A Study Of T. H. Marshall’s Citizenship Theory In A View Of The Equality Theory Of Karl Marx

In the early 20th century, with the development of political and economic structure of the capitalism society, UK has produced Thomas Humphrey Marshall’s citizenship theory, having a great influence on western contemporary equality theory. Thomas Humphrey Marshall’s pioneered the basic framework of citizenship power structure research, constructing a complex social welfare state. From individuality, Marshall weakened the inequality of social class by the equal principle of the citizenship, set the individual rights of equality as the goal of realizing the social equality, and pursued the individuality of equality of having rights. As there being theoretical construction of eliminating class unequal and real guide of pursuing real equality in his citizenship theory, has offered important theoretical reference to Marx’s concept of equality.According to the realistic dimensionality of liberation of mankind, Marx pursues the ultimate equality of mankind in the communist complex. He injects the personal equality into the whole society, where the development of social productivity is the objective basis, the change of social production relationship is the method and approach, the progress of the historical civilization is the trend and direction, and the communist consortium is the equal ultimate completion, and the comprehensive free development of everyone is the ultimate purpose of equal reality.From the point of the vision of Marx’s concept of equality, Marshall plays the citizenship theoretical system to analyze the relationship of class and equality, starts from "economic order" to determine the formation of social class, considering that economic inequality between social class is the main reason for the inequality of capitalism society. At the same time, it is a realistic criticism to capitalism, delivering the Marx’s concept of equality with the development of times to some extent. However, Marshall advocated that reconcile the social class inequality through the citizenship of "fulfillments of rights", reduce the economic gap between classes to a reasonable range, and realize the equality of individual living security, which deviates from the principle of Marx’s concept of equality. Therefore, Marshall is standing on the perspective of individual rights to achieve social equal rights of the individual, which bounds to have theoretical one-sidedness and practical limitations. As to see that the value of Marx’s concept of equality is universality, reality, historicality, and humanity, Marshall’s citizenship theoretical system does not beyond the Marx’s theory horizon. At the present stage our country is in a critical period of social deepening reform. We should absorb the rational factors in Marshall’s citizenship theory, as well as stick to the basic principles and fundamental standpoint of Marx’s concept of equality thoughts.