The “World-Historical View” of Chinese-Path Modernization

Both passages in the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC that expound Chinese-path modernization embody the world-historical view inherent in it. In the section on the “Chinese characteristics” of Chinese-path modernization, the report states: “Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. Our country does not follow the old path of some countries that achieved modernization through war, colonization, plunder, etc. That old path of benefiting oneself at the expense of others, full of blood and crime, has brought profound suffering to the people of many developing countries. We firmly stand on the right side of history, on the side of human civilization and progress, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, seek our own development while firmly safeguarding world peace and development, and in turn better safeguard world peace and development through our own development.” In the section on the “essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization,” the report further states that it is necessary to “uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics, achieve high-quality development, develop whole-process people’s democracy, enrich the people’s cultural-ethical progress, achieve common prosperity for all the people, promote harmony between humanity and nature, advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and create a new form of human civilization.” The concluding parts of both passages above examine Chinese-path modernization within the horizon of “world history,” which fully demonstrates the world-historical view held by Chinese-path modernization: Chinese-path modernization is not only aimed at achieving the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also adheres to a world-historical vision of embracing the world, continuously advancing the world-historical process of the cause of human freedom and liberation.

党的二十大报告关于中国式现代化的两段阐释均体现了中国式现代化所蕴含的世界历史观。在关于中国式现代化的“中国特色”部分,报告指出:“中国式现代化是走和平发展道路的现代化。我国不走一些国家通过战争、殖民、掠夺等方式实现现代化的老路,那种损人利己、充满血腥罪恶的老路给广大发展中国家人民带来深重苦难。我们坚定站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边,高举和平、发展、合作、共赢旗帜,在坚定维护世界和平与发展中谋求自身发展,又以自身发展更好维护世界和平与发展。”在关于“中国式现代化的本质要求”部分,报告又指出,要“坚持中国共产党领导,坚持中国特色社会主义,实现高质量发展,发展全过程人民民主,丰富人民精神世界,实现全体人民共同富裕,促进人与自然和谐共生,推动构建人类命运共同体,创造人类文明新形态”。以上两段论述的结尾部分,均把中国式现代化放置在“世界历史”的视野中加以审视,这充分表明中国式现代化所持有的世界历史观:中国式现代化不仅是为了实现中华民族伟大复兴的目标,同时也坚持胸怀天下的世界历史眼光,不断推进人类自由和解放事业的世界历史进程。

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一

Chinese-Path Modernization Adheres to the World-Historical Theme of “Peace and Development”

中国式现代化坚持“和平与发展”的世界历史主题

Should the world move toward “peace and development” or “war and destruction”? This is a major question of the world-historical view concerning “where the world is heading.” Chinese-path modernization’s answer to this question is undoubtedly the former.

世界应该走向“和平与发展”还是“战争与毁灭”?这是“世界向何处去”的世界历史观的重大问题,中国式现代化对这一问题的回答无疑是前者。

(1) The Establishment of the World-Historical Theme of “Peace and Development”

(一)“和平与发展”世界历史主题的确立

The theme of “peace and development” can be traced back to the very beginning of Marx’s theory of world history. As early as the 1840s, Marx saw that the capitalist system was the fundamental obstacle to world peace and development, and therefore his critique of capitalism was aimed at achieving world peace and development. Marx regarded the realization of peace and development for humanity as the purpose and destination of his theory of world history, seeking to eliminate class struggle within humanity. Marx entrusted this ideal of his to the world socialist movement. Although Marx’s promotion of the world socialist movement achieved progress, it still did not avert the worldwide conflicts caused by capitalism; the two world wars can be seen as the concentrated eruption of capitalism’s internal contradictions.

“和平与发展”这一主题可以追溯到马克思世界历史理论的创立之初。早在19世纪40年代,马克思就看到了资本主义制度是阻碍世界和平与发展的根本原因,因此他对资本主义的批判是以实现世界和平与发展为目的的。马克思把人类实现和平与发展作为其世界历史理论的目的和归宿,试图消除人类内部的阶级斗争。马克思把他的这一理想诉诸世界社会主义运动。尽管马克思推动世界社会主义运动取得了进展,但仍然没有避免资本主义导致的世界性冲突,两次世界大战可以看作资本主义内部矛盾的集中爆发。

According to Marx’s conception, humanity has the capacity to eliminate war. This differs from Hegel’s view, who believed that war is inevitable because states can never step out of their individual interests to submit to universal interests. Thus, Hegel, a philosopher who insisted on the universal rationalism of absolute spirit, actually abandoned the hope of establishing universal relations of production and interests among nation-states, proposing that “welfare is the highest law in a state’s relations with other states.” This assertion implicitly abandons the belief in peace and development, something Marx could not accept. Marx always devoted himself to seeking the ideal of realizing humanity’s universal interests, thereby abolishing the state as a “illusory community” and replacing it with an “association of free individuals.” Therefore, from Marx’s theory of world history, it can be seen that peace and development have already been established as the direction of human endeavor and the destination of world history.

按照马克思的设想,人类有能力消除战争。这不同于黑格尔的观点,黑格尔认为战争是不可避免的,因为国家永远都不会从个体利益中走出来而服从普遍利益。可见,黑格尔这样坚持绝对精神的普遍理性主义的哲学家,竟然放弃了在民族国家之间建立普遍的生产关系和利益关系的希望,提出“福利是一个国家在对别国关系中的最高法律”,该论断隐含着对和平与发展信念的放弃,这是马克思所不能接受的。马克思始终致力于寻求实现人类普遍利益的理想,从而消灭国家这一“虚幻的共同体”,代之以“自由人的联合体”。所以,从马克思的世界历史理论中可见,和平与发展已经被确立为人类努力的方向和世界历史的归宿。

The victory of the October Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet regime enabled the socialist system to be established for the first time in the world in the form of a nation-state, and caused world history to form a “Cold War” pattern. The “Cold War” was a temporary false peace. Because the “Cold War” meant a fundamental opposition between two human value systems, it did not completely eliminate contradictions within humanity; these contradictions remained hidden within the capital system. The expansionary nature of capital inevitably had to continuously break the “Cold War” pattern to achieve capital’s unification of the world, thereby ensuring capital’s expansion and the maximization of its profits. It was precisely the erosion of capitalist forces and the dogmatic practice of Marxism in the Soviet Union that led to the drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the 1990s [1]1 The drastic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (苏东剧变) refer to the collapse of communist regimes in the Soviet Union and its Eastern Bloc satellite states between 1989 and 1991, culminating in the dissolution of the USSR., marking the end of the “Cold War” pattern, the world’s return to a world order under capital’s rule, and simultaneously opening new contradictions of capitalism. The path of humanity’s pursuit of peace and development suffered a major setback.

