System And Path Dependence

Against the backdrop of a worldwide system shift,comprehension of the very existence and orientation of socialist economic system and a more convincible answer to such questions as its inevitable origination,existence rationality and promising reformation,does not consist in a purely theoretical argumentation and abstract conceptualization,but in a thorough examination and analysis of the historical path of socialist construction and practice by a variety of analytical tools and from multiple perspectives.Guided by the Marxist theory of system and taking as an analytical tool Douglas North's theory of path dependence,this dissertation dwells on the proposition that "the socialist economic system is mainly an issue of path dependence concerning the ownership system and related macroeconomic system".Based on an examination of the existing environment and social conditions of socialist economic system transformation,the paper demonstrates the path dependence features of socialist economic system in its historical development and under its current realities,and thus reveals it rational existence and promising reformation.Since the socialist economic system is broad in denotation and rich in connotation,the research is limited to cover merely the ownership system and related macroeconomic system.It mainly discusses the theory and practice directly relevant to the Chinese system arrangement.In the meanwhile,because the demonstration of ownership system and its related system is,as stipulated by both the Marxist theoretical foundations and North's analytical tool,determined by the interdependence and interaction of state system and ideological system,an interactive framework of argumentation is formulated to give priority to the proposition that "the socialist economic system is mainly an issue of path dependence concerning the ownership system and its related macroeconomic system",and to center on the role of state and ideology in formulating the path dependence of a socialist economic system and the interactive mechanism involved.By placing the system studies in the center of economy history,Douglas North lays bare the path dependence features in a combination of history and reality.In the circle of China's theoretical studies, the great interest in North's theory of path dependence reflects in essence a demand on China's system reform among the scholars.And the ever increasing influence in China of North's theory of system shift reflects the need for a breakthrough in reform theory and a new theoretical tool to explore China's system reform.The path dependence theory,including its theoretical framework,research method,and analytical tool,is very powerful in interpreting the issues facing China's system reform during the period of system shift and enjoys significant practical values.The key to the extension in this dissertation of the analytical method of path dependence theory to the studies on scientific socialism lies in that this analytical method is inherently consistent with the socialist economic system reformation.Striking on the core of economic system reform,the method commands the arrangement of future path orientation for a system by inheriting what remains in the past economic system development in both theory and practice,inspires us to make a historically authentic expatiation on preconditions for the socialist economic system,to analyze its theoretical origination and epochal characteristics,and to pursue its path dependence trace by placing the socialist economic system in a certain system environment and historical existence,for only with a realization of the influence of historical existence on a current system can enough attention be paid to other system conditions for an economic system shift and a fully convincing interpretation given to the rationality of the currently practiced socialist system arrangement.Epistemologically,the introduction of path dependence theory into scientific socialism requires the solution of questions in the following aspects.First,there lacks in literature a satisfactory systematic analysis of the path dependence methodology and its working mechanism,though the path dependence is a commonly used category.Second,there are more studies on path dependence from the technical side of microeconomics than on a comprehensive theoretical level,and no previous literature is found to extend the path dependence theory into the studies on scientific socialism.The third question is that more attention is given to comparing Marxist system theory with North's system theory than to combining the two.Aimed at offering more reasonable solutions to the above three questions,this paper exhibits the guiding role of Marxist system theory,excavates and tidies up the epistemological values of path dependence theory,and formulates the theoretical foundation of and analytical tool for the argument by combing the two.Adherence to the theoretical guiding role of Marxist system is made consistent with the adoption of path dependence analytical tool.To fix the research perspective and lay the epistemological foundation,the author employs four research methods,that is,a combination of argumentation and history,a combination of the macroscopic and the microscopic research,a combination of China and foreign countries,and a combination of theory and practice,with emphasis all on the latter.The path dependence features exhibited in a system determine the historical binding on the choice of reform path.Thus studies on the path dependence of socialist economic system first of all demand a review of historical materials and a reflection on history.By examining the historical trace of path dependence formed in the socialist economic system reformation,the paper demonstrates both the positive and negative effects of path dependence in different historical periods,sums up those effects produced by the forerunners' propositions and practice