A Study On The Relationship Between Marx’s Political Philosophy And Classical Liberalism From Multidimensional Perspective

Confronted with the steering political philosophy in the field of philosophy, as well as the significance of valuable and normative issues arising in contemporary Chinese society practice. There is necessity to identify the political philosophy dimension of Marx’s thought and construct Marxist political philosophy suitable for the contemporary Chinese reality.Marx’s political philosophy emerged in early capitalist society. Marx’s political philosophy originated from dialectical critics of classical liberalism in early capitalist ideology. The clarification of its theoretical relationship to classical liberalism will be helpful for grasping an accurate understanding of the implications of Marxist political philosophy and classical liberalism it will also become theory support for precise evaluation of Liberalism political thoughts today. And current interpretations cannot reflect the panorama of its relationship to classical liberalism. In accordance to historical materialism methodology, the present papers retrospect previous texts of Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism, and demonstrate that there is multi-dimensional relationship between the Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism, which is affirmative and critical and supreme. Confirming classical liberalism is theoretical premise when Marx’s political philosophy transcends classical liberalism finally. Criticism to classical liberalism is the key point when Marx’s political philosophy transcends it finally. The transcendence of classical liberalism reveals the specific theoretical purport of Marx’s political philosophy. The thesis will be discussed in the following four parts.The first part discusses the positive dimension of the relationship between Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism, namely theory construction and historical rationality of classical liberalism. Classical liberalism is the ideology of early capitalism, which has revolutionary significance in the development of modern Western history. With the doctrine of natural rights and social contract theory being a theoretical weapon, it criticized feudal autocratic social and political system before western capitalist society, while generating the idea of liberty and equality in the theoretical framework of civil society, and breaking the feudal autocratic state apparatus to establish bourgeois representative democracy. Under the guidance of the classical liberalism, bourgeoisie launched a revolutionary practice aiming at political emancipation. Marx put a premium on the historical rationality of political liberation. He believed that political liberation is the progressive movement pointing to reality. He affirmed the progressive significance as a liberal society based on civil society, and specified instrumentalist view of state of liberalism correctly reflected the social reality that civil society determines the state.The second part discusses the critical dimension of the relationship between Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism. This part reveals the historical limitations of classical liberalism. Marx criticized the liberal political values’form, freedom and equality. Marx pointed out that its freedom and equality limited within the framework of civil society, while ignoring the people’s inability and facto inequality. Limitations of justice that political liberalism preached are also here. Marx pointed out the limits of political emancipation question and he did not consider that political liberation eliminate the alienation of human which may cause the duality of man and the opposition between civil society and the state. Civil society as the basis of liberalism, due to limited self-interest of people and the rights of property as an asset insistence, unable to overcome the problems that the conflicts between civil society and the state.The third part discusses the transcend dimension of the relationship between Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism. It explained that the value demands of Marx’s political philosophy and the ideal social picture and practical approach. Marx’s political philosophy pursues social justice, which beyond the limits of civil society. The demands of justice require breaking unequal relations of ownership, which valued the ability of human freedom and freedom for everyone’s values, pursue human liberation as its ultimate goal. Route of human liberation lies in proletarian revolution, through the gradual elimination of private ownership and distribution relations and ultimately demise state and social return, to establish a Commonwealth of free people, to achieve free and comprehensive development.The fourth part discusses the contemporary enlightenment of multidimensional relationship between Marx’s political philosophy and classical liberalism. At first, Marx’s political philosophy should be made for individual rights, the values of freedom and equality to start active dialogue with liberalism under critical conditions. Secondly, socialist core values of freedom and equality to be taking into account the ideal and reality from two dimensions, so as to reflect both the value of the ultimate goal of Marxist political philosophy, but also to respond to the demands of the reality of Socialist Practice in contemporary China. At last, we should construct Marxist ideology discourse right based on summing up historical experience and innovating the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Thus, it can achieve beyond liberalism.