Using capitalism as its cornerstone, the Western model has led the way in modernization, bringing about profound changes in ways of production, living, and development. Modernity is defined by rationalization at its core. However, there is a deep paradox associated with this modernity, which is characterized by a conflict between modernization’s material and human components. This frequently leads to an increase in the value of the material world at the price of human worth and dignity. Chinese modernization mixes value rationality with instrumental, historical, theoretical, and practical rationality in a way that is distinctive, reflecting on the tensions inherent in capitalist modernity. In the larger context of historical materialism, this strategy upholds the people-centered ethos while also working to enhance societal well-being. This value rationality is supported by the developing contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism, which provide a solid theoretical framework. This makes it possible to find workable solutions to the moral conundrums that arise while promoting universal prosperity and the well-rounded development of individuals, leading to a historic transcendence beyond the modernization paradigm driven by capitalism.

　　Editor: Zhong Yao  Deng Panyi

　　From:Marxism & Reality.2023.No.6.