认为，不符合马克思主义唯物辩证法的片面的、静止的方法是“非科学”的。同时，毛泽东将马克思主义哲学中国化的科学内涵运用于中国共产党的建设，他指出：“这种态度，就是党性的表现，就是理论和实际统一的马克思列宁主义的作风。”中国共产党以马克思主义哲学为指导，同时不断使用马克思主义改造自身，形成理论和实践相统一的作风。可见，毛泽东极大地丰富和发展了马克思主义哲学的科学观，批判并超越了西方工具理性主义的科学观。

Second, Mao Zedong enriched the connotation of democracy and made an original contribution to the Marxist philosophical view of democracy. Mao Zedong pointed out that the government led by the Communist Party of China is a government of people’s democratic dictatorship, a government that realizes the dialectical unity of democracy and dictatorship; it is not dictatorial or autocratic toward the people, but democratic. Moreover, Mao Zedong had already recognized the hypocrisy of “democratic politics” in capitalist countries. He believed: “The United States also has ‘democratic politics,’ but it is unfortunately merely another name for the autocratic rule of a single class, the bourgeoisie.” [11]11 Mao Zedong, “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” (1949). True democracy is the democracy of the entire people, the democracy of the broadest masses of the people, and not a pan-democracy in which all people participate without order. Democracy and dictatorship, democracy and discipline, and so forth are mutually complementary and inseparable relationships. Mao Zedong held that if dictatorship is not exercised over a minority of exploiters, the democracy of the majority cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, the people’s state protects the people and must also use democratic methods to transform itself. Mao Zedong regarded democracy as both an end and a means. The government led by the Communist Party of China must realize democracy and also use democracy as a means; its mission is to realize the fullest democracy, “and at the same time, they are the people’s teachers, educating the people through the method of self-education or self-criticism.” [12]12 Mao Zedong, “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” (1949). Mao Zedong enriched the connotation of democracy and, at the same time, combined his democratic thought with the building of the Communist Party of China, guiding the Communist Party of China with democratic thought to ensure the Party’s advanced nature. In his view, the means of democracy is an effective way to overcome dogmatism and is also an internal need to ensure the advanced nature and programmatic character of the Party’s theory. The Communist Party of China is “a party with discipline, armed with the theory of Marxism-Leninism, adopting the method of self-criticism, and linking itself with the masses of the people.” [13]13 Mao Zedong, “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” (1949). Specifically, the means of democracy is the method of self-criticism and the method of linking with the masses of the people. Marxism-Leninism brought to China the light of Marxist truth; Mao Zedong caused this truth to take root and sprout in China. He regarded democracy simultaneously as means and end, enriched the connotation of democracy, enabled the democratic thought in Marxist philosophy to realize its Sinicization, and fundamentally transcended the Western capitalist form of the view of democracy.

第二，毛泽东丰富了民主的内涵，对马克思主义哲学民主观做出了原创性贡献。毛泽东指出，中国共产党领导的政府是人民民主专政的政府，是实现民主与专政辩证统一的政府，其对人民不是专政的或独裁的，而是民主的。并且，毛泽东已经认识到资本主义国家“民主政治”的虚伪，他认为：“美国也有‘民主政治’,可惜只是资产阶级一个阶级的独裁统治的别名。”真正的民主是全体人民的民主，是最广大人民的民主，而不是所有人民无序参与的泛民主主义。民主与专政、民主与纪律等是相辅相成的、不可分割的关系。毛泽东认为，如果不对少数剥削者进行专政，大多数人的民主是无法获得保障的。并且，人民的国家保护人民，也要用民主的方法改造自己。毛泽东认为民主是一种目的，也是一种手段。中国共产党领导的政府要实现民主，也要以民主为手段，他们的使命是实现最充分的民主，“同时，他们又是人民的先生，用自我教育或自我批评的方法，教育人民”。毛泽东丰富了民主的内涵，同时将其民主思想与中国共产党的建设相结合，以民主思想指导中国共产党，以确保党的先进性。在他看来，民主的手段是克服教条主义的有效方式，也是保证党的理论的先进性和纲领性的内在需要。中国共产党是“一个有纪律的，有马克思列宁主义的理论武装的，采取自我批评方法的，联系人民群众的党”。具体而言，民主的手段就是自我批评的方法，是联系人民群众的方法。马克思列宁主义为中国带来了马克思主义的真理之光，毛泽东则使这种真理在中国落地生根。他将民主同时视为手段和目的，丰富了民主的内涵，使马克思主义哲学中的民主思想实现了中国化，从根本上超越了西方资本主义形式的民主观。

