Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.5, 2021

 

The Narrative Theme of the Marxist View of World History in the 21st Century

(Abstract)

 

Wu Hongzheng

 

Modern Western theories of world history include three paradigms: social contract paradigm represented by Hume and Rousseau, teleology paradigm represented by Kant and theodicy paradigm represent by Hegel. Based on the discovery of historical materialism, Marx completed the paradigm revolution of modern Western world history theory, creating the historical materialism paradigm. As a result, the narrative theme of Marx’s world history theory has also undergone a fundamental change, that is, the return of human beings to being the masters of their own lives. In the 21st century, based on the judgment that the world today is marked by changes unseen in a century, “building a community of shared future for mankind” has become the narrative theme of the Marxist view of world history. This narrative theme reestablishes the self-consciousness of human reflection on world history, adheres to the world history view of realizing harmonious coexistence of human beings under the condition of the coexistence of two systems, and develops a definitive “new situation” in the “changing circumstances,” providing Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach for the cause of seeking a new form of human civilization.