On Horvat’s Theory Of Social Form

The research topic of this dissertation is the theory of social form which is putforward in The Political Economy of Socialism: A Marxist Social Theory，which ismagnum opus of Branko Horvat, a former Yugoslav Marxist. With the background ofsocial reality in Horvat’s time and based on his logical path in the book，thisdissertation includes three main parts:Firstly, the critique of capitalism and etatism. This part following consists of threeaspects:political aspect including the history and current situation of the capitalisticpolitical system, and the political system, conscious structure, organization model andits crisis; economic aspect including the history of the capitalistic economic system，organization model and its efficiency, and the efficiency of economic model ofEtatism which is isomorphic with its political organization model; and global aspectincluding the social stratification of capitalism and Etatism, and their philosophicalalienation and reification.Secondly, the theory of construction of autonomous socialism. This part includesthe theory of transition and the constructive theory of autonomous socialism. Theformer contains the analysis of the new working class als the subject oftransition,and general moment, strategy and concrete approaches. The latter containsthe argumentation in value for socialism, and analysises about organization model andpolitical-economic system of autonomous socialism.Lastly, analysises of significance and limitations of Horvat’s theory of social form.As for its significance, this theory contributes to reflection on the historicaldeterminism, offers a new view for the critique of capitalism, summarizes the lessonof soviet eastern, and the blueprint of future ideal society is worthy for buildingsocialism with Chinese characteristics. in terms of limitations: his concept of labor isblurry; his distinction between capitalism and etatism is general; he does not explainthe relationship between necessity of socialism and regularity of change of socialform...