The Interpretation of “Man” in Marxist Philosophy and Its Contemporary Implications

Marxist philosophy, as a grand and profound theoretical system concerning the existence and development of man, has its core in its unique interpretation of the essence of man. Within this framework, man is not an isolated abstract entity but a practical subject deeply embedded in the network of social relations and the dynamic process of history. This understanding transcends the realm of pure speculation, emphasizing that man continuously shapes himself and the world through practical activities in specific historical contexts. The concept of man in Marxist philosophy endows us with the power of insight to perceive those deep dynamic mechanisms hidden beneath the surface of social change, thereby gaining conscious awareness and strength in the journey of understanding and transforming the world, and promoting the advancement of society toward a more just and rational direction.

马克思主义哲学作为宏大且精深的关于人的存在与发展的理论体系，核心在于其对人的本质的独到阐释。在此框架内，人并非孤立的抽象实体，而是深植于社会关系网络与历史动态进程之中的实践主体。这一理解超越了纯粹思辨的范畴，强调人在具体的历史情境中通过实践活动不断塑造自身与世界。马克思主义哲学中人的概念，赋予我们以透视力，去洞察那些潜藏于社会变迁表象之下的深层动力机制，从而在认识与改造世界的征途中获得行动的自觉与力量，推动社会向更加公正、合理的方向迈进。

I

一

In the theoretical evolution of Marxist philosophy, the concept of man has undergone a profound dynamic process of theoretical construction and practical verification, a process that contains the critical inheritance and innovative transcendence of multiple theoretical legacies. In the process of criticizing the abstract concept of human nature in German classical philosophy, the narrow perspective of British classical political economy, and the idealizing tendency of French utopian socialism, Marx and Engels gradually deepened and concretized their understanding of the essence of man and his role in the historical process.

在马克思主义哲学的理论演进历程中，人的概念历经了一个深刻的动态的理论构建与实践检验过程，这一过程蕴含着对多种理论遗产的批判性继承与创新性超越。马克思与恩格斯在批判德国古典哲学的抽象人性观念、英国古典政治经济学的狭隘视角，以及法国空想社会主义的理想化倾向的过程中，逐步深化并具体化了对人的本质及其在历史进程中的角色定位。

Inspired by German classical philosophy, especially the philosophies of Hegel and Feuerbach, Marx and Engels transcended the transcendental theory of human nature detached from historical context, instead excavating the essence of man from the solid soil of social-historical practice. They clearly proposed that “the essence of man is no abstraction inherent in each single individual. In its reality, it is the ensemble of the social relations.” [1]1 Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach” (1845), Thesis VI. This thesis not only constitutes a pillar of historical materialism but also incisively explains the dual attributes of sociality and historicity inherent in the essence of man, reflecting the intrinsic unity of the essence of human existence and social-historical conditions.

受德国古典哲学特别是黑格尔和费尔巴哈哲学的启发，马克思、恩格斯超越了超验的、脱离历史语境的人性论，转而从社会历史实践的坚实土壤中挖掘人的本质，明确提出“人的本质不是单个人所固有的抽象物，在其现实性上，它是一切社会关系的总和”。这一论断不仅构成了历史唯物主义的支柱，也精辟阐释了人的本质中蕴含的社会性和历史性双重属性，体现了人的存在本质与社会历史条件的内在统一。

Through a deep critique of British classical political economy, especially the analysis of the capitalist mode of production, Marx revealed the phenomenon of the alienation of labor, that is, the essential separation of the worker from his product of labor. This insight not only presents the alienated state of man under capitalist economic relations but also deepens the understanding of the contradictions in social relations of production. In the *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844* and *Capital*, Marx further elaborated how the alienation of labor leads to the loss of human subjectivity. While workers create a rich material world, they themselves fall into a state of poverty and enslavement. This phenomenon intensifies the opposition between man and things, and between man and himself, highlighting the urgency of transforming social relations of production.

