Author: Cui Xiao, Ph.D. candidate of Communication Institute of Communication University of China and part-time researcher of Media and Public Affairs Institute.
Marxism has provided a powerful ideological weapon for China’s revolution, construction and reform. At the same time, the proposition of China Marxism has been advancing with the times. As the practice of Marxism in China in specific scientific, the concept of community of human destiny is an innovation in adhering to Marxism in China.
1. The deep cultural connotation of the concept of community of human destiny.
The concept of the community of human destiny is extremely rich in connotation, and its core is to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, tolerance, cleanliness and beauty as pointed out in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Accordingly, we need to interpret its deep connotation from five aspects: politics, security, economy, culture and ecology. What needs to be clear is that these five levels are not separated from each other, but permeated with each other, and their relationship is like an intertwined five rings, blending with each other in connotation (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Deep cultural connotation of the concept of community of human destiny
1.1 Political level
The first is the way to get along with each other with mutual respect. "Love, people love; Those who respect others will always respect them. " The concept of the community of human destiny emphasizes mutual respect and equal consultation, resolutely abandons the cold war mentality and power politics, and takes a new path of state-to-state exchanges of dialogue without confrontation and partnership without alignment. This kind of advocacy is a way to get along with each other based on the objective facts of the international community. In the context of increasingly frequent international exchanges, political mutual respect is the premise and foundation for cooperation between countries.
The second is the development path of win-win cooperation. "if you want to stand up and stand up, you want to reach people." "Everyone gathers firewood and the flame is high." Win-win cooperation is one of the ideological sources of "the community of human destiny", and it is also a link between ancient and modern China’s traditional cultural concepts. Under the background of deepening globalization, win-win cooperation is the direction and goal of cooperation between countries.
1.2 Security level
The first is the principle of coordination to turn hostilities into friendship. "Being in harmony with others means being happy; He who is in harmony with heaven is called heavenly joy. " China is a civilized body advocating stability, and "harmony is the most important thing" is the national spirit of Chinese. Resolving disputes through dialogue and resolving differences through consultation embodies the cultural concept of "turning hostilities into friendship".
The second is the global vision of Concord Wanbang. "the trip to the avenue, the world is public." This ancient concept of "harmony" is integrated into the concept of the community of human destiny, guiding cooperation and exchanges between countries with new values of the times. Driven by information technology, the connotation of "global security" has been changing all the time, but one thing has never changed, that is, the deepening interests of human beings are blended and shared. The narrow view of national interests of egoism and populism is untenable, and the common security concept of one glory and one loss can stand the test.
1.3 Economic level
The first is an open and inclusive development tolerance. Opening to the outside world is the basic national policy of China, and only in an open environment can it develop better. This development bearing of China’s leading by example is the self-confidence and calmness of "doing what you can’t do against yourself", and it also reflects the profound understanding of the material foundation needed to build a community of human destiny.
The second is the balanced development and cultivation of universal benefits. For the progress of human civilization, development is the first priority. For development, the balanced distribution of social resources and the balanced production of social wealth are the key to solving social poverty. The pursuit of balanced development and self-cultivation of universal benefits embodies the way of governing the country and ensuring peace in China culture of "not suffering from poverty but suffering from inequality".
1.4 Cultural level
One is the philosophical wisdom of harmony but difference. Philosophy is the culture of thought. As a cultural representation, the concept of the community of human destiny also contains the philosophical wisdom contained in this culture. This kind of philosophical wisdom is embodied in the dialectical thought of "all things are bred without harming each other, and the Tao is parallel without contradicting each other" and the natural Tao of "the terrain is vast, and the gentleman carries things with virtue".
The second is the concept of prosperity between the United States and the United States. "A single flower is not spring, but a hundred flowers bloom in spring.". Advocating the concept of "respecting the diversity of world civilizations, transcending the barriers of civilizations through civilized exchanges, transcending the conflict of civilizations, and transcending the superiority of civilizations through coexistence of civilizations" is full of the prosperity concept of beauty and beauty.
1.5 Ecological level
The first is the ecological wisdom of harmony between man and nature. Tao Te Ching puts forward that "man should follow the earth, the earth should follow the heaven, the heaven should follow the Tao, and the Tao should follow the nature", and Zhouyi calls "heaven and earth" as "three talents". This idea of "harmony between man and nature" has been absorbed by the concept of the community of human destiny, forming a distinct ecological wisdom: on the one hand, all countries should respect and protect nature as the basic yardstick for developing modern science and technology; On the other hand, international cooperation between countries should be based on improving the living environment of human beings.
The second is the ecological morality of sustainable development. Marxism puts forward that "man lives by nature" about the relationship between man and nature. Pursuing environment-friendly human development is a basic ecological morality. We should take the road of green, low-carbon and circular sustainable development and build a global ecological system that respects nature.
2. The way to keep the concept of the community of human destiny right: the historical foundation
The concept of community of human destiny is the persistence and inheritance of Marxist thought. This kind of rightness ensures its profound historical foundation.
2.1 adhere to the people-centered "people-oriented" orthodoxy
Marxism is an idea of seeking liberation for mankind. In the Economic Manuscripts of 1857-1858, Marx proposed that in the new social system in the future, production will aim at making all people rich. The concept of the community of human destiny fully demonstrates its "people’s nature" and expands this "people’s nature" from our own country to the whole world, from our own nation to all mankind, which meets the people’s yearning for a better life all over the world and also demonstrates the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s ideal and belief that human society will eventually move towards communism.
2.2 adhere to the "innovative" tradition of continuous innovation and development.
As a Marxist political party, the Communist Party of China (CPC) always maintains the advanced nature of pursuing innovation and forging ahead. It is on the basis of inheriting this "innovative" spirit that the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s leading collective in the new era conforms to the development trend of the times and the law of social development, and puts forward the concept of a community of human destiny, which promotes the transformation of human development concepts and communication concepts through creative expression.
