Western Marxism’s debate on the Western strategy and tactics of revolution leads to the inquiry into the essence of Marxist philosophy, which constitutes the theoretical starting point of the Western Marxism's problem logic. Western Marxism is opposed to interpreting Marxist philosophy as a kind of modern epistemological philosophy based on the standpoint of modern rationalist philosophy,arguing that this interpretation negates the critical value function of Marxist philosophy and is vulnerable to the attack of bourgeois ideology and the reified consciousness of the market economy. Therefore, Western Marxism emphasizes that the characteristics of Marx's materialist philosophy should be elucidated at the breaking point in modern philosophy, and advocates that the function and mission of Marxist philosophy should be to pay attention to people’s survival circumstances and realize the freedom of individuals. As a result, Western Marxists have formed an academic tradition of focusing on the critical and realistic aspects of Marxist philosophy, and launched a critique of the cultural ideology of contemporary Western society.

Editor: Zhong Yao、Zheng Yifan

From:Marxism & Reality.2021.No.4.