十月革命的胜利和苏维埃政权的建立,使社会主义制度在世界上首次以民族国家的形式得到了确立,并使世界历史形成了“冷战”格局。“冷战”是暂时性的虚假和平。因为“冷战”意味着人类两种价值观的根本性对立,所以它没有彻底消除人类内部的矛盾,这一矛盾仍然隐藏在资本体系当中。资本的扩张本性必然要不断打破“冷战”的格局而实现资本一统天下,从而保证资本的扩张及其利益最大化。正是资本主义势力的侵蚀以及苏联对马克思主义的教条化实践导致了20世纪90年代苏东剧变,这标志着“冷战”格局的结束,世界重新回到资本统治的世界秩序,同时也开启新的资本主义矛盾。人类寻求和平与发展的道路遭受巨大的挫折。

At this time, China was also beginning its own socialist modernization. Deng Xiaoping explicitly stated that “peace and development are the two major issues in the world today.” This is both a “factual statement” about the overall situation of world history and a “normative expectation” of the trend of world history. That this “normative expectation” is inherited from Marx need not be elaborated. The so-called “factual statement” is an objective judgment of this “window of peace.” Just after the end of the Cold War, socialism obtained a “window period” for peace and development. The more hidden logic behind the formation of this “window period” is: capitalism temporarily possessed absolute superior strength, and the necessity revealed by Marx’s dialectics—that capital is on the path to self-destruction—had not yet manifested. At a time when capital’s internal contradictions had not yet reached their extreme, capital could sweep unimpeded across the world’s economic markets, gain absolute dominance and control over the entire world, and win all opportunities to exploit surplus value. It was precisely when capital’s contradictions had not yet fully manifested, under conditions of capital’s absolute rule over the world, that the world entered a temporary state of peace. But this is ultimately not perpetual peace but temporary peace; in this sense, it can only be a “window period” of peace.

此时的中国也正在开启自己的社会主义现代化建设。邓小平明确提出“和平和发展是当今世界的两大问题”。这既是一种对世界历史总体形势的“实然性表述”,也是对世界历史趋势的“应然性期待”。这一“应然性期待”是从马克思那里继承下来的,这一点不必多说。所谓“实然性表述”是对这一“和平窗口期”的客观判断。“冷战”刚刚结束后,社会主义获得了一个和平与发展的“窗口期”。之所以能够形成这一“窗口期”的更为隐蔽的逻辑是:资本主义暂时具有绝对的优势力量而尚未显现马克思辩证法所揭示出来的必然性,即资本在通向自我毁灭的途中。在资本尚未达到其内部矛盾极端化的情况下,资本可以一马平川地踏遍世界经济市场,获得对整个世界的绝对统治权和支配权,并赢得它剥削剩余价值的一切机会。正是在资本矛盾尚未充分显现出来的时候,在资本绝对地统治世界的条件下,世界进入了暂时的和平状态,但这终究不是永久和平而是暂时性的和平,在这个意义上它只能是一个和平的“窗口期”。

As capital’s contradictions have continuously intensified, after several worldwide financial and economic crises, world history has finally entered “changes unseen in a century” in the 21st century. This internal contradiction of capitalism has manifested on an unprecedented scale and degree, and the world once again faces enormous conflict. Nevertheless, the world theme of peace and development as a “normative expectation” will still not change, but the path to peace and development is fraught with great challenges. Under these circumstances, Chinese-path modernization, as a world force of a new type of modernization, has opened up a new form of civilization and continues to adhere to the world-historical theme of “peace and development.” However, Chinese-path modernization must inevitably respond to the new challenges that contemporary capitalism poses to human peace and development.

随着资本矛盾的不断加剧,经过数次世界范围内的金融危机和经济危机,直到21世纪世界历史终于走向“百年未有之大变局”。这种资本主义的内在矛盾以空前的规模和程度显现出来,世界再一次面临巨大的冲突。尽管如此,作为“应然性期待”的和平与发展的世界主题仍然不会改变,但通往和平与发展的道路却充满巨大挑战。在这种情况下,中国式现代化这一新型现代化的世界力量开辟了新的文明形态,继续坚守“和平与发展”这一世界历史主题,但是中国式现代化不得不应对当代资本主义对人类和平与发展的新挑战。

(2) New Challenges of Contemporary Capitalism to Human Peace and Development

(二)当代资本主义对人类和平与发展的新挑战

Chinese-path modernization inevitably deals with Western capitalism, and the nature of capital is to create conflict (Marx called it “the contradiction between socialized production and private appropriation”), which constitutes the inherent internal contradiction of capitalism. This contradiction is not only a theoretical and logical one but is destined to transform into a real contradiction; this real contradiction is the contradiction between productive forces and relations of production, and further concretized, it manifests as the contradiction between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Therefore, Marx ultimately historically fixed this logical contradiction of capital in the statement that “the whole of society increasingly splits into two great hostile camps, into two great directly opposing classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat.”

中国式现代化不可避免地和西方资本主义打交道,而资本的本性就是制造冲突(马克思称其为“社会化大生产和私人占有之间的矛盾”),这构成了资本主义固有的内在矛盾。这一矛盾不仅是理论和逻辑上的矛盾,而且注定要转变成现实的矛盾,这一现实的矛盾就是生产力和生产关系之间的矛盾,再进一步具体化就表现为资产阶级和无产阶级之间的矛盾。因此,马克思把这一资本的逻辑矛盾最终历史地定格在“整个社会日益分裂为两大敌对的阵营,分裂为两大相互直接对立的阶级:资产阶级和无产阶级”。

The development of contemporary capitalism has not only failed to resolve the above contradictions but has intensified them in new forms of contradiction, concentratedly manifested as financial crises, trade protectionism, deglobalization, disruption of industrial chains, ecological crises, threats of nuclear weapons, and so forth. These contradictions have brought new risks and challenges to the world. As the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out: “At present, changes of the world, of the times, and of history are unfolding in ways like never before. On the one hand, the historical trend of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit is unstoppable. The will of the people and the general trend of events determine that the future of humanity is ultimately bright. On the other hand, acts of hegemonism, bullying, and power politics such as the strong bullying the weak, taking by cunning and guile, and zero-sum games are deeply harmful. The deficits in peace, development, security, and governance are growing. Human society faces unprecedented challenges. The world has once again come to a historical crossroads, and where it goes depends on the choices of the peoples of all countries.”

当代资本主义的发展不但没有解决上述矛盾,而且以新的矛盾形态加剧了这一矛盾,集中表现为金融危机、贸易保护主义、逆全球化、产业链破坏、生态危机、核武器威胁等等。这些矛盾给世界带来了新的风险和挑战。正如党的二十大报告指出的:“当前,世界之变、时代之变、历史之变正以前所未有的方式展开。一方面,和平、发展、合作、共赢的历史潮流不可阻挡,人心所向、大势所趋决定了人类前途终归光明。另一方面,恃强凌弱、巧取豪夺、零和博弈等霸权霸道霸凌行径危害深重,和平赤字、发展赤字、安全赤字、治理赤字加重,人类社会面临前所未有的挑战。世界又一次站在历史的十字路口,何去何从取决于各国人民的抉择。”

Of course, capitalism also attempts to resolve these contradictions, because if it cannot resolve them, it cannot achieve the smooth valorization of capital, and capitalists cannot obtain the expected surplus value. Marx’s critique of capitalism has always reminded the capitalist world of its efforts to overcome its innate contradictions, but Marx long ago pronounced a “death sentence” on capitalism’s inherent contradictions—an incurable terminal illness, unless private ownership is abolished. Nevertheless, capitalism continues to change its own mode of existence, trying to resolve this contradiction in order to maintain the effective operation of capital. But in fact, this is incompatible with the nature of capital itself, leading to the result that those very measures originally intended to escape capital’s inherent contradictions instead bring about many new contradictions, even escalating the contradictions continuously.

