Understanding “Marxism Works” from the Perspective of the Quintessence of the Times

“Every true philosophy is the intellectual quintessence of its time.” In his important speech “Upholding Historical Materialism and Continuously Opening Up New Horizons for Contemporary Chinese Marxism” at the 11th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping reiterated this classic Marxist understanding of philosophy. This

“任何真正的哲学都是自己时代的精神上的精华”。习近平总书记在十八届中央政治局第十一次集体学习时的重要讲话《坚持历史唯物主义不断开辟当代中国马克思主义发展新境界》中，曾重申了这句马克思对哲学的经典理解。这句脍炙人口的名言，出自马克思《〈科隆日报〉第179号的社论》，阐明了这样的道理：马克思主义哲学拥有与时代发展要求协同共进的世界观和方法论，是基于对时代精神的精华认识基础之上的创新理论和开放体系，是社会发展和进步的思想先导。结合时代，这也是我们深刻理解和把握习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的遵循，激励我们为不断开辟马克思主义中国化时代化的新境界，提供更为主动的精神力量。

Marxist philosophy is a scientific theory grounded in the foundation of the times. Marxist philosophy is determined by the times in which it is situated; it is conceived, generated, responds to, and develops amid changes in the times. The development of Marxist philosophy originates from changes in the social existence and people’s social life that constitute that era, and it also changes with the times, exhibiting a historical character of development. Engels pointed out: “Every theoretical thought of an era, and thus the theoretical thought of our era, is a historical product, taking completely different forms and having completely different content in different eras.” [1]1 Friedrich Engels, “Dialectics of Nature,” in Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Collected Works*, vol. 25 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 494. As social history leaps from one era to another, philosophy undergoes tremendous changes in both content and form. Marxist philosophy, whether in content or form, manifests the ever-evolving characteristics of the times. This means that between Marxist philosophy, the times, and practice, there exists both a relationship of tension and a relationship of “mutual interaction.” The existence of this relationship not only provides Marxist philosophy with an ever-developing foundation in the times and practice but also opens broad prospects for Marxist philosophy to demonstrate the power of truth in new practice.

马克思主义哲学是立足于时代之基的科学理论。马克思主义哲学是由其所处的时代所决定，是在时代的变化中孕育、生发、应对和发展的。马克思主义哲学的发展，源于构成该时代的社会存在和人们的社会生活的变化，它也随着时代的变化而变化，呈现出发展的历史性。恩格斯指出：“每一个时代的理论思维，从而我们时代的理论思维，都是一种历史的产物，它在不同的时代具有完全不同的形式，同时具有完全不同的内容。”随着社会历史从一个时代跃进到另一个时代，哲学在内容和形式上都会发生巨大改变，马克思主义哲学无论是在内容还是形式上都表现出不断发展的时代特征。这意味着，在马克思主义哲学与时代、实践之间，既存在着张力关系，也存在着“相互作用”的关系。这种关系的存在，既为马克思主义哲学提供了不断发展的时代和实践基础，也为马克思主义哲学在新的实践中彰显真理伟力开辟了广阔前景。

Marxist philosophy excels at advancing innovation in the process of answering the questions of the times. Marxist philosophy can grasp the contradictions in the development of the real world, dedicate itself to understanding and recognizing the times from the questions raised by the times, and answer and resolve major theoretical and practical issues. Marx said: “The question is the slogan of the times, the most actual cry of its spiritual state.” [2]2 Karl Marx, “The Question of the Free Trade Congress,” in Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Collected Works*, vol. 11 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1979), p. 204. Being adept at understanding and grasping the times from the questions of the times is a major issue to which Marxist political parties have always attached great importance. Entering the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, discerning the characteristics of the times and grasping the essence of the times, has engaged in profound thinking and scientific judgment on a series of major theoretical and practical issues concerning the development of the Party and the state’s undertakings in the New Era. It has profoundly answered the major epochal question of what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era and how to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. This has not only formed the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context but has also enabled the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to gain unprecedented historical initiative.

