On Li Dazhao’s View Of Marxism And Its Theoretical Effects

In1919, Li Dazhao published “My View on Marxism” on New Youth, which marked theformation of his Marxism conception. The conception was not only related with his experience andeducation, but also closely connected with the social situation and the background. This paper will have anoverall analysis of the reasons for the formation and influence of Li’s Marxism conception, its transmissionand practice in China.Li Dazhao was not only the first Chinese Marxist, the first one to promote Marxism in China, butalso one of the founders of the Communist Party of China, and the great pioneer of the Chinese communistmovement. During his youth days, he has been engaged in fighting for the libration and livings of Chinesepeople. It was the victory of the Russian October Revolution sent light to Li, he saw the right guidance ofMarxism to the proletariat all over the world. With the guidance, Li soon accepted Marxism, and constantlyintroduce it to others. After Russian October Revolution, Li started propagating Marxism actively. In orderto defend for Marxism, Li strongly argued and fought with Anti-Marxists, Bourgeois Reformists, such asHu Shi. Li Dazhao played an important role in China’s Proletarian Movement and Liberation Revolution.Li was the first person who held highly the banner of Marxism, and also the first one whopropagated and applied Marxism in China. The most fundamental difference between Li and otheradvanced intellectuals reflected in ideology and practice. With Marxism, he firstly led the May FourthMovement, organized the Labor Movement, which greatly promoted the union of Marxism and labors’movement, and the development of Chinese Proletarian Revolution. Although there weremisunderstandings in his early thoughts, he was able to constantly study and correct his thoughts; finally he got a new understanding and conception of Marxism. Under his guidance and leadership, he found theCommunist Party of China. The process Li accepted Marxism was affected by both subjective andobjective factors.From a bourgeois democrat to a Marxist communist, Li’s thought was not formed in a short time.Before Russian October Revolution, Li has published numerous papers to refute government, calling onpeople to fight with feudal forces, and the youth to constantly make progress themselves. However, withlimited historical condition, Li couldn’t completely get rid of bourgeois and democratic ideology, his viewwas vague and without profound understanding. Russian October Revolution is the turning and key pointduring the formation of his Marxism conception, and there was differences between his former perceptualthoughts and the mature rational views. Due to the lack of knowledge of the residual effects of the earlybourgeois ideological system, coupled with the incorrect explanation of the scientific literature on Marxisttheory, both of the factors had great influence over his understanding of Marxism, and led him to commitobvious wrongdoings during his understanding and use of Marxism. However, with the revolutionarypractice and theory developed, Li started looking for the meeting point of Marxism and Chinese situation,improved himself in the field of revolution and theory. Finally, he corrected his early thoughts, basicallybroke with bourgeois ideology.Mao Zedong Thought is the first theory achievement of Marxism’s transmission in China. Mao’stheory origins from Li Dazhao, and closely connected with Li’s guidance during its formation. AlthoughMarxism’s transmission was originally proposed by Mao, it was founded by Li Dazhao, who createdMarxism in China. During Marxism’s transmission in China, Li was the first who took the task andpromoted the transmission. Li Dazhao was the founder and practitioner of Marxism in China, and madegreat contribution to its formation and transmission.