当然,资本主义也试图解决这些矛盾,因为如果不能解决这些矛盾,就无法实现资本的顺利增值,资本家就无法获取预期的剩余价值。马克思对资本主义的批判始终在提醒着资本主义世界力图克服自己的先天矛盾,但是马克思早已给资本主义内在固有矛盾判了“死刑”——不可治疗的绝症,除非消灭私有制。尽管如此,资本主义仍然在不断改变其自身的生存方式,试图能够解决这一矛盾以便维持资本的有效运行,但事实上,这与资本自身的本性是不相容的,这就导致那些原本为了摆脱资本固有矛盾的做法,结果却带来诸多新的矛盾,甚至使矛盾不断升级。

From the qualitative aspect, within the logic of capital, “cooperation and mutual benefit” between the exploiter and the exploited is impossible, nor is “fairness and justice” possible. Under the logic of capital, if there were cooperation and mutual benefit, there would be no room for surplus value. Therefore, it must be “you lose, I win” to conform to the nature of capital. Hence, zero-sum games are “analyzed” out of the nature of capital, not “synthesized” onto capital as an “accidental characteristic” that capital could either adopt or not adopt. Just as in a gamble (where the purpose of gambling is to maximize one’s own interests), there exists only either you lose and I win, or you win and I lose; mutual benefit does not exist. The nature of capital is: one party’s gain of interest is premised on the other party’s loss of interest. Only this conforms to the essence of “exploiting” surplus value. Therefore, the concept of capital inherently contains the intrinsic nature of creating conflicts of interest. No matter to what degree it develops or what new forms of capital it creates and invents, its essence cannot resolve this contradiction; on the contrary, it will continuously create even more complex contradictions.

从质的方面看,在资本逻辑中剥削者和被剥削者之间是不可能“合作共赢”的,也不可能是“公平正义”的。在资本逻辑之下,如果合作共赢就没有剩余价值的空间,因此,必须是“你输我赢”才符合资本的本性。所以,零和博弈是从资本的性质中“分析”出来的,而不是后天“综合”到资本身上的“偶然特征”,仿佛资本可以采取零和博弈,也可以不采取零和博弈似的。正如在一场赌博中(赌博的目的是追求自己利益的最大化)只存在要么你输我赢,要么你赢我输,共赢是不存在的。资本的本性就是:一方获取利益是以对方失去利益为前提的,这才符合“剥削”剩余价值的本质。所以,资本这一概念天然包含着制造利益冲突的固有本性,无论发展到怎样的程度、创造和发明出怎样新的资本形态,其本质都无法解决这一矛盾,而且反倒会不断制造更加复杂的矛盾。

From the quantitative aspect, capital’s acquisition of surplus value always tends toward “maximization of interests,” because if capital cannot maintain its purpose of continuous valorization, it cannot sustain the possibility of further valorization. Marx analyzed this point very clearly: to obtain surplus value, capital must adopt the form of pursuing excess profit, because if it does not pursue excess profit, it cannot guarantee normal profit. An increase in the average level of social productive forces will cause capital to lose its original competitive advantage and be unable to obtain surplus value. Precisely because dependence on excess profit is unavoidable, the pursuit of “maximization of interests”—which appears to be an external “quantitative” demand—becomes an unavoidable “qualitative” stipulation and is thus incorporated into the nature of capital. The assumption that capitalists can, in order to resolve class contradictions, reduce the degree of exploitation of workers, abandon the pursuit of excess profit, and maintain a constant degree of exploitation is futile.

从量的角度看,资本获取剩余价值总是趋向于“利益最大化”,因为如果资本不能够维持其不断增值的目的,就无法保持其继续增值的可能。这一点马克思分析得十分清楚,即资本为了获取剩余价值,必须采取追求超额利润的形式,因为如果不追求超额利润,就无法保证正常的利润。社会平均生产力水平的提高会导致资本失去原有的竞争优势而无法获取剩余价值。正是因为对超额利润的依赖不可避免,所以追求“利益最大化”这一看起来是外在的“量”的需求就变成了不可避免的“质”的规定,因而也被纳入资本的本性当中。那种假设资本家可以为了解决阶级矛盾而减少对工人的剥削程度,放弃追求超额利润而维持不变的剥削程度的设想是徒劳的。

In summary, from the internal mechanism of the logic of capital, it can be seen that whether from the qualitative or the quantitative aspect, the inherent contradictions of capital are ineliminable. Therefore, no matter what new forms capital takes—whether to obtain more excess profit or to escape the contradictions in social relations of production caused by the original forms of capital—it ultimately cannot escape the fate of capital creating conflict and division.

总之,从资本逻辑的内在机理中可以看到,无论从质的方面还是从量的方面看,资本固有的矛盾都是不可消除的。因此,无论资本采取怎样的新形态——它们要么是为了获取更多的超额利润,要么是为了摆脱原有资本形态导致的社会生产关系的矛盾——最终都无法消除资本制造冲突和分裂的命运。

(3) Chinese-Path Modernization Adheres to the Historical Progress View of “Peace and Development”

(三)中国式现代化坚持“和平与发展”的历史进步观

The contradictions caused by the above-mentioned capital pose enormous challenges to Chinese-path modernization, because Chinese-path modernization consistently adheres to the world-historical theme of peace and development. This theme of peace and development is not merely a subjective “wish”; rather, this value pursuit is embedded within socialist relations of production, thereby rooting peace and development in the socialist system itself. “China has always adhered to the foreign policy purpose of maintaining world peace and promoting common development, and is committed to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

上述资本导致的矛盾给中国式现代化带来了巨大的挑战,因为中国式现代化始终坚持和平与发展的世界历史主题。这一和平与发展的主题不仅仅是一种主观的“愿望”,而且把这一价值追求放置在了社会主义生产关系当中,因此使和平与发展根植于社会主义制度本身。“中国始终坚持维护世界和平、促进共同发展的外交政策宗旨,致力于推动构建人类命运共同体”。

Marx and Engels founded scientific socialism precisely to thoroughly resolve the situation of capitalism dividing the world and to lead humanity toward a world of permanent peace, freedom, and liberation. The solution Marx proposed was to abolish capitalist private ownership and realize communism. The birth of capitalism caused the entire world to increasingly split into two hostile camps, namely the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, forming a world pattern of “the East being subordinate to the West.” Through the discovery of historical materialism and the law of surplus value, Marx devoted his life to focusing on answering two major questions: first, the question of “where is humanity going?”; second, the question of “where is the world going?” Regarding the question of “where is humanity going?,” starting from humanity’s species-essence, sociality, and all-round development, Marx’s answer was: “humanity is going toward freedom and liberation.” Regarding the question of “where is the world going?,” based on social relations of production, Marx discovered that the development and progress of world history ultimately realize communism through the succession of social formations from lower to higher stages. Marx’s answer was: “the world is going toward communism.” The answers to the above two questions constitute the core content of Marx’s world-historical view. Both human freedom and liberation and communism express humanity’s aspiration for peace and development.

