Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.10, 2013

 

The Theoretical Space and Philosophical Nature of Capital

(Abstract)

 

Bu Xiangji

 

Scientific discussions of the contemporariness of Capital cannot stop at the purely technical verification of the rigorous economic theoretical plotting contained in it. Rather, we should delve deeper into the essential dimensions of history, and regard it as Marx’s monumental philosophical work on the materialist view of history as well. A review of Marx’s intellectual development reveals that the general issue of Capital originated in the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844, became prominent in The German Ideology, and was publically proclaimed in The Poverty of Philosophy and the Manifesto of the Communist Party. The materialist view of history of Capital is typically reflected in Marx’s criticism of the logic of capital that dominates the social and economic activities of modern man. Therefore, so long as the logic of capital still plays a part in human activities, its critical stand and scientific nature will remain valid despite a few deficiencies in individual theoretical judgments. Therefore, innovation in contemporary academic research (including philosophy) must ground itself in a theoretical reflection of the colorful living reality; the theoretical innovation of Chinese economics must stick to the basic theoretical stand of Marx’s materialist view of history; and the essence of the materialist view of history will continue to serve as our powerful theoretical tool for a proper understanding of contemporary capitalism and the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics.