No.2 2025

CONTENTS

Methodology for Advancing the Systematic and Theoretical Development of the Communist Party of China’s Innovative Theories // Chen Jinlong

The Distinctive Worldview of Chinese Modernization //Tian Pengying

Theoretical Foundations, Practical Trajectories, and Future Directions of Comprehensive

Reform // He Husheng

Preface to Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe (MEGA), Part II, Volume 12: Capital, Volume II-Engels’ Editorial Manuscript

A Historical Perspective on Marx’s Theory of Economic Evaluation: A Comparative Analysis of Two Classical Evaluation Theories // Wang Fengming & Qin Yifan

The Scientification of Philosophy and the Philosophicalization of Science: Comparing Engels and Comte While Challenging the Alleged Opposition between Marx and Engels //Guo Taihui

The Historical Materialist Dimensions of Marx’s Theory of Imbalance and Its Contemporary Relevance // Bao Jin & Huang Jing

Dialectical Logic and Structural Inquiry: From Hegel’s Phenomenology to Marx’s Critique of Capital // Wang Miao & Wang Huaiqian

Urban Thought in Marx’s Theory of Social Reproduction and Its Contemporary Evolution // Lin Mi

The Historical Evolution and Contemporary Relevance of Marx and Engels’ Thought on Agricultural Modernization // Liu Shuo

The Logic, Methods, and Contemporary Relevance of Marx and Engels’ Critique of Erroneous Social Thought // Ji Mengling

Digital Technological Innovation and the Structural Transformation of Rural Systems //Liu Shouying & Chai Xiaoke

Pathways to Realizing the Value of Ecological Goods through Comprehensive Rural Revitalization // Yang Jing

The Transformation of Mohism and Its Role in Facilitating the Early Chinese Intellectuals’

Reception of Marxism // Wang Gang & Meng Xi

Reevaluating the Primary Stage of Socialism // Xuan Chuanshu & Xu Xiaohan

The Communist Party of China’s Efforts to Tackle the Unique Challenges of a Large Party during the Early Reform and Opening-Up Period // Wang Shanshan & Hou Wei

A Political-Economy Critique of Land Rent Theory in Digital Platforms: Insights from Capital and Related Manuscripts // Wu Jing

The Public-Private Dual Regulation of Private Power in Super Digital Platforms: Centered on the Production of Platform Publicness // Feng Yanlong

Platform Cooperativism and Freedom as Non-Domination in the Gig Economy Tim Christiaens(Translated by Jiang Kun)

Ternary Spatial Dialectics and the Construction of Spatial Embodied Knowledge: A Critical Reading of Henri Lefebvre’s The Production of Space //Zhang Yibing

Gyrgy Lukács’ Methodological Insights and Their Contemporary Relevance //Che Yuling

The Path to Socio-Ecological Transformation: A Critical Review of International “Degrowth Socialism” Debates // Qin Shiya

MAIN ABSTRACTS

Methodology for Advancing the Systematic and Theoretical Development of the Communist Party of China’s Innovative Theories

Chen Jinlong

Advancing the systematic and theoretical development of the Communist Party of China’s innovative theories is not only an inherent necessity but also a pivotal method for advancing theoretical innovation. It constitutes a fundamental responsibility of the Party as a whole. This process is primarily facilitated through three key approaches: a holistic perspective, academic articulation, and systematic comprehension. Specifically, it requires a comprehensive understanding of the formation, structure, characteristics, and significance of the Party’s innovative theories. Furthermore, an in-depth examination and interpretation of these theories must be conducted at multiple levels, including the identification of core concepts, original ideas, fundamental categories, key propositions, essential principles, worldviews, and methodologies. Finally, the Party’s innovative theories should be synthesized and elevated to the level of overarching laws governing Party leadership, socialist development, the evolution of human society, and theoretical innovation within the Party itself. This plays a crucial role in promoting the systematic and theoretical advancement of the Communist Party of China’s innovative theories.

The Distinctive Worldview of Chinese Modernization 

Tian Pengying

In the grand historical trajectory of human modernization, Chinese modernization presents a distinct paradigm that diverges from the Western model, offering an alternative vision of development with profound global significance. The unique worldview embedded in Chinese modernization, along with its pioneering practices, constitutes a major innovation in both the theory and practice of global modernization. This worldview encapsulatesChina’s fundamental philosophical perspectives as it advances along its modernization path. Theoretically, it is rooted in contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism; institutionally, it is underpinned by the theoretical framework of Chinese modernization as developed under the leadership of the Communist Party of China; and philosophically, it is oriented toward addressing critical dialectical relationships in 21st-century modernization—between China and the world, universality and particularity, material and cultural-ethical progress, humanity and nature, as well as openness and autonomy. By navigating and resolving these complex tensions, Chinese modernization offers profound wisdom to humanity at a pivotal civilizational juncture—embracing the world with openness, advancing development with confidence, and steadily progressing toward a new form of human advancement.