马克思恩格斯创立科学社会主义,就是为了彻底解决资本主义分裂世界的局面,把人类带向一个永久和平、自由解放的世界。马克思提出的方案是消灭资本主义私有制,实现共产主义。资本主义的诞生使整个世界日益分裂为两大敌对阵营,即资产阶级和无产阶级,形成了“东方从属于西方”的世界格局。马克思通过历史唯物主义和剩余价值规律的发现,用毕生的时间集中回答了两大问题:一是“人类向何处去”的问题;二是“世界向何处去”的问题。关于“人类向何处去”的问题,马克思从人的类本质、社会性、全面发展出发,给出的答案是“人类向自由和解放去”。关于“世界向何处去”的问题,马克思立足社会生产关系,发现了世界历史的发展和进步是以社会形态从低级到高级的更替的形式最终实现共产主义。马克思给出的答案是“世界向共产主义去”。以上两大问题的回答构成了马克思世界历史观的核心内容。无论是人的自由和解放还是共产主义,都表达了人类对和平与发展的向往。

Chinese-path modernization, in its fundamental value concepts, already inherently contains the progressive idea of peace and development within the value orientation of the socialist system, just as the capitalist system inherently contains conflict and opposition. Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times inherits the Marxist ideal of human peace and development. While pursuing its own development, Chinese-path modernization also creates conditions for the development of other nations and states. Chinese-path modernization seeks happiness not only for the Chinese people but also for humanity, and seeks great harmony for the world. Chinese-path modernization continuously opens up a new world political and economic order that is more fair and just, and consistently takes “cooperation and mutual benefit” as the basic principle in dealing with other nations and states. Faced with the “new Cold War doctrine” promoted by the West, such as unilateralism, trade protectionism, and deglobalization, China consistently advocates multilateralism, breaks down trade barriers, and defends economic globalization, thereby leading the world toward peace and development.

中国式现代化,其根本价值理念已经在社会主义制度的价值导向上天然包含着和平与发展的进步理念,正如资本主义制度天然包含着冲突和对立一样。中国化时代化的马克思主义继承了马克思主义关于人类和平与发展的理想。中国式现代化在追求自己发展的同时,也为其他民族国家创造发展的条件。中国式现代化不仅为中国人民谋幸福,同时也为人类谋幸福,为世界谋大同。中国式现代化不断开辟更加公平正义的世界政治经济新秩序,始终把“合作共赢”作为和其他民族国家相处的基本法则。面对西方推行的单边主义、贸易保护主义、逆全球化等“新冷战主义”,中国始终倡导多边主义、打破贸易壁垒、捍卫经济全球化,从而使世界通向和平与发展。

Essentially, under the conditions where history has transformed into world history, Chinese-path modernization promotes the construction of a new type of world relations of production for universal interaction, thereby creating a new form of civilization for humanity to realize peace and development. After the “Cold War,” [2]2 The “Cold War” refers to the period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies from roughly 1947 to 1991, characterized by ideological confrontation, proxy wars, and an arms race, but without direct large-scale military conflict between the two superpowers. capitalism dominated the world political and economic order, causing the inherent contradictions of capital to break through the boundaries of nation-states and form a “dominance-subordination” relationship among nation-states. This relationship is continuously being changed by the world-historical progressive force of Chinese-path modernization. A kind of universal relations of production on a world scale is becoming the developmental trend of world history, continuously breaking the “dominance-subordination” relationship among nation-states. This constitutes the most fundamental trend in the changes unseen in a century. A kind of universal world relations of production will become the foundation of the common interests of humanity. This is clearly based on the Marxist theory inherited by Chinese-path modernization. On this basis, Xi Jinping proposed “promoting the building of a world of lasting peace.”

中国式现代化本质上是在历史转变为世界历史的条件下,推动构建世界普遍交往的新型的世界生产关系,从而为人类实现和平与发展开创新的文明形态。“冷战”结束后,资本主义主导世界政治经济秩序使资本固有矛盾打破民族国家的界限,形成民族国家之间的“支配—从属”关系。这种关系因为中国式现代化的世界历史性进步力量不断得到改变。一种世界意义的、普遍的生产关系正在成为世界历史的发展趋势,并不断打破民族国家之间的“支配—从属”关系。这一点构成了世界百年未有之大变局中最根本的动向。一种世界性的普遍生产关系将成为人类共同利益的基础,这显然是以中国式现代化所传承的马克思主义理论为基础的。以此为基础,习近平提出“推动建设一个持久和平的世界”。

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Chinese-path modernization firmly believes that it can grasp the world-historical trend of the “changes unseen in a century.”

中国式现代化坚信能够把握“百年变局”的世界历史趋势

Does world history possess objective laws? Can humanity grasp the objective laws of world history? The answers to these two questions constitute the epistemological problem of the world-historical view. The judgment of “historical trend” is an important component of the world-historical view. In Marx’s view, on the one hand, the development of world history has objective laws independent of human will—namely, the inevitable demise of capitalism and the inevitable realization of communism. On the other hand, whether objective laws of world history are recognized fundamentally depends on the world-historical view. Classical world-historical theories represented by Kant and Hegel do not acknowledge that world history has objective laws; therefore, humans cannot grasp the “historical trend,” and at most can perceive the inner necessity of world history only after it has been completed (the owl of Minerva). [3]3 The “owl of Minerva” is a reference to Hegel’s remark in the preface to his *Philosophy of Right* that philosophy “paints its grey in grey” only when a form of life has grown old, and “cannot be rejuvenated but only understood.” The owl, a symbol of wisdom, takes flight only at dusk, meaning that understanding comes after the fact. In Hegel’s view, when humanity “looks back” at world history, the outcome of world history possesses necessity, but when “looking forward,” the trend of world history cannot be seen. Chinese-path modernization inherits Marx’s world-historical view, which firmly believes that the trend of world history can be grasped.

世界历史是否具有客观规律?人类能否把握世界历史的客观规律?对这两个问题的回答构成了世界历史观的认识论问题。对“历史趋势”的判断是世界历史观的重要组成部分。在马克思看来,一方面,世界历史的发展有不以人的意志为转移的客观规律,这便是资本主义必然灭亡和共产主义必然实现;另一方面,是否承认世界历史有客观规律根本上取决于世界历史观。以康德和黑格尔为代表的古典世界历史理论不承认世界历史具有客观规律,因此人是无法把握“历史趋势”的,最多能够在世界历史完成之后看到世界历史的内在必然性(密涅瓦的猫头鹰)。在黑格尔看来,人类“回头看”世界历史的时候,世界历史的结果是有必然性的,但“向前看”的时候是看不到世界历史趋势的。中国式现代化继承了马克思坚信能够把握到世界历史趋势的世界历史观。

(I) Chinese-path modernization firmly believes that humanity can discover the “certainty of world history” amid changes.

(一)中国式现代化坚信人类能够在变局中发现“世界历史的确定性”

The certainty of world history is manifested as “law.” The so-called “law” is the “essence” that plays a decisive role behind phenomena. Phenomena are constantly changing, while law is the unchanging thing behind changing phenomena. The so-called “discovering the law of things, seeing the essence through phenomena” means grasping the inner necessity of things. For world history, this means seeking the certainty of world history from the uncertainty of the phenomenal world of world history.

世界历史的确定性表现为“规律”。所谓“规律”就是在现象背后发挥决定性作用的“本质”。现象是不断变化着的,规律则是在变化着的现象背后不变的东西。所谓“发现事物的规律,透过现象看本质”,也就是要把握事物的内在必然性,这对于世界历史来说就是,从世界历史现象界的不确定性中寻求到世界历史的确定性。

The world-historical view held by Western classical world-historical theories holds that the question “Where is world history going?” is controlled by supernatural mysterious forces, and that humanity cannot judge, let alone control, the development trend of world history. Kant believed that the trend of world history was “a hidden plan of nature,” while Hegel entrusted the trend of world history to the “absolute spirit” (God). This world-historical view is essentially irresponsible to humanity; it is a fatalistic world-historical view. The fatalistic world-historical view only believes that humanity can grasp the trend of world history that has already occurred and been completed, but does not believe that humanity can grasp the future development trend of world history. In contrast, Chinese-path modernization consistently adheres to Marx’s world-historical view and firmly believes that humanity can grasp the certainty of world history amid changes.