concerning China's socialist economic system arrangement,discusses the role of state system and ideological system in forming the economic system path dependence,and analyzes the causes for and the actual different choices made by China and former Soviet Union in a basically similar objective historical environment when both countries border on the exhaustion of planning system potentials and path locking.However,Russia, denying its historical achievements,finally implements the government-controlled radical system shift and adopts the capitalist market economic system,whereas China,following the law of path dependence and paying respects to historical achievements,implements the government-guided double-flow system shift and adopts the socialist market economic system.Studies here show that the proposition about socialist system made by Marx and Engels is a logical integration of system ideology and representation in the conception of practice.This proposition has exerted its influence of an initial system in the path dependence of socialist economic system reformation.The traditional practical socialist economic system arrangements initiated by Lenin is deeply rooted in the proposition by Marx and Engels,but in practice the system ideology and representation are separated. The new arrangements in China's socialist economic system since the reform and opening to the outside world has ensured the combination of the ideology of socialist system with its representation in practice that conforms to the development of productivity at a certain period of time.In practical dimension the system ideology and representation is reunified and the negation of negation process lays a historical foundation for our comprehension of the new socialist economic arrangements.The path dependence that characterizes a system determines the current concern for the honor and prospect of a socialist economic system.To reveal how China can further break the path locking and form a favorable path dependence,to construct the theoretical and practical foundation of a new socialist economic system,we must rationally conceive both positive and negative effects of the theoretical socialism system conception and objectively examine the advantages and disadvantages of the new system arrangements.And on the basis of this,we must offer a constructive path selection for China to break the path locking and to construct a future system.Viewed from the strategic path,we must grasp the principle of human dimension to solve the problem of rationality as concerns the economic system arrangement,to master the principle of constructive coordination to solve the problem of legality as concerns the economic system arrangement,to master the principle of coordinative efficiency to solve the problem of reality as concerns the economic system arrangement. Among all these,the rationality requires the support of legality and reality to show its value,the legality and realty requires the value concept from the rationality to acquire its force,and finally all three must be united to form a favorable path dependence.Viewed from the policy path,we still need to grasp the theme and orientation of economic development and social change,and stick to the government-guided double-flow system shift.Firstly,the ownership system and related system arrangements must be performance-oriented.The understanding of ownership system must be deepened and it is necessary to separate the ownership system from the fundamental system,to nail it down to an issue of ways and means.Certainly this does not mean to support the conclusion that the private ownership is the most efficient.To realize the socialist goal of common wealth,the public ownership is still the best.We need to start with the development of national economy,focus on the adjustment of ownership structure,and further explore the existing forms and realization ways of public ownership.Secondly,by adhering to the state role of steering,we elaborate the proper role of state in forming the favorable path dependence of an economic system;and we propose the concept of "system government" to elaborate the appropriate role of a system government in ownership system adjustment and related system arrangement.Thirdly,by adhering to the tolerate orientation role of ideology,we demonstrate how the forming of favorable path dependence of the economic system arrangement can obtain a rational and natural support from the ideology and the shift of ideological system renovation from rigidity to tolerance,laying emphasis on the guiding value and capital value of ideology exhibited in the ownership system structure adjustment and related system arrangement.The main route of developing socialist economic system lies in pursuing such values as equity and justice,common wealth and human development.And it is just where the socialist economic system is solidly founded upon and its power comes from in adverse conditions.Moreover,there is no fixed transcendental developing mode for the development of socialist economic system.The unique socialist system of market economy reaches a combination of paradigm shift and development,so there lies in its uniqueness an universal value.When it becomes an experience borrowed by other states,the system shift in fact makes the socialist system more reverent and brings an opportunity for its own regeneration.We are proud of the economic and social achievements resulting from the successful system shift in China and gladdened at the regeneration of a socialist system with Chinese characteristics,but we must remind ourselves that there are still much to be desired in the process of reaching an integration of the system ideology and representation in the practical dimension,in the process of establishing a favorable interaction between ownership system and related system and state system and ideology,and in the process of forming a favorable excellent path dependence.