Third, Mao Zedong enriched and developed the concept of freedom and made an original contribution to the Marxist philosophical view of freedom. In the bourgeois revolutionary movement, the bourgeoisie first raised the slogan of “liberty, equality, fraternity.” The Marxist-Leninist view of freedom, on the basis of sublating previous views of freedom, pointed out that there is no such thing as the abstract freedom spoken of by the bourgeoisie, and regarded spirit as a product of human perceptual activity, placing it under labor, and regarded freedom as an attribute of labor, with human beings obtaining freedom only through labor. Mao Zedong deepened the Marxist-Leninist view of freedom from the perspective of epistemology. He held: “Freedom is the recognition of necessity and the transformation of the objective world. Only on the basis of recognizing necessity can people have free activity. This is the dialectical law of freedom and necessity. So-called necessity is the lawfulness of objective existence; before we recognize it, our actions are always unconscious and blind.” [14]14 Mao Zedong, “Speech at the Enlarged Central Work Conference” (1962). In the epistemological sense, the “freedom” Mao Zedong spoke of is not the activity of cognition and practice itself, but a state in which the subject is conscious, self-active, and autonomous, approaching a state of continuously deepening from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge and continuously approaching truth. Starting from the relationship between freedom and necessity, Mao Zedong pointed out that people must continuously recognize necessity in practice, continuously recognize the laws of the objective existence of things, in order to turn passivity into initiative, to liberate themselves from a blind state, and to obtain freedom. At the same time, only in the unity of transforming the objective world and the subjective world can people obtain free development. In transforming the world, people combine rational knowledge with practice; at the same time, they transform their own subjective world, continuously improve their own cognitive abilities, and thereby obtain a higher level of rational knowledge tested by practice, thus continuously realizing people’s free development. Mao Zedong enriched the connotation of freedom from the perspective of the organic unity of cognition and practice, making an original contribution to Marxist philosophy.

第三，毛泽东丰富和发展了自由概念，对马克思主义哲学自由观做出了原创性贡献。在资产阶级革命运动中，资产阶级首次提出了“自由、平等、博爱”的口号。马克思列宁主义的自由观在扬弃以往的自由观的基础上，指出不存在资产阶级所说的抽象自由，并且将精神作为人的感性活动的产物，置于劳动之下，将自由作为劳动的一种属性，人通过劳动才能获得自由。毛泽东从认识论的角度深化了马克思列宁主义自由观，他认为：“自由是对必然的认识和对客观世界的改造。只有在认识必然的基础上，人们才有自由的活动。这是自由和必然的辩证规律。所谓必然，就是客观存在的规律性，在没有认识它以前，我们的行动总是不自觉的，带着盲目性的。”在认识论的意义上，毛泽东所说的“自由”,并不是认识和实践的活动本身，而是主体自觉、自为、自主的一种状态，接近于不断由感性认识深化为理性认识，不断向真理靠近的状态。毛泽东从自由和必然的关系出发，指出人必须在实践中不断认识必然，认识事物客观存在的规律，才能变被动为主动，从盲目的状态中解放出来，才能获得自由。同时，也只有在改造客观世界和主观世界的统一中，人才能获得自由发展。人在改造世界中，将理性认识与实践相结合，同时，改造自身的主观世界，不断提高自身的认识能力，进而得到被实践检验后的更高级的理性认识，从而不断实现人的自由发展。毛泽东从认识与实践有机统一的角度丰富了自由的内涵，对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。

