Email of the writer: dht0620@126.com
An international seminar titled “Marxism in the 21st Century and the Future of Socialism in the World” is being held in Shenzhen today.
The purpose of hosting such a seminar is to echo the CPC and Central Government’s grand conference in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx on May 4 this year and demonstrate the CPC and China’s firm belief in upholding the truth of Marxism.
Born on May 5, 1818, Karl Marx is regarded as one of the greatest thinkers of human history. To honor the birthday of the famous German philosopher, a 4.6-meter-high bronze statue of Marx was presented by China as a gift to his hometown of Trier. The statue was unveiled and erected in the downtown area of the city on May 5 this year.
The Communist Manifesto was a landmark theoretical classic published by Marx in 1848 to navigate international Communist movements. The advent of the manifesto marked a great moment in the intellectual, economic and political history of human beings, as it elaborates on the noble qualities of Marxist political parties and unveils the natural laws of how society develops.
Marx’s profound exploration of the world was based on the existing systems and conditions during his time. However, it goes beyond his time in terms of spirit and philosophy. Therefore, it is universal and trans-generational truth. Since the publication of his landmark Communist Manifesto 170 years ago, Marxism has spread widely around the world, and there is no other theory that has such far-reaching and everlasting influence in the history of human beings.
Marxism has not only deeply influenced the world, but also, more profoundly, changed China. Facts have proved that the fate of Marxism has been closely connected with the fate of the CPC and the fate of the Chinese nation.
Marxism has been the guiding philosophy for our Party since its establishment in 1921. Under the guidance of the theories illustrated by Marxism, the CPC has become the largest political party in the world with 89 million members and successfully transformed China from a war-torn and poor country to an independent and relatively prosperous country whose people are now the masters of their destinies.
Since Marxism has created an unprecedented development miracle in China, it is completely the right choice for history and the Chinese people to choose Marxism. The CPC lays emphasis on Marxism also because of its philosophy of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Dialectical materialism makes Marxism adaptable to China’s unceasingly changing situations. Historical materialism injects new vitality into social productive forces by adjusting the relations of production and improving the superstructure to meet the development demand of the economic base.
For the Chinese people, Marxism is not a dogma. In fact, Marxism is an open and continuously developing system which has always stood at the forefront of the times. With different generations of Chinese leaders contributing to the Marxist theory, the CPC has been promoting and updating Marxism according to the practical needs of the country during different stages of development. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the latest outcome of the application of Marxism to China’s actual conditions. Xi’s thought develops the practical aspects of Marxism by combining it with China’s actual conditions. More importantly, Xi’s thought advances to call for building a community of a shared future for humanity.
Marxism is an important spiritual weapon to help Chinese people explore the world, pursue truth and change the world. No matter what changes would occur in the future, it will always be the guiding theory of the CPC and China. President Xi has recently called for all Party members to stride on the path prescribed by Marx and constantly develop Marxism. “The CPC will continue to learn from Karl Marx, the greatest thinker of human history and practice Marxism in the new era,” he said at the conference marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the German philosopher.
(The author is the editor-in-chief of the Shenzhen Daily with a Ph.D. from the Journalism and Communication School of Wuhan University.)