Analyzing Marxism And The Problem Of Modernity

Modernity emerges from the trend of postmodernism, such a trend of which originates in 60s of the 20th century and criticizes the political, economical and cultural aspects of modernity. Because the modernized question exists in every aspect of modern life, it shows up multi-sidedness, complexity and the uncertainty. This essay firstly discusses the notion of "modernity", and analyses and compares the different understanding of "modernity" from the post-modernist, regarding that "modernity" is the openness for the extent cultural category. It not only is theoretical, but also practical; not only factual, but also valuable; not only certain, but also moving, so it is very hard for us to define it from certain stage. Generally speaking, "modernity" indicates the basic rule and historical time of capitalism from the renaissance, especially -enlightenment. From the internal part, it is a form and living character of society marked by enlightenment ideologically, by French revolution politically, and free market economically. It has three basic characters: 1. the renaissance centered on rationalization. 2. the "charming" course of conventionalizing. 3. the certainty of man's subjective position. The western modernity has greatly promoted the development of human society. But because of the self-limitation, it gradually gets trapped in the cries, and results in the criticism of post-modernists. About the question of modernity, the post-modernists center on the criticism of enlightenment, the non-narration, and the way of western thought.Marxism and modernity has close relationship, and maxis firstly master and get the overall insight of the modernity of the western society. As the son of the enlightenment and the modernity, matrix praise and fully affirm the historical function of modernity. As the critics of the modernity, he reveals the crises and difficult position. Matrix not only satisfies the critics of the surface of the modern cries of the western society, but also deeply and essentially finds out the source for this crisis. According to the overallanalysis of the capitalist society, his social critics theory rise from the abstract moral value to the scientific political sentence, and get into the careful empirical analysis, so that it becomes the deep thought system of the social cruises. Marxism's critics of the modernity are for transcendence, and it is confident for the future society. Marxism's critics theory and its spirit has great influence for the development of post-modernity, and the post-modernists' critics for the modernity, in some respect, can be said that it is the lasting of Marxism's thought. But Marxism and post-modernity have the essential difference. Marxism also give positive side as well as its critics, and purchases the ultimate transcendence, so it is dialectical; but post-modernists just purchase the pure deconstructions and damage, and totally deny the enlightenment spirit, finally going to the opposition of rationalism. This decides that it is not social thought that has broadly developed future, so we should have dialectical manner.What does Marxism's modern value or its modern question play in Chinese modernity construction and modem development? This essay supposes that although Chinese modernity is influenced by the west and has the similarity, it still has great difference. The most important thing is Marxism' shaping function in the development of Chinese modernity, and its guiding function. Marxism's confirm and critics has greatly important rule and guiding meaning in modern China. It is because that the development situation of modern society moves from the question register for Marxism, and Marxism has the theoretical character of development with time. As long as we use the scientific attitude of development-with-time to tread Marxism, it can be living all the time, and show out the modern value in the construction of Chinese society.