Fourth, Mao Zedong enriched and developed the proletariat’s thought on equality and its mode of realization, making an original contribution to the Marxist philosophical view of equality. In modern times, in Western society, equality had already become a kind of axiomatic pursuit and an important content of human rights. However, the equality of modern Western human rights has an inherent contradiction. Concepts such as equality and fairness emerged together with the economic relations of modern capitalist society based on exchange value, and therefore cannot escape the inherent ills of capitalist society. The abstract formal equality granted to people by capitalist society is undoubtedly a great progress, but at the same time it alienates people; thus, under the shackles of the logic of capital, people cannot obtain substantive equality. Marx established equality on the basis of relations of production, transforming the pursuit of equality from abstract to concrete, exposing the hypocrisy of the formal fairness of wage labor in capitalist society, and further emphasizing the liberation of all humanity, thereby realizing substantive equality. On the basis of inheriting Marxist-Leninist thought on equality, Mao Zedong analyzed relations of production from the perspective of labor, emphasized that the historical mission of the proletariat lies in realizing the liberation of all humanity, and also regarded labor as a way for the proletariat to transform the people and transform itself, and as a path to realize equality. On the question of the pursuit of equal rights, Mao Zedong emphasized that equality is not a “natural” right, but must be realized through revolution. Regarding the realization of equality between officers and soldiers, Mao Zedong held: “Labor can transform thought and transform people. When soldiers see cadres also digging the ground, the relationship between officers and soldiers can be improved; this is political work.” [15]15 Mao Zedong, “Talk at the Hangzhou Conference” (1963). Regarding the realization of equality between officials and the people, Mao Zedong emphasized that it is necessary to resolutely oppose and overcome bureaucracy, oppose all forms of privilege, prevent cadres from becoming divorced from the masses of the people, in order to realize political equality; the means for this include participating in labor. Mao Zedong’s view of equality is multi-dimensional and very complex. He emphasized the political equality of all the people, including women and other long-standing disadvantaged groups. While transforming the objective world through labor, Mao Zedong emphasized the value of labor in transforming the subjective world, and shaped the Communist Party of China with the proletarian view of equality, preventing the emergence within the Party of factionalism, bureaucracy, and other phenomena that harm the advanced nature of the proletariat. Mao Zedong not only developed Marxist philosophy in terms of the connotation of equality, but also made an original contribution to Marxist philosophy in terms of the path to realizing equality.

第四，毛泽东丰富和发展了无产阶级的平等思想及其实现方式，对马克思主义哲学的平等观做出了原创性贡献。近代以来，在西方社会，平等已经成为某种公理追求，是人权的一个重要内容。但是，近代西方人权的平等具有内在矛盾，平等、公平等概念伴随着近代资本主义社会以交换价值为基础的经济关系而产生，也因此无法摆脱资本主义社会的固有弊病。资本主义社会所赋予的人在形式上的抽象平等无疑是一种巨大进步，但同时也使人异化，因此人在资本逻辑的束缚下无法获得实质平等。马克思将平等建立于生产关系之上，对平等的追求由抽象变为具体，揭露资本主义社会雇佣劳动的形式公平的虚伪性，进而强调全人类的解放，从而实现实质上的平等。毛泽东在继承马克思列宁主义的平等思想的基础上，从劳动的角度分析生产关系，强调无产阶级的历史使命在于实现全人类的解放，同时，也将劳动视为无产阶级改造人民和改造自身的方式，视为实现平等的途径。在对平等权利的追求问题上，毛泽东强调平等并非“天赋”权利，而必须通过革命实现。对于实现官兵之间的平等，毛泽东认为：“劳动可以改造思想，改造人。战士看到干部也挖地，官兵关系就可以改善，这就是政治工作。”对于实现官民之间的平等，毛泽东强调，必须坚决反对和克服官僚主义，反对一切形式的特权，防止干部脱离人民群众，以实现政治平等，其方式就包括参加劳动。毛泽东的平等观是多维度的，是非常复杂的。他强调全体人民的政治平等，包括妇女等长久以来的弱势人群。以劳动改造客观世界的同时，毛泽东强调劳动对改造主观世界的价值，并且以无产阶级平等观塑造中国共产党，防止党内出现宗派主义、官僚主义等危害无产阶级先进性的情况。毛泽东不仅在平等的内涵上发展了马克思主义哲学，同时也在实现平等的路径上对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。

