The Study On Engels' Democratic Thought In His Later Years

The view of democracy is an important content of Marxism.In the history of Marxist development,Engels' interpretation and creation of democratic theory should not be ignored.Especially in the period after the death of Marx,as a close comrade of Marx,Engels made a a more systematic exposition of Marxist democratic thoughts,put forward many new viewpoints,new propositions and new opinions,formed a more systematic system of Marxist democratic theory,and made his original contribution to the development of Marxist democratic view.This article interprets Engels' democratic thought in his later years from two aspects: one is Engels reaffirmed the democratic thought of his early years;the other is Engels' new development and new contribution to the democratic thought in his later years.In the second half of the 19th century,capitalism ushered in a new golden period,and bourgeois democracy developed rapidly.At the same time,the proletarian desire for democracy is also increasingly strong,these changes urgently require Marxist classical writers to make a new theoretical response to the issue of democracy.Engels stood at the forefront of The Times,elucidated and reiterated some of the democratic thoughts he had discussed with Marx,enriched and developed the marxist democratic view according to the changing reality,and opened up a new realm of marxist democratic thought.This article takes these two aspects as the core proposition,back to the text of Engels in his later years,trace the history of the socialized production situation,reveal the scientific connotation of Engels in his later years.It provides theoretical support for the systematization construction of marxist democratic theory in contemporary China and methodological guidance for the construction of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics.In addition to the introduction,there are seven chapters in this article.The first chapter focuses on the historical background of the generation of Engels' Democratic thought in his elderly years.Engels was in a period of dramatic change in his elderly years.The second scientific and technological revolution brought about the rapid development of capitalism and also highlighted the contradiction between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.The adjustment of the bourgeoisie to its own superstructure has brought about a short period of stable development of capitalism,but at the same time it has also accumulated more power for the socialist revolution.It was in this historical background that Engels took the ancient Greek city-state Democratic thoughts as the source,the modern Western democratic ideas as fertile soil,and the democratic theory formed by him and Marx as the direct source,and creatively develop Marxist democratic ideas.The second chapter focuses on the democracy and its demise.Democracy is a very complex concept.The ambiguity and uncertainty of its content have caused thousands of different interpretations over the centuries.Engels made a detailed discussion on the origin,the revival,the extinction,and the "resurrection" of democracy,based on the concept of Marxist democracy in his elderly years.Engels pointed out that "naturally growing democracy" is the source of human democracy,and Athens democracy is the end of national form of democracy;After going through the weak light of democracy in the "dark era",the political civilization of human being gradually emerged,and democratic politics was revived;Socialist democracy is the highest type of democracy,but it will not exist forever.It will surely die out along with the destruction of the country.But at the same time,democracy is also a form of management.In the communist society in future,democratic management will not die out,but its perfection will also increase.The third chapter discusses democracy and dictatorship.Engels conducted an in-depth study of democracy and dictatorship in his elderly years.On the basis of summarizing the experience of the Paris Commune,Engels discussed that the state power with the dictatorship of the proletariat is a truly democratic state power.He pointed out that class struggle inevitably leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat,the Paris Commune is with the proletarian dictatorship,which is the proletarian democracy.On the basis of profoundly grasping the development and changes of the bourgeois democratic politics,Engels proposed that the democratic republic is a special form of the dictatorship of the proletariat,and discusses in details that the democratic republic is the highest political form of bourgeois ruling,the final form of the state and the present political form of the proletarian ruling.In addition,this chapter also discusses Engels' defense of the dictatorship of the proletariat in the struggle with the left and right opportunists his elderly years,his adhering to the dictatorship of the proletariat in establishing and maintaining the alliance of workers and peasants,and his consolidating the dictatorship of the proletariat in his views and practices of reforming the old society and building a new society.The fourth chapter discusses democracy and the nomocracy.Engels made a concrete exposition of the origin,essence and characteristics of the law in his elderly years.He pointed out that the law is the essential product of the social development in a certain historical stage.It is a bloody tool for the ruling class to suppress and exploit the oppressed class.The development of the law should be adapted to the general economy,and the situation should be harmonious internally.These views of Engels enriched and completed the Marxist view of law.On this basis,Engels criticized the rule of law of the bourgeoisie,profoundly exposed its hypocrisy,narrowness and inherent contradictions;while envisioned the socialist rule of law,expounded the legal view of the proletariat,pointed out that the proletariat class must "represent its own requirements in the form of the law right" and improve the theory of equal relationship between rights and obligations.Engels also discussed the relationship between democracy and the nomocracy from such aspects as the decisive role of the economic basis to the democracy and the nomocracy,the necessity of using law to give universal effect and get democracy.The fifth chapter discusses the modes and strategies of the democratic revolution.In the late nineteenth century,the political,economic,and technological aspects of capitalism have undergone tremendous changes.At the same time,the ranks of the proletariat have grown rapidly and become an important force in the political arena.In the face of new changes,Engels put forward the strategic thought on the legitimacy struggle based on the violent revolution.This is a major development of Marxist strategic thinking.Engels believed that the legitimacy struggle is the sharpest weapon,while emphasizing that the violent revolution is the only gateway to a new society.In Engels,both violent revolutions and legitimacy struggles are strategies of striving for democracy,and these strategies should be constantly changing as the objective historical conditions change.The sixth chapter discusses the idea of inner-party democracy.In the elderly years of Engels,the growth of the proletarian party also brought about many intra-party problems while strengthening the power of the proletariat.Inner-party democracy became a necessity.Engels created the idea of inner-party democracy in response to the needs of historical development.From a historical perspective,he discussed that the organization of the proletarian party itself is completely democratic,reaffirming that the party should adhere to the principles of the Congress and the democratic system,and dialectically put forward the viewpoint of safeguarding the party's discipline and authority.From the perspective of development,it expounds the idea of criticism within the party of the proletarian party.It points out that the differences within the party are "much better than the suffocation." The party must carry out criticism and self-criticism,and the party's publications can crit and discuss.From the perspective of the realistic predicament faced inside and outside the party,the struggle within the party is consistent with the general dialectical development law and must be handled correctly and maintain harmony within the party.Interpretation of attitudes against individual worship from a theoretical and practical perspective.Engels' connection to the inner-party democracy in his elderly years has formed a relatively complete idea of proletarian inner-party democracy and provided theoretical guidance for the establishment and development of the proletarian party.The seventh chapter analyzes Engels' democratic thoughts in his elderly years.Although Engels' s democratic thoughts in his elderly years have suffered various misunderstandings,misinterpretations,and even blows,history is the best testimony.These doubts and attacks cannot conceal the glory of Engels' democratic thoughts in his elderly years,nor can they prevent the vigorous development of Marxism.Engels' democratic thought in his elderly years promoted the development of Marxist theory,demonstrated the theoretical quality of Marxism advancing with the times,and made a unique theoretical contribution to the development of Marxist theory.Engels' s democratic thought in his elderly years is an important part of Marxist thought.It is the weapon of the proletariat to recognize the Western democratic theory and the guide to action for democracy.In the process of building social democratic politic s with Chinese characteristics,the reference significance of Engels' democratic thoughts lies mainly in: based on the national conditions,to promote democratic political construction in a step-by-step manner;to stand on the people's ownership as the master,to uphold the people's democratic dictatorship and the people's congress system;The institutionalization and legalization of democracy;based on the core role of the party's leadership,and actively promote the building of democracy within the party.