Engels, as a “scientist”, systematically constructed and academically interpreted Marx’s critique of political economy, which was his main research work throughout his later years. From “rereading” Marx’s texts and ideas and praising Marx’s theoretical talent to examining new phenomena in the capitalist world economy the subjective and objective conditions of history required Engels to reflect on the critique of political economy. In his later years, Engels concentrated on proofreading the version of “Capital”, revising and promoting the German and English versions of the first volume of “Capital”, compiling and publishing the manuscripts of the second and third volumes of “Capital”, and conceiving the layout and content of the fourth volume of “Capital”; at the same time, he rejected the erroneous views of “platform socialists”, confronted the vulgarization, dogmatism and absolutism of political economy, and broadened the connotation of the concept of broad political economy so as to clarify the “theoretical spirit and critical spirit” of Marx’s political economy. Engels dialectically grasped the facts of historical experience, adhered to the “original” historical narrative, and explained the theoretical essence of the scientific nature of Marxism in the critical practice with a high principle, making the critique of political economy show the characteristics of systematization and academicization, Engels historical contribution to the critique of political economy in his later years provided important methodological inspiration for the Communist Party China to create socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. 

　　Editor: Zhong Yao  LiuTingting 

　　From:Studies on Marxist Theory.2024.No.9.