Fifth, Mao Zedong sublated the concept of “universal love” advocated by the bourgeoisie, putting forward the idea of serving the people wholeheartedly as “all for one and one for all,” thereby making an original contribution to the value theory of Marxist philosophy. Mao Zedong adhered to the Marxist philosophical critique of the slogans “freedom, equality, and universal love” championed by the bourgeoisie, holding that there is no abstract concept of universal love, only concrete class concepts. In his expositions he never directly mentioned “universal love,” but Mao Zedong gave a Chinese-style expression to the concept of “love” as understood by the proletariat, enabling Marxist philosophy to be sinicized and thereby to guide the building of the Communist Party of China and the practice of the Chinese revolution. Mao Zedong transformed the discourse system centered on “freedom, equality, and universal love” used by the bourgeoisie into a modern Chinese discourse system centered on “the people” and “the masses.” From the class perspective emphasized by Marxism, Mao Zedong demarcated the scope of “the people,” expanding its connotation and extension. In Mao Zedong’s discourse, he always stressed the question of enemies and friends, and fully applied Marxist dialectical materialism to treat “the people” as a concept in motion rather than one that is fixed and static. At different stages of the Chinese revolution and socialist construction, the definition of “the people” varied. Mao Zedong proposed “serving the people wholeheartedly, never for a moment separating oneself from the masses,” making “serving the people” the guiding ideology for the building of the Communist Party of China and applying Marxist philosophy to practice. At the same time, Mao Zedong possessed an internationalist vision, integrating Marxist philosophy with the practice of the Chinese revolution and the international social environment. Many Western researchers of Mao Zedong Thought deny Mao Zedong’s internalization of Marxist philosophy, believing that his political aim was only to achieve China’s liberation and prosperity, not the proposition of Marxist philosophy—namely, the unity of the world proletariat and the realization of socialism. In reality, Mao Zedong organically combined China’s national salvation revolution with the development of the world proletariat, explained the relationship between achieving China’s national independence and people’s liberation and realizing proletarian unity, and demonstrated the relationship between the Chinese revolution and internationalism. Mao Zedong sublated the core concepts of Western modernity—“science, democracy, freedom, equality, universal love”—transforming and reshaping them according to the basic principles of Marxist philosophy, and carried out innovative development by integrating them with China’s actual conditions and excellent traditional culture, thereby making original contributions to Marxist philosophy.

第五，毛泽东对资产阶级所主张的“博爱”观念进行了扬弃，提出了人人为我，我为人人的全心全意为人民服务思想，对马克思主义哲学的价值观做出了原创性贡献。毛泽东坚持了马克思主义哲学对资产阶级所倡导的“自由、平等、博爱”口号的批判，认为并没有抽象的博爱概念，只有具体的阶级的概念。在他的阐述中从未直接提到过“博爱”,但是毛泽东对无产阶级所称的“爱”的概念进行了中国式表达，使马克思主义哲学能够中国化，进而指导中国共产党的建设和中国革命实践。毛泽东将资产阶级所使用的以“自由、平等、博爱”为核心的话语体系，转换为以“人民”“群众”为核心的中国现代话语体系。毛泽东从马克思主义所强调的阶级的角度，为“人民”划定了范围，扩大了“人民”的内涵和外延。在毛泽东的话语中，他始终强调敌人和朋友这一问题，并且充分运用马克思主义唯物辩证法，将“人民”视为运动着的、而非固定静止的概念。在中国革命和中国社会主义建设的不同阶段，“人民”的界定是不同的。毛泽东提出“全心全意地为人民服务，一刻也不脱离群众”,将“为人民服务”作为中国共产党建设的指导思想，将马克思主义哲学运用于实践之中。同时，毛泽东具有国际主义视野，将马克思主义哲学与中国革命实践、国际社会环境相结合。很多西方毛泽东思想研究者否认毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的内化，认为毛泽东的政治目的只在于实现中国的解放和富强，而并非马克思主义哲学的主张，即全世界无产阶级的联合，实现社会主义。实际上，毛泽东将中国救亡革命与世界无产阶级发展进行了有机结合，对实现中国的民族独立、人民解放与实现无产阶级联合之间的关系进行了说明，对中国革命与国际主义之间的关系进行了论证。毛泽东对西方现代性的核心观念“科学、民主、自由、平等、博爱”话语的扬弃，对它们按照马克思主义哲学的基本原理进行了改造与重塑，并结合中国实际与中国优秀传统文化进行了创新性发展，对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献。