2.3 adhere to the "practical" orthodoxy that theory originates from practice.
Marxism is a practical theory, not a study. The basic viewpoint of Marxist epistemology is to solve specific problems from practical life. The concept of the community of human destiny is the concrete manifestation of this "practicality" of Marxism in the new era, which itself contains a profound sense of global anxiety and provides a new guiding concept for solving the problems of human social development.
2.4 adhere to the people’s democratic thinking of the "democratic" orthodoxy.
Marx and Engels pointed out that the proletarian movement is an independent movement for the benefit of the overwhelming majority of people. On the road of socialist development, China has always insisted on promoting the construction of democratic politics under the leadership of the Communist Party and realizing consultation and common governance. In the concept of the community of human destiny, the way of getting along with each other with mutual respect and the principle of coordination to turn hostility into friendship are all direct manifestations of "democracy."
2.5 adhere to the "symbiotic" orthodoxy of the relationship between man and nature.
Marx believes that "man lives by nature", and labor links man with nature. The ecological wisdom of the unity of man and nature and the ecological morality of sustainable development contained in the community of human destiny are exactly the insistence of Marxism on the "symbiotic" relationship between man and nature. The COVID-19 epidemic that broke out at the end of 2019 spread all over the world, and no country can "enjoy the unique scenery here". "The whole world is cool and hot here" warns the close connection between human destiny and the fate of human and nature.
2.6 adhere to the unity of personality and social "thinking" orthodoxy.
"Quasi-thinking" is an important concept in Marxist philosophy. We can understand that the whole human society is relationship-based rather than individual-based, and the existence of individuals is based on the existence of the whole. People cannot live independently without the relationship with others and everything, and form a community in their relationship with each other. The "quasi-thinking" focusing on human beings transcends the division caused by "special classes" and "interest groups", helps human beings break through the shackles of various social roles, seek consensus from values that transcend national and national boundaries, such as peace, justice, democracy and tolerance, and realize identity and free association in the essence of "people".
3. The way to innovate the concept of the community of human destiny: the characteristics of the times
Mankind has been a community of destiny since ancient times. Thinkers at all times and in all countries have expressed different ideas about the community, and their understanding of it has gradually developed from primitive clans and tribes to nations and countries, and then to a higher-level community of human destiny. The Marxist thought of "the association of free men" contains the community spirit that transcends ethnic boundaries. The concept of the community of human destiny is not only a adherence to the China-oriented orthodoxy of Marxism, but also a reflection of China’s in-depth investigation of the times and the world, and a new theory and practice put forward to keep up with the new situation and new requirements. This kind of innovation has cast its distinctive characteristics of the times.
3.1 reflects the adaptation to the law of global social development.
Nowadays, the pace of globalization is steady and far-reaching. However, the world still faces many challenges and uncertainties. On the one hand, the international political situation is unstable, and a separatist and nationalist tendency has begun to spread, and some countries have added obstacles to international cooperation and development because of their "fragmented"; On the other hand, challenges such as terrorism, financial turmoil, environmental crisis, regional conflicts, poverty and diseases remain unabated, and local problems may turn into global challenges at any time. In this environment, human beings need to establish a sense of community of destiny with an empathy to cope with global risks and tests.
3.2 reflects the response to the requirements of the times and international concerns.
As a node in the community of human destiny, the country’s activities not only reflect the requirements of the times, but also affect international concern. Facing the requirements of the times, the increasingly prosperous China needs to play a better role on the world stage; Faced with international concerns, the growing China needs to answer a series of important questions, such as "what road to take in the future and what impact it will bring to the international community". The concept of the community of human destiny is not only the wisdom and scheme contributed by China in response to the requirements of the times, but also the responsibility and responsibility of China in the face of international concerns.
3.3 reflects China’s active participation in global governance.
Nowadays, the world is facing severe challenges. No government, enterprise or individual can cope with them alone, and many problems cannot be solved in isolation. It is necessary to formulate a "systematic plan". Focusing on the five levels of the connotation of the community of human destiny, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader put forward the "five persistences" of building a "community of human destiny", which is a set of "systematic programs" for global governance. It embodies the systematic view of dialectical coordination between the local and the whole, and requires grasping the relationships among all parts and aspects in the system.
3.4 reflects the improvement and revision of the international discourse system.
According to the Marxist view of news communication, human information communication activities are a spiritual communication process of emotion, value and thought, and "communication" becomes the philosophical logic of information communication. For a long time, mass media has made communication have some top-down "elite" characteristics, and the importance of interpersonal communication based on interpersonal communication has not been highlighted. At the same time, the western media has dominated the international news information order for a long time, which also makes the international discourse system under the leadership of the news concept with the critical supervision as the guidance and the conflicting framework as the narrative mode, and holds the binary opposition thinking of other news concepts. With the continuous empowerment of social media, the public’s subjectivity has returned, and the international community is welcoming an era of public communication. Under this trend, the traditional western news concept can no longer adapt to the overall construction of the international discourse system. At present, the rise of constructive news oriented to problem solving and negotiation dialogue is an innovation under this trend. The idea of "community of human destiny" that pursues the consensus of multiple voices provides a perspective for thinking about how to meet an era of public communication, and also provides a path for shaping the international discourse system, and promotes the global information exchange from "self-awareness" to "community awareness" and from "self-talk" to "community dialogue".
The community of human destiny stands at the origin of the coordinate axis of Marxism in China (Figure 2), ensuring the coexistence of historical roots and characteristics of the times with integrity and innovation, which is also the basis for it to stand the test and maintain its vitality forever.
Figure 2. Upholding and innovation of the concept of community of human destiny in China.