The Scientific Meaning and Contemporary Implications of Marx’s Proposition on the Conditions for the Destruction of an Older Social Formation and the Establishment of Superior Relations of Production

ABSTRACT

Marx’s proposition concerning the conditions under which older social formations are destroyed and superior relations of production become established represents a fundamental concept of scientific socialism. No social formation ceases to exist so long as the relations of production that underlie it are still capable of driving the development of the productive forces at a relatively rapid pace. Here, the term “productive forces” refers to the overall state of the productive forces in all the countries that make up the social formation as a whole, and not just to the productive forces of one or several countries. Once the material conditions have matured for a social formation that corresponds to these conditions, that new social formation will come into being. The “material conditions for its existence,” of course, cannot simply be equated with the productive forces. A correct understanding of the changing material conditions involved is essential for a firm confidence in the socialist ideal, and for a determined strategic pursuit of the socialist course.

KEYWORDS:

• Productive forces
• relations of production
• social formation
• social transformation
• socialism

Acknowledgements

This article is an initial outcome of the project “Research on the Advantages of China’s Political Party System,” specially commissioned by the National Social Science Fund of China (project No. 21@ZH009). It was translated from Chinese by Zixu Liu, Associate Researcher at the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 See https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/standard-oil-company.

2 See the Statistical Communiqué of the People’s Republic of China on the 2020 National Social and Economic Development. https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2021-02/28/content_5589283.htm.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Xiangyang Xin

Xiangyang Xin is Director of the School of Marxism, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a researcher at the Academy of Marxism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His research focuses on sinicized Marxism. His main publications include On China’s Development (in Chinese; Shandong People’s Publishing House, 2006), A Study of the Basic Issues concerning the Scientific Outlook on Development (in Chinese; China Social Press, 2008), and A Review and Analysis of Twentieth Century Western Theories of Democracy (in Chinese; Shandong People’s Publishing House, 2011). He is also the editor of A Study of the Road of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (in Chinese; Hebei People’s Publishing House, 2011).