III. The Important Significance of Mao Zedong’s Original Contributions to Marxist Philosophy

三、毛泽东对马克思主义哲学原创性贡献的重要意义

Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy have not only important theoretical significance but also far-reaching practical significance. Theoretically, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy enabled Marxist philosophy to take root in China, realizing the sinicization, modernization, and popularization of the theory, constructing a modern Chinese discourse system, achieving the first theoretical leap in the sinicization of Marxist philosophy, laying the theoretical foundation for China to take a path of modernization different from that of the West, and holding important significance for the theoretical innovation and theoretical creation of the Communist Party of China. Practically, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy enabled the Chinese people to shift from passivity to initiative in spirit, enhanced their sense of subjectivity, guided the Chinese revolution and socialist construction, laid the foundation for responding to the crises and challenges from Western capitalist countries in the New Era, and have great methodological significance for the dissemination of Chinese discourse in the international community in the context of the New Era.

毛泽东对马克思主义哲学做出的原创性贡献，不仅具有重要的理论意义，也具有深远的实践意义。在理论上，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献使马克思主义哲学在中国落地生根，实现理论的中国化、时代化与大众化，构建起中国现代话语体系，实现了马克思主义哲学中国化的第一次理论飞跃，为中国走出不同于西方的现代化道路奠定了理论基础，对中国共产党的理论创新和理论创造具有重要意义。在实践上，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献使中国人民在精神上从被动变为主动，主体性意识增强，指导了中国革命和社会主义建设，为应对新时代来自西方资本主义国家的危机与挑战奠定了基础，对新时代语境下中国话语在国际社会的传播具有重大的方法论意义。

On the one hand, theoretically, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy enabled the Chinese discourse system to completely transform from a feudal discourse to a modern discourse, to transition from a capitalist discourse to a socialist discourse, constructing a modern Chinese discourse system and realizing the modern intellectual enlightenment of the Chinese people. In the process of Marxist philosophy moving from an imported product to taking root in China, Mao Zedong’s original development of Marxist philosophy was a crucial link. Moreover, due to the “late-developing exogenous nature” of Chinese modernity and China’s historical experience of being exploited and oppressed by imperialist powers since modern times, Mao Zedong, in the process of his original theoretical work on the sinicization of Marxist philosophy, always maintained a strong vigilance against Western capitalist modernity, preventing China from taking the path of Western capitalist modernity. Mao Zedong was the first to realize that the “democracy” of capitalist countries is merely the “dictatorship” of the bourgeoisie, a formal democracy rather than genuine democracy, and he constructed a modern Chinese discourse system centered on keywords such as “the people” and “the masses,” developing China’s concrete democracy and criticizing the discourse system centered on “science, democracy, freedom, equality, universal love” from Western capitalist countries. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, China still faces condescending, schoolmasterly accusations from Western countries on concepts such as “democracy” from their supposed moral high ground. The white paper *China: Democracy That Works* points out: “Democracy is a historical, concrete, and evolving concept. The democracy of each country is rooted in its own historical and cultural traditions and grows out of the practical exploration and wisdom of its people. Different paths of democracy lead to different forms of democracy.” China’s democracy is concrete, historical, evolving, and whole-process; it is an important outcome based on the unique experience summarized from the practical exploration of the Chinese people. Theoretically, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy promoted the transformation of Chinese discourse from tradition to modernity, and, on the basis of exposing the hypocrisy of capitalist modern discourse, realized the construction of a modern Chinese discourse system. At the same time, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy also enriched and developed Marxist philosophy, imbuing it with new vitality in China.