西方古典世界历史理论所持有的世界历史观认为,“世界历史向何处去”的问题是由超自然的神秘力量所把控的,人类无法判断更不能掌控世界历史的发展趋势。康德认为世界历史趋势是“大自然的一项隐蔽计划”,黑格尔则把世界历史趋势交给了“绝对精神”(上帝)。这种世界历史观在本质上是对人类不负责任的,是宿命论的世界历史观。宿命论的世界历史观只相信人类能够把握已经发生过的、完成了的世界历史趋势,而不相信人类能够把握世界历史未来的发展趋势。而与此相反,中国式现代化始终坚持马克思的世界历史观,坚信人类能够在变局中把握世界历史的确定性。

As a socialist modernization, Chinese-path modernization has always been committed to discovering the certainty of world history from the changes unseen in a century, and elevating it to an understanding of laws such as “the laws of governance by the Communist Party, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society.” [4]4 This tripartite formulation (“laws of governance by the Communist Party, laws of socialist construction, laws of the development of human society”) is a standard CPC theoretical expression, often used to frame the scientific character of its rule. For example, it has found the second answer to the question of how to break out of the historical cycle, [5]5 The “historical cycle” refers to the pattern of rise and fall of dynasties in Chinese history. The “first answer” was Mao Zedong’s proposal of “letting the people supervise the government”; the “second answer” is the CPC’s “self-revolution” under Xi Jinping. [6 and it has discovered the world-historical themes of world peace and development. These all indicate that Chinese-path modernization has been pioneered on the basis of a full understanding of the objective laws of world history. Therefore, Chinese-path modernization is neither a copy of Western modernization, nor a template of Western modernization, nor a pirated version of Western modernization, but a path of modernization pioneered within its own independent world-historical view. Capitalist modernization is premised on destroying the human community. The fundamental reason is that the capitalist world-historical view is irresponsible to humanity. Where the fate of humanity is headed is not a concern of capitalist modernization, because capitalism fundamentally does not believe that world history has laws, and holds that humanity cannot grasp the trend of world history.

中国式现代化作为社会主义的现代化,始终致力于从百年变局中发现世界历史的确定性,并将其上升到“共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律”等规律性认识。比如,找到了跳出历史周期率的第二个答案、发现了世界历史和平与发展的世界历史主题等等,这些都表明中国式现代化是在对世界历史客观规律充分认识的基础上开创出来的。因此,中国式现代化既不是西方现代化的翻版,也不是西方现代化的模板,更不是西方现代化的盗版,而是在自己独立的世界历史观中所开创出来的现代化道路。资本主义现代化是以破坏人类共同体为前提的,根本原因在于资本主义的世界历史观是对人类不负责任的,人类命运何去何从不是资本主义现代化所关心的问题,因为资本主义根本不相信世界历史是有规律的,认为人类无法把握到世界历史趋势。

Precisely because the capitalist world-historical view holds that humanity cannot grasp the objective trend of world history, it proceeds only from immediate interests without regard for the long-term interests of humanity’s future. This view is expressed in ancient Chinese intellectual history as “After I am dead, let the flood rage as it will.” [6]6 Quotation from Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 2022. This is a typical “historical nihilism” brought about by world-historical fatalism. Why does capitalism insist on “zero-sum games”? Why does it constantly create contradictions? Why does it advocate a “clash of civilizations”? Why does it propose the “end of history”? [7]7 Adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC in November 2021. Behind all these currents of thought lies their world-historical view. In the final analysis, it is because in their world-historical view, they simply do not acknowledge that humanity can discover and grasp the trend of world history. “Where is humanity going?” is not a question that humans should concern themselves with; it should be left to “nature” and “God.”

正因为资本主义的世界历史观认为人类无法把握世界历史的客观趋势,因此才仅仅从眼前利益出发而不顾及人类未来的长远利益。这种观点在中国古代思想史中的表述就是“我死后哪怕洪水滔天”,这是一种典型的由世界历史宿命论所带来的“历史虚无主义”。资本主义为什么坚持“零和博弈”?为什么不断地制造矛盾?为什么主张“文明的冲突”?为什么提出“历史的终结”?所有这些思潮背后都隐含着他们的世界历史观。说到底是因为在他们的世界历史观中,根本不承认人类能够发现并把握世界历史趋势,“人类向何处去”不是人应该关心的问题,而应该交给“大自然”和“上帝”。

“Changes unseen in a century” is a judgment on the overall trend of world history and a macroscopic grasp of the general characteristics of world history in the 21st century. This world-historical view guides Chinese-path modernization to always take the world-historical trend discovered by Marx as its essential determination, and always view itself within the inner necessity of the development trend of world history in the Marxian sense. Facing the “ever-changing” situation of world history, Chinese-path modernization always responds to changes with constancy. Precisely because it holds a judgment on the trend of world history, it can clarify its own direction of advance and ensure that the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics it follows does not change in quality, color, or flavor.

“百年未有之大变局”是对世界历史总体趋势的判断,是对21世纪世界历史总体性特征的宏观把握。这一世界历史观引导中国式现代化始终将马克思所发现的世界历史趋势作为自己的本质规定,始终把自己纳入马克思意义上的世界历史发展趋势的内在必然性之中来看待。中国式现代化面对“变化多端”的世界历史形势,总是以不变应万变。正是因为持有对世界历史趋势的判断,才能明确自己的前进方向,才能保证自己所走的中国特色社会主义道路不变质、不变色、不变味。

(II) Chinese-path modernization points the way for humanity standing at a “crossroads.”

(二)中国式现代化为置身“十字路口”的人类指明方向

The above-mentioned search for the trend of world history is encapsulated in the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC: “The world is once again at a historical crossroads, and where it goes depends on the choices of the people of all countries.” [8]8 Zhou Enlai, “Report on the Work of the Government,” delivered at the First Session of the First National People’s Congress in September 1954. It is worth noting that the particularly crucial concept here is “crossroads.” Rhetorically, this is a metaphor; philosophically, it is a dialectical metaphor. “Crossroads” implies certainty within uncertainty or uncertainty within certainty. Therefore, “crossroads” is essentially a category of dialectics, referring to the dialectical unity of “having a road and not knowing which road to take”—the unity of “being” and “non-being.” According to the principle of dialectics, being and non-being are unified in being. Thus, although Hegel said “being is nothing,” he still took “being” rather than “nothing” as the beginning of logic. [9]9 *Theoretical Investigation* (理论探讨) is a Chinese academic journal focused on political theory and Marxist studies. This dialectical metaphor fully embodies the world-historical view upheld by Chinese-path modernization: “There is a road to take” is certain; the question is which road to take. Further, the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC clearly states that China always adheres to the foreign policy purpose of maintaining world peace and promoting common development, and is committed to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Therefore, Chinese-path modernization is dedicated to breaking through the chaos of the changes unseen in a century and has already pointed the way for world history. This means that the certainty of world history has been discovered amid the changes. On the one hand, this is an inheritance of Marx’s world-historical view; on the other hand, it historically determines the direction of world history’s development within the path of Chinese-path modernization in the 21st century, thereby answering the major world-historical questions of “Where is the world going?” and “Where is humanity going?”