马克思主义哲学善于在回答时代之问中推进创新。马克思主义哲学能够抓住现实世界发展中的矛盾，致力于从时代提出的问题出发把握时代、认识时代，回答和解决重大理论和实践课题。马克思说：“问题就是时代的口号，是它表现自己精神状态的最实际的呼声。”善于从时代问题出发认识和把握时代，是马克思主义政党历来高度重视的一个重大问题。进入新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央，洞悉时代特征、把握时代本质，对关系新时代党和国家事业发展的一系列重大理论和实践问题进行了深邃思考和科学判断，深刻回答了新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的重大时代课题，这不仅形成了马克思主义中国化的最新成果，也使得中华民族的伟大复兴获得了前所未有的历史主动。

Marxist philosophy marks the height and realm of the spirit of the times. As a scientific theoretical system, Marxist philosophy proceeds from the inherent requirements of the development of social practice and the inevitability of the movement of socio-economic relations, grasps the spirit of the times from the essence and characteristics of the times, and provides the most universal, deepest, and most essential systematic exposition of the spirit of the times. It centrally embodies “the most refined, most precious, and invisible quintessence of the people” and is “the living soul of civilization.” [3]3 Karl Marx, “The Leading Article in No. 179 of the *Kölnische Zeitung*,” in Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *Collected Works*, vol. 1 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 195. The Communist Party of China, guided by the Marxist worldview and methodology, analyzes and resolves practical problems in different historical periods, continuously demonstrating vitality and vigor in the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. At the same time, it creatively transforms and innovatively develops the essence of excellent traditional culture embodying the wisdom of the Chinese nation, activating its vitality, constructing Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength, achieving an organic integration of Chinese culture and Chinese spirit with the Marxist scientific worldview and methodology in the New Era, and providing ample and rich cultural nourishment for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

马克思主义哲学标注了时代精神的高度和境界。作为一种科学的理论体系，马克思主义哲学从社会实践发展的内在要求和社会经济关系运动必然性出发，从时代的本质和特征出发把握时代精神，对时代精神作了最普遍的、最深层的、最本质的系统阐发，集中体现了“人民最精致、最珍贵和看不见的精髓”，是“文明的活的灵魂”。中国共产党坚持用马克思主义的世界观和方法论为指导，分析解决各个不同历史时期的实际问题，在不断推进马克思主义中国化的过程中，彰显出生机和活力。同时，也把体现中华民族智慧的优秀传统文化精髓进行创造性转化、创新性发展，激活其生命力，构筑中国精神、中国价值、中国力量，实现了中华文化与中国精神在新时代与马克思主义科学世界观和方法论的有机结合，为马克思主义中国化提供了充足而丰厚的文化滋养。

Marxist philosophy plays an active spiritual role in promoting epochal transformation. As a product of the times, Marxist philosophy not only responds to the voice of the times, serves the needs of its own era, and provides people with a guiding role in clearing ideological confusion and grasping the correct future, but also drives the times to transform in a direction that meets the needs of the people and the morality of truth, demonstrating the ideological power of “changing the world.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the reason why various undertakings of the Party and the state have achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic changes is that our Party has used theory that advances with the times to guide ever-developing practice, enabling theory to gain maximum initiative in practice. Comprehensively building a modern socialist country is a “major examination” [4]4 “Major examination” (大考) is a term used by Xi Jinping to describe we face in continuing to march on the new Long March. If we want to successfully complete the answer sheet of this “major examination” for the times, overcome various difficulties and obstacles on the path forward, and win new victories in building a modern socialist country, we must apply the worldview and methodology of contemporary Chinese Marxism to practice, continue to improve our ability and capability to grasp and steer the times, forever maintain the sobriety and firmness of “taking the examination,” [5] radiate a powerful spiritual initiative, and enable the goal of a modern country to turn from a dream into reality as soon as possible.

马克思主义哲学发挥了推动时代变革的精神主动作用。马克思主义哲学作为时代的产物，既是对时代之声的回应，服务于自己的时代需要，为人们提供廓清思想迷雾、把握正确前途的引领作用，也推动时代向着符合人民需要和真理道义的方向进行变革，展现出“改变世界”的思想伟力。党的十八大以来，党和国家各项事业之所以取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，就在于我们党用与时俱进的理论指导不断发展的实践，使理论在实践中获得了最大的主动性。全面建设社会主义现代化强国，是我们在继续走好新长征路中面临的一场“大考”，我们要想圆满完成这一“大考”的时代答卷，战胜前进道路上各种困难险阻，夺取社会主义现代化强国建设的新胜利，就要将中国当代马克思主义的世界观和方法论应用于实践，继续提高把握和驾驭时代的能力和本领，永葆“赶考”的清醒和坚定，焕发出强大的精神主动，使现代化强国目标早日从梦想照进现实。

(Author: Jia Yingjian, Researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Shandong Province, Professor at the School of Marxism, Shandong Normal University)

（作者：贾英健，系山东省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员、山东师范大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心