History And Liberty

Liberty issue is usually considered to be the one with human existence. To beexact, it is only an issue since modern times. The reason lies in our concern aboutliberty issue, which derives from the establishment of human subjectivity. Before it,man has never occupied the status of the subject, and can not become yardstick ofeverything, either. To compare with the subject, man does not have liberty issue,which is very outstanding in Middle Ages. Only after man is established as the subject,can liberty be imagined as a basic attribute. If liberty is realized, it becomes a centerof human thoughts. Based on this point, liberty should result from a modern society.According to Habermas'theory, the essence of modernity is subjectivity. Then thephilosophical foundation of liberty view of modernity is subject metaphysics. On thefoundation of such metaphysics, we can analyze the inherent defect of liberty view ofmodernity. Through the concern about man's practical activities, Marx has opened anew mode of thinking, namely, the mode of thinking from the perspective of practice.This mode of thinking has carried on the criticism in theory to traditional metaphysicsincluding subject metaphysics. Therefore, Marx has put forward new understanding tothe connotation and design of liberty while improving in philosophy. In understandingliberty, Marx, on the one hand, adhered to some legal factors of the liberty view ofmodernity, emphasizing the importance to man; on the other hand, he has evencriticized those abstract factors and unreal factors in the liberty view of modernity,which makes liberty even more realistic. The reason why Marx can accomplish it isthat he understands and investigates liberty in human historical and practical activities.Therefore, we think that Marx has proposed a historical liberty view which is notmerely inherent in our life and practice, more in history, which has dispelled someinherent defects of liberty view of modernity, making liberty closer and more tangiblein relation with man in new social practice. Therefore, the paper is to probe mainly inaccordance with the inherent problematic importance. Through analyzing and combing the inherent defects existing in liberty view of modernity to highlight Marx'schange of liberty issue, making Marx's liberty view to guide our practice better andconnecting the realization of liberty closely with the improvement of man's existence.The paper will realize the theoretical task presumed through the argumentation ofthe following chapters.Chapter One: The highlight of liberty issue and the rise of modernity. Libertyissue is highlighted explicitly with Enlightenment in modern times. Enlightenmenthas broken through the survival condition of religious dissimilation in the Middle Age,opening up the age of"modernity". From Rousseau's"Social Contract Theory"toKant's"Moral Metaphysics", then to Hegel's"Law Philosophy Principles",philosophers have explored diversified human liberty paths. Basically, three meaningsare included in Modernity: first, human's independence; second, the thinking mode ofmetaphysical ontology; third, the pursuit of establishing an ultimate and perfect socialsystem.Chapter Two: Kant's contribution of liberty view and his dilemma. Kant hasopened up the liberty view of modernity. This is Kant's historical contribution ofliberty view. The dilemma also exists in Kant's liberty view, including two partsspecifically; first, the subjective moral liberty in the moral metaphysics; second,"God's Nation"proposed on the basis of"World Citizen"in the realistic level.Generally speaking, Kant's liberty view still pauses in the presupposed moral andreligious theory. Therefore, it has the intense subjective color and the abstracthumanitarian principle.Chapter Three: Hegel's liberty view and his victory over Kant's dilemma ofliberty view. Hegel's liberty view is logically based on self-movement of absolutespirit. To Hegel, liberty is first"absolute spiritual"liberty, but not"human"liberty.Hegel's ethic liberty has overcome Kant's free subjectivity of abstract moral liberty,entering the historical objectivity. Hegel regards history as a link of an absolutespiritual liberty. Thus, his liberty view is still the historicity of reflective significance,but not realistic historicity.Chapter Four: The fundamental contents and principles of Marx's historical liberty view. Four processes are included in Marx's liberty view: natural liberty, workliberty, generic essence liberty and historical liberty. The so-called historical liberty isin its first dimension the individual perceptual liberty. Next, historical liberty isfulfilled through the sublation of private property. Finally, historical liberty is nottheoretical or rational liberty in morality or ethics, but the practical and rational libertyin the social relations. The first principle of historical liberty is"generic essence"principle, from which the inevitability of communism has been promoted. Thesublation of private property is the inevitability of liberty which is explained witheconomic rules. Finally, historical liberty view is shown in"social relations",constituting the change of human society pattern. This is the social developmentprinciple of historical liberty view.Chapter Five: The sublation of Marx's historical liberty view to modernity. On theissue of liberty view, Marx has sublated modernity. On the one hand, Marx hascriticized the abstract humanitarian liberty view of German classical philosophyrepresented by Hegel, bringing inherent problem into realistic history; on the otherhand, Marx still puts forward an ideal ultimate care for the human society, which isstill marked with the mode of thinking of metaphysical ontology, not having got rid ofthe fetters of modernity completely. And then, the rise of modern philosophy has putforward the new thinking for mankind to explore liberty issues...