Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.6, 2013

The Methodological Significance of Marx’s Theory of World History

(Abstract)

Ma Junfeng

Marx’s theory of world history is a critical inheritance of the rational elements of Hegel’s ideas of world history. It uses the materialist conception of history and surplus value theory to investigate the world economic and social movements and their development tendencies since modern times. The theory of world history is an essential part of Marxism, and a crucial backdrop and methodology used by Marx in his analysis. It also lies at the important theoretical foundation of scientific socialism. It is of great methodological significance for us to summarize the historical experience of socialist development, to study and address a variety of issues in the globalization era (especially to handle properly the relationship between nation and mankind), and to build socialism with Chinese characteristics and pursue the Chinese path.