Li Da And Marxist Philosophy In China

"Scholars of Marxism will be in Nick Knight's debt for this pioneering study of one of the most important figures in the development of Marxism in China. Knight makes an important case about the relationship of Chinese Marxist thought to Marxist thought in general (with particular attention to Soviet Marxism). The book makes available to readers not just important texts of Chinese Marxism, but a whole series of texts of Marxism that were crucial to the political discourse of the thirties. Knight displays impressive erudition and command of these texts. In spite of the strong case he makes for his thesis, he retains throughout an admirable critical self-awareness that enhances the plausibility of his argument." —Arif DirlikDuke University

This book recounts the history of Marxist philosophy in China between 1923 and 1945 through the writings and activities of four philosophers: Qu Qiubai, Ai Siqi, Li Da and Mao Zedong. Two of these philosophers – Qu and Mao – were also political activists and leaders, but their contribution to this history is as important, if not more so, than the contribution of Ai and Li who were predominantly philosophers and scholars. The inclusion of Qu and Mao underlines the intimate connection between philosophy and politics in the revolutionary movement in China. It is not possible to speak credibly of Marxist philosophy in China without considering the political context within which its introduction, elaboration and dissemination proceeded. Indeed, each of the philosophers considered in this book repudiated the notion that the study of philosophy was a scholastic intellectual exercise devoid of political significance. Each of these philosophers regarded himself as a revolutionary, and considered philosophy to be useful precisely because it could facilitate a comprehension of the world and so accelerate efforts to change it. By the same token, each of these philosophers took philosophy seriously; each bent his mind to the daunting task of mastering the arcane and labyrinthian philosophical system of dialectical materialism. Philosophy might well be political, they believed, but this was no excuse for philosophical dilettantism.

No detailed description available for "Li Ta-Chao and the Impact of Marxism on Modern Chinese Thinking".

Liu, who is identified only as a professor, examines how other Western philosophical ideas besides Marxism are being studied in China. He covers the modern, contemporary, and postmodern; the humanistic trend and pragmatism; studies on western philosophy, and philosophy and modernization. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

From a Marxist philosophical perspective, this collection of essays investigates the maturing self-consciousness and self-assertion of Chinese academia, especially within the humanities and social sciences, permitting more penetrating insights and critical engagement with the social reality of China. The author elaborates on the relationship between Hegel and Marx’s philosophy and their concepts of reality, thereby accounting for the historic and philosophical conditions for the autonomy of Chinese academia. Drawing on intellectual resources from both Eastern and Western archives, including phenomenology, philosophical hermeneutics, Western Marxism, and China’s pacifist tradition, the book refutes Huntington’s speculation about Chinese imperialism and delineates how China’s development can contribute to a fundamental critique of capitalist civilisation and a new paradigm of global governance. In addition, the book challenges the thinking of Chinese neo-liberals and nationalist-conservatives and their understandings of the history and social reality of China. Hence, the author advocates a reconstruction of the spiritual and intellectual realm within society based on Marxism, in order to counter Sinophobia, neo-liberalism, and nationalism at the same time. The book will appeal to readers interested in social and political philosophy, philosophy of history, Marxism, and China studies.

New and annotated translations of philosophical essays written by Mao Zedong in 1937, which have come to be regarded as a cornerstone in the development of Chinese Marxism. The editor analyzes their textual, philosophical and historical significance.

A Stanford University Press classic.