The Ideological Theories Of The Second International Left-wing Scholars

Since 1880s, many Second International Left-wing scholars, such as Lafargue, Paul, Merlin, luxembourg,have tried their best to exert basic position, standpoint and methods of Marxism to elaborate theirs'theories of ideology. With actual struggles, they have widely propagandized and safeguarded Marxism, deeply revealing and criticizing the ideological theories of capitalism. Their ideological theories, as an important part in the evolution history of Marxist ideological theories, are one of the sources of Leninism ideological theories and have made great historical contributions to defend the ideological theories of Marxism.Lafargue's criticism on the ideological theories of capitalism is the most typical one compared with the theorists of the Second International. His ideological theories are based on the historical conception of Marxism. His explanation about the essence and function of the religion and criticism on bourgeois religion and morals refract his adroit and sagaciousness. The philosophical basis of Merlin'ideological theories is historical materialism, formulating basic tasks of Marxist ethics and pointing out its status and function in proletarian struggle. He has made great contributions to criticizing various morals of the bourgeoisie and opportunism as well as pioneering a new field of Marxist literary and art criticism. Luxembourg, as an objector and critic against reconcilement, is the most positive and uncompromising in struggling against the ideology of reformism. She reveals the source, essence, social class foundation and ideological content of Bernsteinism, guarding and developping the Marxism fundamentals. The prominent contribution that Luxembourg has made to the International Communism Movement is the staunch struggle against the reformism ideology.The analysis of the ideological theories by the Second International Left-wing scholars should be divided into two aspects. Their contributions are great which generally incorporate Marxism and retain the essence with the basic Marxism standpoint. Meanwhile, there are weakness and deficiencies in their theories, that is, the incomplete comprehension towards Marxism essence and the oversimplified and superficial tendency in applying the Marxism fundamentals. They explain hierarchically the Marxism fundamentals rather than respond actively in theory to the continuous generated new situations.The ideological theories by the Second International Left-wing scholars play an indispensable role in the ideological construction of socialism countries. The transitional and transforming aspects of the eras that they lived in resemble surprisingly with those of the contemporary China. Through reinspecting the heritages of the ideological theories by the Second International Left-wing scholars, their theories are found for having provided many important thoughts for the conformation and development of the sinicized ideological theories. The ideological construction of socialism in China should learn from the ups and downs of Second International on the basis of comprehensive arrangement, accurate mastery and critical adaptation, unearthing their enlightening significance on the ideological construction in China and reflecting on the positive effects on the ideological construction of socialism countries, for evading a recapitulation of Marxism marginalization in the period of Second International.