通过对英国古典政治经济学的深度批判，尤其是对资本主义生产方式的剖析，马克思揭示了劳动异化现象，即劳动者与其劳动产品的本质分离，这一洞见不仅呈现了资本主义经济关系下的人的异化状态，也深化了对社会生产关系矛盾的认识。在《1844年经济学哲学手稿》及《资本论》中，马克思进一步阐述了劳动异化如何导致人的主体性丧失，工人在创造丰富物质世界的同时却自身陷入贫困与被奴役的状态，这种现象加剧了人与物、人与自我之间的对立，突出了社会生产关系变革的紧迫性。

On the practical level, Marx and Engels not only criticized the unscientific nature of French utopian socialism but also proposed a path of socialist revolution based on scientific analysis, emphasizing the consistency between the communist movement and the interests of the proletariat. This both enriched and perfected the philosophical concept of man, rooting it in the real life and struggle of the proletariat, and also demonstrated the distinct people-centered stance of Marxist philosophy—that is, philosophy should be the theoretical weapon for the liberation cause of the proletariat and the broad masses of the people, committed to promoting the development of society toward greater freedom, equality, and justice. This series of theoretical and practical explorations is essentially a historical materialist reconstruction of the concept of man by Marxist philosophy, aimed at providing a solid theoretical foundation and guide for action for human liberation and social progress.

在实践层面，马克思与恩格斯不仅批判了法国空想社会主义的非科学性，更提出了基于科学分析的社会主义革命路径，强调共产主义运动与无产阶级利益的一致性，这既丰富和完善了人的哲学概念，将其根植于无产阶级的现实生活与斗争实践中，也彰显了马克思主义哲学的鲜明人民立场——即哲学应当是无产阶级和广大人民解放事业的理论武器，致力于推动社会向更加自由、平等和公正的方向发展。这一系列理论与实践的探索，实质上是马克思主义哲学对人的概念进行的一种历史唯物主义重构，旨在为人类解放和社会进步提供坚实的理论基础与行动指南。

II

二

The concept of man occupies an extremely important position in the grand theoretical system of Marxist philosophy. The interpretation of man in Marxist philosophy is based on three mutually illuminating theoretical dimensions: the comprehensive network of social relations, the dynamic subject in the historical process, and the ideal pursuit of the complete liberation of mankind.

人这一概念在马克思主义哲学宏阔理论体系中占据了极其重要的位置，马克思主义哲学对人的诠释基于三大交相辉映的理论维度：社会关系的综合网络，历史进程中的动态主体，以及对人类彻底解放的理想追求。

First, Marxist philosophy fundamentally places the essence of man within the complex structure of social relations, highlighting the decisive power of social practice in the formation of the individual. Marx emphatically pointed out that the characteristics and behavioral patterns of individuals are shaped within social relations across multiple dimensions, including production, politics, and ideology. Especially under the capitalist mode of production, the contradictory movement between productive forces and relations of production reveals the phenomena of the alienation of labor and the coexistence of wealth and poverty, as well as the reality of exploitation and the distortion of human nature. At the same time, political relations, especially the struggle of the working class as elaborated by Marx and Engels in the *Communist Manifesto*, and the emphasis on practical transformation in the ideological sphere, both demonstrate how power structures and ideology profoundly influence human cognition and action, thereby framing the boundaries of individual freedom and social progress.

首先，马克思主义哲学从根本上将人的本质置于复杂的社会关系结构中，凸显了社会实践对个体形成的决定性力量。马克思着重指出，个体的特性与行为模式是在生产、政治及意识形态等多个维度的社会关系中被形塑的。特别是在资本主义生产模式下，生产力与生产关系的矛盾运动暴露了劳动异化与贫富并存的现象，以及剥削与人性扭曲的现实。同时，政治关系，尤其是马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中阐述的工人阶级斗争，以及强调的意识形态领域实践变革，均展现了权力结构与思想文化如何深刻影响人的认知与行动，进而框定了个人自由与社会进步的边界。

Second, from the Marxist perspective, history is a dynamic evolutionary process. It is not only the stage for human activity but also the internal driving force that pushes social formations from lower to higher stages. The driving force of historical progress originates from the dialectical interaction between productive forces and relations of production, in which the development of productive forces is the decisive force for transforming relations of production, while the transformation of relations of production is the catalyst for promoting the development of productive forces and even the entire social system. The deep exposure of the internal contradictions of capitalism in *Capital* not only shows the material abundance brought by the growth of productive forces but also reveals the negative effects of corresponding relations of production in intensifying exploitation and social inequality, pointing out the main obstacles on the path to the comprehensive development of mankind. Therefore, understanding the essence of man must be placed in specific historical contexts. In-depth exploration of the historical process not only enhances our understanding of the objective laws of social development but also provides theoretical guidance for the conscious practice of realizing a free and equal society.

其次，马克思主义视域下的历史是一种动态演进过程，它不仅是人类活动的舞台，更是推动社会形态由低级向高级演变的内在动因。历史的进步动力源自生产力与生产关系之间的辩证互动，其中生产力的发展是变革生产关系的决定性力量，而生产关系的变革是促进生产力乃至整个社会制度发展的催化剂。《资本论》中对资本主义内在矛盾的深度揭露，不仅展示了生产力增长带来的物质丰饶，更揭露了相应生产关系加剧剥削与社会不平等的负面效应，指明了通往人类全面发展道路上的主要障碍。因此，理解人的本质需置于具体历史情境中，对历史进程的深入探索不仅增强了我们对社会发展客观规律的认知，也为实现自由平等社会的自觉实践提供了理论指导。

Finally, human liberation, as the ultimate goal of Marxist philosophy, aims to abolish private ownership and class oppression, and to restore and expand the potential for individual free creation. Marx believed that labor should be an important means of realizing individual freedom and perfection, but under the capitalist framework, it is transformed into alienated labor, thereby severely limiting human subjectivity and creativity. Through a profound analysis of the logic of capitalist operation, Marx not only criticized the essence of exploitation but also put forward the conception of a communist society, seeing it as the key to eliminating exploitation and reshaping the dignity of labor. The prerequisite for the realization of this conception lies in the awakening and revolutionary action of the proletariat, as well as continuous structural social change. In the communist vision, labor is transformed into a positive force promoting the comprehensive development and self-realization of the individual, heralding the glorious prospect of the liberation of all mankind.

最后，人类解放作为马克思主义哲学的终极目标，意在废除私有制与阶级压迫，恢复并拓展个体自由创造的潜能。马克思认为劳动本应是实现个体自由与完善的重要手段，但在资本主义框架下却转化为异化劳动，进而严重限制了人的主体性和创造力。通过对资本主义运作逻辑的深刻剖析，马克思不仅批判了剥削的本质，还提出了共产主义社会构想，视其为消灭剥削、重塑劳动尊严的关键。这一构想实现的先决条件在于无产阶级的觉醒和革命行动，以及持续的社会结构变革。在共产主义图景中，劳动转化为促进个体全面发展和自我实现的积极力量，预示着全人类解放的光辉前景。

III

三

In the present era of accelerated economic globalization and rapidly changing information technology, the profound analysis of the essence of man in Marxist philosophy remains a sharp tool for us to perceive social change and development. Its contemporary implications are mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

在经济全球化加速推进、信息科技日新月异的当下，马克思主义哲学对人的本质的深刻剖析，依然是我们洞察社会变迁与发展的利器，其当代启示主要体现在以下三个方面：

First, examine the development of man and social progress from the dual dimensions of social relations and historical evolution. One of the core viewpoints of Marxist philosophy is that man, as a social being, has his essence residing in social practice and social relations. “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it.” [2]2 Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach” (1845), Thesis XI. The practical view of Marxist philosophy requires us to pay close attention to the shaping effect of social structures on individuals, especially to recognize that unjust social structures can limit individual development, and to commit ourselves to eliminating injustice and exploitation, building a framework of fair and just social relations, and paving the way for the comprehensive development of man. At the same time, the wheel of history rolls forward; different historical periods endow mankind with different states of existence and challenges, such as from the hardship of agricultural society to the progress of industrial society, reminding us to constantly open up broader spaces for human survival and development. Facing various challenges in contemporary society, such as the gap between rich and poor and unequal distribution of educational resources, we need to comprehensively deepen reform, focus on strengthening the top-level design of institutions and mechanisms, promote the rational distribution of wealth, optimize the education system, ensure equality of opportunity to the greatest extent possible, and thereby broaden the pathways for social progress and human development.

首先，从社会关系与历史演进的双重维度审视人的发展与社会进步。马克思主义哲学的核心观点之一，是人作为社会性存在，其本质寓于社会实践和社会关系中。“哲学家们只是用不同的方式解释世界，问题在于改变世界。”马克思主义哲学的实践观，要求我们深切关注社会结构对个体的塑造作用，尤其是认识到不公正的社会结构会限制个体的发展，并致力于消除不公与剥削，构筑公平正义的社会关系框架，为人的全面发展铺设道路。同时，历史的车轮滚滚向前，不同历史时期赋予人类不同的生存状态与挑战，如从农业社会的困顿到工业社会的进步，提示我们要不断为人类开拓更宽广的生存与发展空间。面对当代社会的种种挑战，如贫富差距、教育资源不均等问题，我们需全面深化改革，着力强化体制机制的顶层设计，推动财富合理分配，优化教育体系，最大程度上确保机会均等，从而拓宽社会进步和人的发展的途径。