上述对世界历史趋势的寻求凝聚在党的二十大报告中:“世界又一次站在历史的十字路口,何去何从取决于各国人民的抉择。”值得注意的是:这里特别关键的概念是“十字路口”。这在修辞学上是一个比喻,而在哲学上是一个辩证法的隐喻。“十字路口”意味着确定性中的不确定性或不确定性中的确定性,因此“十字路口”本质上是一个辩证法的范畴,是指人类“既有路,又不知道走哪条路”的“有”和“无”的辩证统一。而按照辩证法原理,有和无统一在“有”,所以,虽然黑格尔说“有即是无”,但他仍然把“有”而不是“无”作为逻辑学的开端。这一辩证法的隐喻充分体现了中国式现代化所坚持的世界历史观:“有路可走”这是确定的,问题是走哪一条路。而进一步,党的二十大报告明确指出,中国始终坚持维护世界和平、促进共同发展的外交政策宗旨,致力于推动构建人类命运共同体。因此,中国式现代化致力于破除百年变局的乱象,已经为世界历史指明了方向,这意味着在变局中已经发现了世界历史的确定性。这一方面是对马克思世界历史观的继承;另一方面,是在21世纪中国式现代化道路中历史地确定了世界历史的发展方向,从而回答了“世界向何处去”“人类向何处去”的重大世界历史观问题。

From the perspective of Chinese-path modernization, world history already has a direction, and this direction is human in nature. Has humanity truly “lost its direction” amid the changes unseen in a century? Clearly not; rather, differences in world-historical views have led to vastly divergent judgments about world history from different standpoints, and these in turn determine the sharp opposition in the development paths adopted. “Acts of bullying, plundering, and zero-sum games such as the strong bullying the weak, taking by trickery and force” [6]6 Quotation from Xi Jinping’s report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 2022. are inherent features of the nature of capitalism and are fundamentally the product of its world-historical view. Whatever world-historical view one holds, one will choose corresponding world-historical actions, just as a person who holds a certain worldview, outlook on life, and set of values will translate them into certain behaviors. Faced with the same “crossroads,” different world-historical views will obviously choose different paths, and of these two paths, one leads to war and conflict for humanity, the other to peace and development; clearly, the latter possesses objectivity and universality. If a nation or state takes human conflict and destruction as the trend of world history, this is not only irresponsible toward humanity but even “anti-human.” Therefore, the trend of world history discovered by Marx is both an “objective law” of world history and a “value choice” of humanity, and is thus “the unity of conformity to law and conformity to purpose.” Chinese-path modernization inherits this world-historical view of Marx and points the way for humanity standing at the “crossroads.”

在中国式现代化视野中,世界历史已经有了方向,这一方向具有人类性。人类在百年变局中是否真的“迷失了方向”?显然不是,而是因为世界历史观的差别,导致了不同的立场对世界历史的判断形成了巨大的差别,也由此决定了所采取的发展道路上的鲜明对立。“恃强凌弱、巧取豪夺、零和博弈等霸权霸道霸凌行径”作为资本主义本性中所固有的特征,在根本上是其世界历史观的产物。有怎样的世界历史观,就会选择怎样的世界历史行动,正如一个人持有怎样的世界观、人生观和价值观,就会把它转变为某种行为一样。面对同一个“十字路口”,显然不同的世界历史观会选择不同的道路,而这两条道路,一条通向人类战争与冲突,一条通向和平与发展,显然,后者具有客观性和普遍性。一个民族或国家如果把人类的冲突和毁灭作为世界历史的趋势,这不仅是对人类的不负责任,甚至是“反人类”的。因此,马克思所发现的世界历史趋势既是世界历史的“客观规律”,也是人类的“价值选择”,因而是“合规律性与合目的性的统一”。中国式现代化秉承了马克思的这一世界历史观,为正置身于“十字路口”的人类指明了方向。

(III) Chinese-Path Modernization Continuously Opens Up New Realms of Scientific Socialism

(三)中国式现代化不断开创科学社会主义新境界

The establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has enriched and developed Marx’s theory of world history. Through a series of major original categories such as “500 years of socialism,” “changes unseen in a century,” “a community with a shared future for mankind,” and “a new form of human civilization,” Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has founded a 21st-century theory of world history. The “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century” [7]7 Adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC in November 2021. points out that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. How should we understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as “21st-century Marxism”? This must be closely related to the scientific socialism pioneered by Marx.

习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的创立,丰富和发展了马克思的世界历史理论。通过“社会主义500年”“百年未有之大变局”“人类命运共同体”“人类文明新形态”等一系列重大原创性范畴,习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想创立了21世纪世界历史理论。《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗成就和历史经验的决议》指出,习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是当代中国马克思主义,是二十一世纪马克思主义。怎样理解习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是“二十一世纪马克思主义”?这必然与马克思所开创的科学社会主义具有密切关联。

Scientific socialism is the practical implementation of Marx’s world-historical view, and thus scientific socialism is the progressive path that Marx opened up for world history. As is well known, Marx’s theoretical system comprises three components: philosophy, political economy, and scientific socialism. However, these three parts are not coordinate but subordinate. Why did Marx study philosophy and political economy? In order to theoretically establish the objective necessity of the path of scientific socialism. Therefore, all Marxist theory should ultimately be grounded in scientific socialism, while philosophy and political economy are both theoretical preparations for scientific socialism: philosophy serves to explain why the world must be “changed,” and political economy serves to explain why the existing world (capitalism) is irrational. Precisely because the existing world is irrational, humanity should change the world, and this constitutes the purpose of scientific socialism. From this it can be proven that Marx’s theory of world history is the core of Marxist theory.

科学社会主义是马克思世界历史观在实践中的落实,因而科学社会主义是马克思为世界历史开辟的进步道路。众所周知,马克思的理论体系包括三个组成部分,即哲学、政治经济学和科学社会主义,但是这三个部分不是并列关系而是从属关系。马克思为什么研究哲学和政治经济学?是为了在理论上确立科学社会主义道路的客观必然性。因此,全部马克思主义理论最终应该落脚到科学社会主义,而哲学和政治经济学都是为科学社会主义所作的理论上的准备,即哲学是为了说明为什么要“改变世界”,政治经济学是为了说明现存世界(资本主义)为什么是不合理的。正因为现存世界不合理,人类应该改变世界,这便构成了科学社会主义的宗旨。由此可以证明,马克思的世界历史理论才是马克思主义理论的核心。

Chinese-path modernization has always adhered to the socialist direction of “changing the world” and opened up new realms of scientific socialism. Chinese-path modernization can be traced back to the early days of the founding of New China, when Zhou Enlai first proposed the “four modernizations” in the “Government Work Report”: “If we do not build a powerful modern industry, modern agriculture, modern transportation and communications, and modern national defense, we will not be able to shake off backwardness and poverty, and our revolution will not achieve its goal.” [8]8 Zhou Enlai, “Report on the Work of the Government,” delivered at the First Session of the First National People’s Congress in September 1954. Later, during the period of socialist reform and modernization, Deng Xiaoping again emphasized making the construction of modernization the central task of the Party Central Committee. With the establishment and improvement of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, the path of Chinese-path modernization gradually emerged. This modernization began almost simultaneously with the creation of socialist relations of production. Establishing socialist relations of production has been a theme continuously explored in the history of scientific socialism. Since the establishment of the socialist system in the Soviet Union, the problem of how to deal with the remnants of capitalism—the “Eastern society” problem—has persistently troubled socialist construction. It can be said that the “Eastern society” problem is the most significant theoretical and practical issue in the history of the development of scientific socialism; almost all the achievements and setbacks of proletarian revolution and socialist construction in Eastern societies are related to the particularities of “Eastern society.” Therefore, to a certain extent, exploring a path of socialist construction for “Eastern society” has become the most formidable challenge facing the international communist movement since the 20th century.

