A Philosopical Research On Risk Problems In Contemporary Social Development

This dissertation focuses on developmental risk problems in the process of contemporary social development. Under the background of globalization, developmental risk problems become of great practical significance, which related to the survival and development of mankind as a whole. Marxist philosophy can not keep silence on this issue. Research on risk issue has important theoretical significance and practical significance. On the theoretical level, it can deepen our understanding of modernity, broaden our theoretical perspective of contemporary social transformation and development trend in new globalization era, enrich and develop Marxism social development theory. Practically, it contribute to a appropriate cognition of and positive response to the perplexing risk problems which current China's socialist modernization confront, devote to increase our comprehension of the Scientific Concept of Development and the important strategic thinking of constructing a socialist harmonious society.The concept of risk is a very attractive, flexible and ambiguous category, which can be used correctly and independently in different disciplines or discourse system. In this dissertation, the concept of risk was limited and applied to macro level of modern society development. Thence, it refers particularly to social development risk or developmental risk. According to the standpoint of practice of Marxist philosophy, risk is a social historical category, which denotes particular status of internal contradictions of human practical activities. It is a value-related category, which means probability of loss or damage to certain subject. Risk is a normative concept that is skeptical about optimistic modern belief in progress which rooted in the Enlightenment. It calls one-dimensional and linear concept and pattern of development in question, and stimulates deeply reflection on modernity to seek new development conceptions and models. Contemporary developmental risk problems have concrete manifestation in many social development spheres such as economy, political, cultural and ecological field. In the evolution of contemporary development studies, risk problems have been gradually incorporated into different theoretical researches. Risk problems are highly knotty issue in global times. In essence, it is a special performance of self-negativity in the practice of human development. So it is a question of ideas and methods how to tackle the contradictions of modern society, a question of interest differentiation and consolidation under the increasing interrelation, a question of the rationality and rebuilding of modern concept of development. The prominence of contemporary developmental risk problems and the prevalence of risk discourses require reactivation of Marx's interrelated thoughts. Although there is no explicit use of"risk society","social risks", Marx make good use of concepts such as"alienation","crisis","metabolic rift"etcetera to reveal the darkness side of capitalism modernity, and constructed exquisite risk theory of modern society. Marx's risk theories which hiding deeply in the alienation theory of labor, economic crisis theory, philosophy of the human-nature relationship, throw brilliant light on the developmental risk problems in contemporary globalization era. Marx's risk thoughts still has strong explanatory power and penetration, but should be enriched and developed in line with the changes of times.The capital logic which lust for profit maximization creates new modern civilization, at the same time, intensifies inherent contradictions of it. That brings about distortion of social activities and many risk problems. The internal mechanism of contemporary risk problems is the mechanism of spreading out and intensification of inherent contradictions of capital logic in the process of globalization. There are more and more conditions have provided to replace capital logic with the logic of human existence and development, to promote responsible modernity and globalization. Only in that way will we diminish threats of all kinds of risks. The dilatation and domination of scientific and technological rationality in the process of modernization can hardly exonerate itself from contemporary risk problems. The paradox of scientific and technological rationality should be surpassed by cooperation and harmonization between it and humanistic and value rationality. There is always an inner correlation between core concepts of modernity view of development such as anthropocentrism, progressivism, economic centrism, and western-centrism and contemporary developmental risk problems. With the standpoint of life, of practice, of economic philosophy, Marx goes beyond various cultural criticism models of the concept of modernity development. The Scientific Concept of Development should be interpreted as a harmonious concept of development which can guide humanity to confront risks correctly.Contemporary China's modernization is now at a crucial period of transformational development process. The establishment of basic socialist system provides basis qualification to control and govern risk problems which rooted in capital logic. But various risks will still continue to breed and propagate and have a tendency to real crisis and disaster. Risk problems can be derived from the highly complexity of China's transformational development. We can avoid and defuse the risk of illogical development and modernization provided that bring into full play the initiative, wisdom and power. At present, the ultimate principles of China's risk government as follows: First of all, to deepen reflection on modernity, practice the Scientific Concept of Development. Secondly, to enhance risk awareness, foster ethical responsibility. Third, to hold back the logic of capital, promote socialist justice. Fourth, to strengthen risk pre-warning, integrate government mechanism. Fifth, to take an active part in international cooperation, give impetus to the building of harmonious world. As long as we coordinate the various contradictions in the development process, we can respond to risk problems rationally and achieve reasonable, sustainable and harmonious development.