Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.1, 2020

 

Structure, Power and Method: On Marx’s Thinking about Ownership—With a Concurrent Discussion of Several Propositions in Historical Materialism

(Abstract)

 

Chen Guangsi

 

Marx’s concept of the ownership of the means of production has an important twofold feature: in terms of abstract form, it is composed of given production factors in a structural manner (factor structure), and in terms of historical content, it contains both economic and supra-economic controlling power over direct labor. Under different systems of ownership, their functions and relationships (power structures) vary. This dual structure of ownership involves an important methodology. In explaining the issue of ownership transition, it avoids the abstract application of Marx’s method of structural analysis, so is able to explain the historical transformation of ownership by means of the many-layered dialectical combinations of economic and supra-economic controlling power. It reveals the specificity of several basic propositions of historical materialism for explaining different historical processes as well as their peculiarities with regard to applicable conditions, thus giving full play to the inherent theoretical advantages of historical materialism. The critical and enlightening character of this content helps us to gain a deeper understanding and application of Marx’s thinking on ownership.