中国式现代化始终坚持“改变世界”的社会主义方向,开辟科学社会主义的新境界。中国式现代化可以追溯到新中国成立初期,周恩来在《政府工作报告》中第一次提出“四个现代化”,即“如果我们不建设起强大的现代化工业、现代化的农业、现代化的交通运输业和现代化的国防,我们就不能摆脱落后和贫穷,我们的革命就不能达到目的”。后来在社会主义改革和现代化建设时期,邓小平再一次强调把建设现代化作为党中央工作的中心。随着中国特色社会主义制度的建立和完善,中国式现代化道路也逐渐开显出来。这一现代化最初几乎是和社会主义生产关系的创立同步开始的。建立社会主义生产关系是科学社会主义历史上不断探索的主题。从苏联建立社会主义制度后,如何应对资本主义的残余这一“东方社会”问题就一直困扰着社会主义建设。可以说,“东方社会”问题是科学社会主义发展史上最为重大的理论问题和现实问题,几乎所有的东方社会的无产阶级革命以及社会主义建设的成就和挫折都与“东方社会”的特殊性相关。因此,在一定程度上,探索出“东方社会”的社会主义建设道路就成为20世纪以来国际共产主义运动面临的最为重大的难题。

Practice has proven that since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the upheaval in Eastern Europe, Chinese-path modernization has provided a successful model for solving the problem of building socialism in “Eastern society” and has opened up new realms of scientific socialism. Socialism with Chinese characteristics was the first to explore the possibility that a socialist country could implement a market economy, thereby integrating into the global capitalist system while maintaining its own independence and social nature and developing socialism; Chinese-path modernization has shifted the center of the world socialist movement from the Soviet Union to China; Chinese-path modernization transcends the “anthropocentrism” of the logic of capital and incorporates the issue of the community of life between humanity and nature into the process of world history; Chinese-path modernization transcends the opposition between Eastern and Western civilizations, gradually breaking the world pattern of “the East being subordinate to the West,” and promotes the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind under conditions of coexistence between the two systems, and so on. All of this shows that Chinese-path modernization continuously opens up new realms of 21st-century scientific socialism.

实践证明,苏东剧变以来,中国式现代化为解决“东方社会”建设社会主义的问题提供了成功典范,开辟了科学社会主义的新境界。中国特色社会主义率先探索出社会主义国家可以实行市场经济,从而在融入世界资本体系的同时,既保持自己的独立性和社会性质,又发展了社会主义;中国式现代化使世界社会主义运动的中心从苏联转移到中国;中国式现代化超越资本逻辑的“人类中心主义”,并把人与自然的生命共同体问题纳入世界历史进程当中;中国式现代化超越东西方文明对立,逐渐打破“东方从属于西方”的世界格局,在两大制度并存条件下推动建构人类命运共同体,等等。所有这些都表明,中国式现代化不断地开创21世纪科学社会主义的新境界。

III

三

Chinese-Path Modernization Promotes the Process of World History Guided by “a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”

中国式现代化以“人类命运共同体”为导向推进世界历史进程

Whether all nation-states should take the realization of a community with a shared future for mankind as the direction of their own national efforts is the core issue of the contemporary world-historical view. Chinese-path modernization not only concerns itself with the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation but also embodies a human concern, that is, taking the future and destiny of humanity into account among the “essential requirements” of Chinese-path modernization. A path of Chinese-path modernization that violates the interests of all humanity cannot be a rational development path. Guided by the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, Chinese-path modernization promotes the common values of all humanity, firmly believes that humanity can transcend value conflicts and civilizational opposition, and thus continuously advances the process of world history pioneered by Marx.

各民族国家是否应该把实现人类命运共同体作为本民族国家的努力方向,这是当代世界历史观的核心问题。中国式现代化不仅关注中华民族伟大复兴,而且还包含人类关怀,即把人类的前途命运考虑到中国式现代化的“本质要求”当中。一条中国式现代化道路如果是违背全人类利益的,就不能成为一条合理的发展道路。中国式现代化以构建人类命运共同体为导向,弘扬全人类共同价值,坚信人类能够超越价值冲突和文明对立,从而不断推进马克思开创的世界历史进程。

(I) Chinese-Path Modernization Advocates “the Common Values of All Humanity”

(一)中国式现代化倡导“全人类共同价值”

Marx’s world-historical view holds that human society is continuously progressing. So-called progress is the process of constantly approaching the goal of a better life (human freedom and liberation). However, the specific forms of this progressive process differ across different historical periods, countries, and nations. For China, it has successively experienced the New Democratic Revolution, the period of socialist revolution and construction, achieving national independence and establishing the socialist system (standing up), then through the period of reform and opening up and socialist construction (getting rich), to the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics (becoming strong). This series of processes manifests as social history continuously advancing toward the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. World history has experienced the transition from proletarian revolution to the establishment of socialist state power, from the “Cold War” between the two camps to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the upheaval in Eastern Europe, from the creation of socialism with Chinese characteristics to the creation of a new form of human civilization, from changes unseen in a century to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, and so on. World history has achieved wave-like advance and spiral-like ascent, manifesting as humanity continuously advancing toward the goal of freedom and liberation.

马克思的世界历史观认为,人类社会是不断进步的。所谓进步就是朝着美好生活的目标(人类自由和解放)不断接近的过程,但是这一进步过程在不同的历史时期、不同的国家和民族所表现的具体形态是不同的。就中国来说,先后经历了新民主主义革命、社会主义革命和建设时期,实现了民族独立,确立了社会主义制度(站起来),再经过改革开放社会主义建设时期(富起来),到中国特色社会主义新时代(走向强起来)的时期,这一系列过程表现为社会历史不断朝着中华民族伟大复兴的目标前进。世界历史经历了从无产阶级革命到社会主义国家政权的确立,从两大阵营的“冷战”到苏联解体和东欧剧变,从中国特色社会主义的开创到创造人类文明新形态,从百年未有之大变局到推动构建人类命运共同体等等,世界历史实现了波浪式前进和螺旋式上升,表现为人类不断朝着自由和解放的目标前进。

Entering the 21st century, Chinese-path modernization has inaugurated a world-historical process oriented toward a community with a shared future for mankind. The world-historical view of Chinese-path modernization inherits Marx’s conception of the continuous progress of world history and constantly concretizes that progress into specific historical objectives: world history, amid changes unseen in a century, has established the orientation of a community with a shared future for mankind, and building a community with a shared future for mankind constitutes a crucial link in the contemporary world-historical process. For this reason, promoting the common values of all mankind has become the value foundation for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

进入21世纪,中国式现代化开启了以人类命运共同体为导向的世界历史进程。中国式现代化的世界历史观继承了马克思关于世界历史不断进步的观念,并不断把世界历史的进步具体化为特定的历史目标——世界历史在百年变局中确立了人类命运共同体的导向,构建人类命运共同体构成了当代世界历史进程重要环节。为此,弘扬全人类共同价值,成为推动构建人类命运共同体的价值观基础。

World history is a process of human value choice. Universal intercourse has formed among various nation-states, and the objective trend of world history is jointly constituted by the value choices of each nation-state. Therefore, the world-historical process is also determined by the orientation of human values. Chinese-path modernization upholds the “common values of all mankind of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom”; this set of values constitutes an important connotation of the world-historical view of Chinese-path modernization. World history should be guided by the common values of all mankind. Although the core interests and cultural traditions of various nation-states differ, the “resultant force” [9]9 *Theoretical Investigation* (理论探讨) is a Chinese academic journal focused on political theory and Marxist studies. formed by the interaction of nation-states constitutes an objective trend of world history that is not subject to the subjective will of any single nation-state. Within this objective historical process, the world-historical view of Chinese-path modernization firmly believes that human values play an important guiding role.

