World Marxist Review Interview with Wang Weiguang: Five Major Contributions of Leninism to Marxism
As we are marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great leader of the proletariat, Vladimir Lenin we will discuss the outstanding theoretical contributions that Lenin made in the development of Marxism mainly include the following:
The first is the theory of the essential characteristics of the era: the era of imperialism and proletarian revolution. The second is the theory of the state, proletarian dictatorship and the new type of proletarian democracy. The third is the theory of the new type of proletarian political party. The fourth is the theory of the New Economic Policy and socialist construction. The fifth concerns the innovation and development of the philosophy of Marxism.
About the Author: Wang Weiguang, professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, tenured professor at Nankai University. His research has focused mainly on Marxist philosophy and the basic theories of Marxism, the sinicization of Marxism and theoretical innovation. He has published more than 30 academic books, including On Social Contradiction, On Interests, Basic Issues in the Scientific Outlook on Development, Basic Issues in the Theory of a Harmonious Socialist Society, and others. He has also edited a number of works and published more than 400 papers in major newspapers and periodicals.
Marxism-Leninism is a scientific and closely-integrated theoretical system and has always been the guiding ideology of our Party
Interviewer: Hello, Professor Wang! This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great leader of the proletariat, Vladimir Lenin. Th e journal Studies in Marxism has already published a number of articles in memory of Lenin, and what do you think is the best way to commemorate Lenin further?
Wang Weiguang: I believe that the best way to commemorate Lenin is to adhere to and develop Leninism. Interviewer: Th is is quite a large issue. Let us discuss it in detail and combine with China’s actual situation. Wang Weiguang: It was under the infl uence of the October Socialist Revolution in Russia and under the education of Leninism that the Chinese Communists accepted and mastered Marxism, summarized the revolutionary experience in Russia, and applied Marxism in light of China’s specifi c conditions. This is true of the success of China’s new-democratic revolution and socialist revolution, and it is also true of the success of China’s socialist construction and reform and opening-up. Comrade Mao Zedong, on behalf of the Communist Party of China, declared resolutely:
“Th e theoretical basis guiding our thought is Marxism-Leninism” (Pang et al. 2013, 283). The Chinese Communists have taken Marxism as their banner and theoretical guide, always taking Marxism and Leninism as a complete ideological system and the sharpest ideological weapon to guide China’s practice. All the theories and practices of the Communist Party of China show that Marxism and Leninism are inseparable, and Marxism-Leninism is a complete, systematic and scientific theoretical system. It is precisely because of the guidance of Marxism-Leninism that the Communist Party of China has been able to lead the Chinese people to many great victories in the century-long historical processes of China’s revolution, construction, and reform. To adhere to and develop Marxism, we must adhere to and develop Leninism, and we must always regard Marxism-Leninism as our Party’s unshakable guiding ideology. This is the fundamental experience of our Party.
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