Theoretical Foundations, Practical Trajectories, and Future Directions of Comprehensive Reform

He Husheng

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of new ideas, perspectives, and theories on comprehensively deepening reform embody profound theoretical insights into the the fundamental leadership of reform, its scope, and how it serves as a driving force for national development. This framework underscores the imperative of consolidating leadership as the nucleus of reform, thereby ensuring fundamental political guarantees; defining the scope of reform while steadfastly adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and unleashing reform’s momentum to provide inexhaustible impetus for advancing and expandingChina’s modernization trajectory. AsChinacontinues along the path of comprehensive reform, it is essential to persist in freeing the mind and fostering theoretical, practical, and institutional innovation. Moreover, the reform agenda must remain centered on the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity while maintaining a balanced approach between deep-seated structural transformations and high-level openness. This strategic approach reflects a commitment to people-centered development, rigorous scientific methodology, and the overarching goal of strengthening Party self-governance. It encapsulates the Party’s comprehensive synthesis of historical achievements and contemporary experiences in reform, deepens its understanding of the laws governing socialist reform, and pioneers a distinct theoretical paradigm for socialist reform with Chinese characteristics. As such, it serves as a guiding intellectual framework for further deepening reform comprehensively.

A Historical Perspective on Marx’s Theory of Economic Evaluation: A Comparative Analysis of Two Classical Evaluation Theories

Wang Fengming & Qin Yifan

Marx’s theory of economic evaluation offers a distinctive historical perspective, yet its connotation and theoretical attribution have long been misinterpreted within the dichotomous framework of absolutism and relativism. A comparative analysis of Marx’s evaluative approach vis-à-vis these classical theories reveals critical distinctions: Marx establishes a systematic evaluative framework for assessing economic merits and demerits, grounding his analysis in the structural dynamics and governing laws of economic systems—thereby differentiating his approach from absolutist evaluation. Moreover, Marx perceives history as an essential evaluative framework, scrutinizes the internal logical consistency of economic theories, and conditionally adheres to scientific evaluation standards. His approach, centered on the mode of production, critically examines the socio-economic foundations of different economic paradigms, thereby distinguishing itself from relativist evaluation. A deeper exploration of Marx’s evaluative methodology, its core distinctions from classical paradigms, and its internal logical structure not only enriches the study of Marx’s perspective on the history of economic thought but also highlights his significant contributions to the broader discourse on theoretical evaluation.

Digital Technological Innovation and the Structural Transformation of Rural Systems

Liu Shouying & Chai Xiaoke

Rural systems inChinaare undergoing a profound transition from a traditional agrarian society to an integrated urban-rural framework, with digital technologies playing a pivotal role in this transformation. Utilizing the analytical framework of people-land-industry-village relations, this study examines the impact of digital economic development on rural restructuring. Findings indicate that digital technologies facilitate rural-to-urban migration, promote non-agricultural employment, and influence rural residents’ income, consumption patterns, and subjective wellbeing. Additionally, digital technologies revolutionize agricultural practices by serving as tools for production and technological dissemination, thereby driving industrial restructuring and upgrading in rural areas. While digitalization presents new opportunities for rural revitalization, it also reshapes governance models and challenges traditional social structures. To fully harness the transformative potential of digital technologies in rural development, it is imperative to enhance digital literacy among rural populations, promote digitalized land management, integrate digital innovations into agricultural production and industrial operations, and accelerate the digital transformation of rural governance and public services.

Reevaluating the Primary Stage of Socialism 

Xuan Chuanshu & Xu Xiaohan

The historical context and developmental stage of socialism have long constituted fundamental theoretical concerns in the processes of socialist revolution, development, and reform. During the early phase ofChina’s reform and opening up, the Communist Party of China, through systematic rectification, an in-depth analysis of national conditions, and a critical reassessment of socialist development, formulated the theory of the primary stage of socialism. This theoretical foundation provided essential strategic guidance for the development of socialism with Chinese Characteristics. As socialism with Chinese characteristics is in the New Era, embarking on a comprehensive journey toward socialist modernization and the realization of the Second Centenary Goal, the understanding of the primary stage of socialism continues to evolve. A thorough analysis of the theoretical foundations, historical evolution, and practical logic shaping the formation and development of this theory—alongside a deeper understanding of its core principles and a clearer articulation of its relationship with both the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the new stage of development—will enable a more precise assessment of China’s current historical position and mission. This, in turn, will enhance awareness of the necessity of progressing toward the objectives outlined by the fundamental line of the primary stage of socialism, reinforcing the determination and confidence needed to advance national rejuvenation through the path of Chinese modernization.

Ternary Spatial Dialectics and the Construction of Spatial Embodied Knowledge: A Critical Reading of Henri Lefebvre’s The Production of Space

Zhang Yibing

Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the production of space articulates a triadic spatial dialectic, wherein the intricate interplay of spatial practices (the lived), representations of space (the conceived), and representational spaces(the imagined) shapes the spatial field. These three dimensions do not function as isolated or autonomous entities; rather, they dynamically interact to constitute the spatial relational field, each operating through distinct yet interwoven modalities and effects. This triadic spatial dialectic, in turn, gives rise to a parallel triadic schema of embodied cognition: perception, conception, and experience—a structure embedded within subjective logical frameworks. This schema diverges from Lefebvre’s objective spatial dialectic by introducing a second triadic structure, one rooted in the phenomenology of spatial experience rather than merely conceptual abstraction. Unlike the traditional subject-object dualism of pure conceptual constructs, this subjective framework is fundamentally embodied: it situates the human body as the central axis around which spatial cognition unfolds.