一方面，在理论上，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献使中国话语体系彻底由封建话语转为现代话语，由资本主义话语向社会主义话语过渡，构建了中国现代话语体系，实现了中国人民的现代思想启蒙。在马克思主义哲学从舶来品到在中国落地生根的过程中，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性发展是至关重要的一环。并且，由于中国现代性的“后发外生性”和中国近代以来被帝国主义列强剥削压迫的历史境遇，毛泽东在马克思主义哲学中国化的理论原创过程中，始终对西方资本主义现代性具有很强的警惕意识，避免了中国走西方资本主义现代性的道路。毛泽东最先意识到资本主义国家的“民主”只是资产阶级的“独裁”,是形式的民主，并非真正的民主，并构建起了围绕“人民”“群众”等关键词的中国现代话语体系，发展出中国的具体的民主，批判来自西方资本主义国家的以“科学、民主、自由、平等、博爱”为核心的话语体系。随着中国特色社会主义进入新时代，中国仍然面对着西方国家站在道德的制高点上关于“民主”等概念方面教师爷般的指责。《中国的民主》白皮书中指出：“民主是历史的、具体的、发展的，各国民主植根于本国的历史文化传统，成长于本国人民的实践探索和智慧创造，民主道路不同，民主形态各异。”中国的民主是具体的、历史的、发展的与全过程的，是基于中国人民的实践探索的独特经验总结出的重要成果。在理论上，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献促进了中国话语由传统向现代的转型，也在揭示资本主义现代性话语虚伪性的基础上实现了对中国现代话语体系的构建。同时，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献也丰富和发展了马克思主义哲学，使马克思主义哲学在中国焕发出新的生机。

On the other hand, in practice, Mao Zedong’s original contributions to Marxist philosophy not only guided the Chinese people in carrying out revolution and socialist construction, built the Communist Party of China with a Sinicized Marxist philosophy, but also remain of referential significance for the dissemination of Chinese discourse in the international community in the New Era. First, Mao Zedong Sinicized Marxist philosophy, making original contributions, and used this as the methodological guidance for Party building. Mao Zedong held: “The reason why Marxism-Leninism has produced such a great effect after arriving in China is that China’s social conditions created a need for it, that it became linked to the practice of the Chinese people’s revolution, and that it was grasped by the Chinese people.” [17] Regarding the vision of the Communist Party of China’s struggle, he pointed out: “We differ from bourgeois parties. They are afraid to speak of the elimination of classes, the elimination of state power, and the elimination of parties. We, on the contrary, openly declare that we are precisely striving to create the conditions for the elimination of these things.” [18] During the period of socialist construction, Mao Zedong pointed out: “Our general task is: to unite the people of the whole country, to win the support of all international friends, to strive for the construction of a great socialist country, to strive for the defense of international peace and the advancement of the cause of human progress.” [19] The Communist Party of China must always strive for the interests of the people of the whole country; at the same time, China must insist on achieving peaceful development together with all countries of the world, and must strive for the cause of human progress. The Communist Party of China is a party guided theoretically by a Sinicized Marxist philosophy; the China led by the Communist Party of China is to build a socialist society with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Socialism with Chinese characteristics is socialism, not any