世界历史是人类的价值选择过程。各个民族国家相互之间形成了普遍交往,世界历史的客观趋势由每个民族国家的价值选择共同汇聚而成。因此,世界历史进程也是由人类的价值观导向所决定的。中国式现代化坚持“和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值”,这一价值观构成了中国式现代化世界历史观的重要内涵。世界历史应该由全人类的共同价值所引导,尽管各个民族国家的核心利益不同、文化传统不同,但是各民族国家相互作用所形成的“合力”构成了世界历史不以某一个民族国家的主观意志为转移的客观趋势。在这一客观历史进程当中,中国式现代化的世界历史观始终坚信,人类的价值观在其中发挥着重要的导向作用。

(2) Chinese-Path Modernization Embraces a World-Embracing Ethos of Creating a “New Form of Human Civilization”

(二)中国式现代化秉持开创“人类文明新形态”的天下情怀

The “clash of civilizations” thesis is a fundamental feature of Western capitalist civilization. According to Marx’s historical materialism, the evolution of forms of human civilization is based on the succession of social formations. Therefore, Marx’s classification of forms of human civilization is based on the division of relations of production. A form of civilization always reflects the “material foundation” upon which it stands; one form of civilization is built on a specific foundation of relations of production. Conversely, relations of production give rise to corresponding forms of civilization; for example, capitalist relations of production gave rise to the capitalist form of civilization.

“文明冲突论”是西方资本主义文明的根本特征。根据马克思的唯物史观,人类文明形态的演进是以社会形态的更替为基础的。因此马克思对人类文明形态的划分是以生产关系的划分为依据的。文明形态总是对它立于其上的“物质基础”的反映,一种文明形态是建立在特定的生产关系基础之上的;或者反过来说,生产关系派生出相应的文明形态,例如,资本主义生产关系派生了资本主义文明形态。

Marx profoundly exposed the essence of capitalist relations of production, pointing out the objective law that these relations necessarily lead to extinction. This means that the form of civilization based on capitalist relations of production is also destined to perish. Because these relations of production safeguard only the interests of a minority, their nature inherently contains the inevitable result of creating division, conflict, and contradiction. Therefore, the form of civilization corresponding to these relations of production is necessarily the “clash of civilizations” thesis. Capitalist relations of production are merely a product of specific historical conditions and lack universality. According to Marx, only relations of production based on public ownership are truly universal relations of production; consequently, the form of civilization based on public ownership naturally possesses universal significance, just as noted earlier, the “common values of all mankind” are based on universal relations of production.

马克思对资本主义生产关系的本质进行了深刻的揭露,指出这种生产关系必然导致灭亡的客观规律。这也就意味着以资本主义生产关系为基础的那个文明形态也注定是趋向灭亡的。因为这种生产关系只维护少数人的利益,因此其本性中天然包含着制造分裂、冲突和矛盾的必然结果。因此,与这种生产关系相适应的文明形态也必然是“文明冲突论”。资本主义生产关系只是特定历史条件下的产物,而不具有普遍性。按照马克思的观点,只有公有制的生产关系才是真正的普遍性的生产关系,进而以公有制为基础的文明形态自然也就具有了普遍意义,正如前文指出的,“全人类共同价值”是以普遍的生产关系为基础的一样。

The form of civilization that accompanies Chinese-path modernization represents a transcendence of the capitalist form of civilization. As Xi Jinping pointed out: “Respect the diversity of world civilizations, transcend estrangement through civilizational exchange, transcend conflict through civilizational mutual learning, and transcend superiority through civilizational coexistence, jointly addressing various global challenges.” [10]10 Jing Mu (静穆) is a pseudonym commonly used by online editors affiliated with Chinese academic or Party-affiliated media platforms. The process of Chinese-path modernization is also the process of creating a new form of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization inherits the concept of “Great Harmony under Heaven” [11] from Chinese civilization, committing itself to civilizational diversity based on respect for the particularities of each nation-state’s civilization, while simultaneously committing itself to defending civilizational unity—the common values of all mankind—based on civilizational diversity and difference. In short, the new form of human civilization embodies a “dialectical view of civilization,” that is, upholding the dialectical unity of the “diversity” and “unity” of world civilizations.

与中国式现代化相伴而生的文明形态是对资本主义文明形态的超越。正如习近平所指出的:“尊重世界文明多样性,以文明交流超越文明隔阂、文明互鉴超越文明冲突、文明共存超越文明优越,共同应对各种全球性挑战。”中国式现代化的进程同时也是创造人类文明新形态的过程。中国式现代化继承了中华文明中的“天下大同”理念,致力于在尊重各个民族国家文明特殊性基础上的文明多样性,同时致力于捍卫以文明多样性和差异性为基础的文明统一性——全人类共同价值。总之,人类文明新形态蕴含着“辩证文明观”,即坚持世界文明的“多样性”和“统一性”的辩证统一。

(3) Chinese-Path Modernization Is Committed to Transforming the “World-Historical View” into the “Practical Action” of Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

(三)中国式现代化致力于把“世界历史观”转变为推动构建人类命运共同体的“实践行动”

The world-historical view of Chinese-path modernization is not merely a “concept” but also an “action,” which is determined by the practical nature of Marxism. The world-historical view of Chinese-path modernization contains many humanistic concerns, concretely manifested in its adherence to concepts of peace and development for humanity, the progress of world history, and the common values of all mankind. All these world-historical views are ultimately concretized in contemporary practical action as “promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

中国式现代化的世界历史观不仅仅是“观念”而且是“行动”,这是由马克思主义的实践论本性所决定的。中国式现代化的世界历史观包含诸多人类关怀,具体表现为对人类持有的和平与发展观念、世界历史进步观念以及全人类共同价值的观念,所有这些世界历史观在当代最终落实在具体的实践行动上就是“推动构建人类命运共同体”。

Chinese-path modernization firmly believes that China’s problems are also the world’s problems, and the world’s problems are also China’s

中国式现代化始终坚信:中国的问题同时也是世界的问题;世界的问题也同时是中国的问题。正如习近平指出“党中央统筹中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局”,始终在为世界百年未有之大变局寻求进步方向。各个民族国家拥有同一个地球,人类面临的风险和挑战都需要各个民族携手共同应对,如生态环境问题、全球经济复苏问题、全球治理体系和治理能力现代化问题、网络安全问题、文化价值观冲突问题等等,所有这些问题都深刻影响着世界历史进程,而构建人类命运共同体就是要解决上述人类内部以及人与自然之间的冲突问题。而中国式现代化不断在寻求上述全人类的矛盾和冲突的解决之路,致力于建设一个“持久和平”“普遍安全”“共同繁荣”“开放包容”“清洁美丽”的世界。因此,中国式现代化致力于在各个民族国家普遍交往的基础上,把“世界历史观”转变为“改变世界的行动”——构建人类命运共同体,共同开创美好未来的世界图景。

Source: *Theoretical Investigation*, Issue 4, 2023

文章来源：《理论探讨》2023年第4期

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