Second, unswervingly pursue the practical path of human liberation and social justice. Marxist philosophy reveals that social inequality and exploitation are obstacles to the all-round development of man, encompassing economic, political, cultural and other fields, interwoven to form the shackles of human progress. For example, the maximization of capital profit sacrifices working conditions and wage fairness; capitalists weaken workers’ political participation through institutional design; and the mainstream ideology of capitalism stifles critical thinking and cultural diversity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that “people-centeredness is the essential attribute of Marxism,” and that “we must take a people-centered stance, grasp the people’s aspirations, respect the people’s creativity, and concentrate the people’s wisdom, so as to form a theory that is loved, recognized, and possessed by the people, and make it a powerful ideological weapon guiding the people in understanding and transforming the world.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects” — Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022. The practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China precisely upholds the Marxist view of the people, insists on taking the satisfaction of the people’s expectations for a better life as the starting point and ultimate goal of social production, and transcends the “logic of capital” with the “logic of man.”

其次，坚定不移地追求人类解放与社会正义的实践路径。马克思主义哲学揭示，社会不平等与剥削是人的全面发展的阻碍，涵盖经济、政治、文化等诸领域，相互交织而成人类进步的枷锁。比如，资本利润最大化牺牲劳动条件与薪资公正，资本家通过制度设计削弱劳动者政治参与度，资本主义主流意识形态窒碍批判思考与文化多元。习近平总书记强调，“人民性是马克思主义的本质属性”，“我们要站稳人民立场、把握人民愿望、尊重人民创造、集中人民智慧，形成为人民所喜爱、所认同、所拥有的理论，使之成为指导人民认识世界和改造世界的强大思想武器”。中国共产党领导下的中国特色社会主义实践，正是秉持马克思主义人民观，坚持以满足人民群众对美好生活的期待为社会生产的出发点和落脚点，以“人的逻辑”超越了“资本逻辑”。

Finally, explore paths for the all-round development of man that keep pace with the times and adapt to the New Era. From the perspective of Marxist philosophy, the free and all-round development of man is the highest ideal and value pursuit of social progress. In today’s era of rapid information technology development and economic globalization, this pursuit must be combined with the new characteristics of the times to explore development paths that are compatible with them. With the advent of the digital age, the development of technologies such as the Internet and artificial intelligence has brought unprecedented convenience to fields such as education and healthcare, but has also triggered problems such as data privacy violations and the deepening of the digital divide. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “We must make forward-looking assessments of the rule conflicts, social risks, and ethical challenges brought about by scientific and technological development, and improve relevant laws and regulations, ethical review rules, and regulatory frameworks.” Focusing on the current state of human technological development, we must conduct in-depth discussions on technological ethics to ensure that technological progress serves the common well-being of mankind, rather than becoming a new tool of oppression and alienation.

最后，与时俱进地探索适应新时代的人类全面发展路径。马克思主义哲学视域下，人的自由而全面的发展是社会进步的最高理想和价值追求。在信息科技飞速发展与经济全球化的今天，这一追求需结合新的时代特征，探索与之相适配的发展路径。数字化时代的到来，互联网、人工智能等技术的发展虽为教育、医疗等领域带来了前所未有的便利，但也引发了数据隐私侵犯、数字鸿沟加深等问题。对此，习近平总书记强调：“要前瞻研判科技发展带来的规则冲突、社会风险、伦理挑战，完善相关法律法规、伦理审查规则及监管框架。”着眼人类科技发展的现状，我们必须对科技伦理进行深入探讨，确保技术进步服务于人类的共同福祉，而非成为新的压迫和异化的工具。

The Marxist philosophical interpretation of man still radiates theoretical brilliance in contemporary society, guiding us to think about and practice the free and all-round development of man in an all-round way, from the adjustment of social relations and the advancement of the historical process to global cooperation and the consideration of technological ethics. It provides profound theoretical inspiration and practical guidance for building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and clean and beautiful.

马克思主义哲学对人的阐释在当代社会依然焕发着理论光芒，指引我们从社会关系的调整、历史进程的推进，到全球合作与科技伦理的考量，全方位地思考与实践人类的自由全面发展，为建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界提供了深刻的理论启示与实践导向。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