另一方面，在实践上，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学的原创性贡献不仅指导了中国人民进行革命和社会主义建设，以中国化的马克思主义哲学进行了中国共产党的建设，对新时代中国话语在国际社会的传播仍然具有借鉴意义。首先，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学进行中国化，做出了原创性贡献，并且以此作为中国共产党建设的方法论指导。毛泽东认为：“马克思列宁主义来到中国之所以发生这样大的作用，是因为中国的社会条件有了这种需要，是因为同中国人民革命的实践发生了联系，是因为被中国人民所掌握了。”对于中国共产党奋斗的愿景，他指出：“我们和资产阶级政党相反。他们怕说阶级的消灭，国家权力的消灭和党的消灭。我们则公开声明，恰是为着促使这些东西的消灭而创设条件，而努力奋斗。”在社会主义建设时期，毛泽东指出：“我们的总任务是：团结全国人民，争取一切国际朋友的支援，为了建设一个伟大的社会主义国家而奋斗，为了保卫国际和平和发展人类进步事业而奋斗。”中国共产党始终要为全国人民的利益而奋斗，同时，中国要坚持与世界各国共同实现和平发展，要为全人类的进步事业而奋斗。中国共产党是以中国化的马克思主义哲学为理论指导的政党，在中国共产党领导下的中国要建设的是中国特色社会主义社会。习近平总书记指出：“中国特色社会主义是社会主义而不是其他什么主义，科学社会主义基本原则不能丢，丢了就不是社会主义。”中国坚持走中国特色社会主义道路，而不是其他什么主义的道路。其次，毛泽东对马克思主义哲学做出的原创性贡献对新时代语境下的中国话语在国际社会的传播仍然具有借鉴意义。在中国话语的传播上，从1950年代杜勒斯提出“和平演变”,到1990年代约瑟夫·奈主张“软实力”;从美国智库兰德公司建议“网络空间战”,到美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿关于“互联网自由”的演讲，美国始终用自由、平等、民主等价值观进行意识形态的渗透，中国一直处于“被围剿”的意识形态场域。新时代语境下，仍有西方国家试图开启后殖民时代，对中国展开和平演变，中国虽然实现了站起来和富起来，解决了“挨打”和“挨饿”的问题，但是还未解决“挨骂”的问题。在中国革命和中国社会主义建设初期，尽管中国一穷二白，但是仍然能向国际社会输出话语，这与毛泽东对马克思主义哲学所做出的原创性贡献是分不开的。毛泽东始终强调中国共产党的价值追求和中国的责任担当，将中国革命和社会主义建设与无产阶级的使命、国际主义相结合，在国内社会以“全心全意为人民服务”为指导建设中国共产党，在国际社会传播具有民主、平等、友爱、互助价值取向的中国话语，这对新时代构建人类命运共同体也具有借鉴意义。

To sum up, Mao Zedong made original contributions to Marxist philosophy from the two aspects of content and form and the two dimensions of theory and practice, realized the modern ideological enlightenment of the Chinese people, inherited and developed Marxist philosophy’s critique of capitalism in terms of science, democracy, freedom, equality, and fraternity, realized the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy, and established the Chinese people’s confidence in the theory. This has important theoretical significance for the exploration of the new path of Chinese-path modernization, the theoretical innovation and theoretical creation of the Communist Party of China, and also has great practical significance for China’s development of socialism and the dissemination of Chinese discourse in the New Era.

综上所述，毛泽东从内容与形式两个方面、理论和实践两个向度对马克思主义哲学做出了原创性贡献，实现了中国人民的现代思想启蒙，从科学、民主、自由、平等、博爱等方面继承和发展了马克思主义哲学对资本主义的批判，实现了马克思主义哲学的中国化，确立了中国人民的理论自信。这对中国式现代化新道路的探索、中国共产党的理论创新和理论创造具有重要的理论意义，也对中国发展社会主义、在新时代传播中国话语具有重大的实践意义。

(About the authors: Zhao Shifa, professor, doctoral supervisor, researcher at the Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Marxist Theory and Chinese Practice; Zhang Hao, doctoral student at the School of Philosophy, Wuhan University)

（作者简介：赵士发，教授、博士生导师，马克思主义理论与中国实践湖北省协同创新中心研究员；张昊，武汉大学哲学学院博士生）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心