Research Into Li Dazhao's Thought

This doctoral dissertation discusses the developing process of Li Dazhao's thought, clarifies its historical necessity, grips its inner logic, and defines its ideological position in modern Chinese history.Ihere was a big turn in the course of Chinese modern history. The turning point is the May 4th movement. Before May 4th 1919, progressive Chinese tried to learn from the West and wanted to take the capitalist road. After May 4th 1919, the historical direction was changed to socialist road. Li Dazhao is the epitome of the turning of this tide. By placing Li Dazhao's thought in the background characteristic of the time, We can understand his union of historical necessity and logic.Li Dazhao's theoretical views had already begun changing direction even before the May 4th movement. He firstly clarified his views about the October revolution and pointed out its significance. He held that triumph of the October revolution represented the new spirit of Marxism and socialism. And Li Dazhao began to study Marxism, coifront practical problems faced. Li Dazhao is a pioneer of Chinese Marxism.The theme of Li Dazhao's earlier thought was enlightenment. He criticized the dictatorship and Chinese culture taking on western liberalism and evolutionism. Later, Li Dazhao switched his allegiance to Marxism and socialism. He believed it was a way to realize universal harmony in the world. Dialectical unity of the leap and the link is characteristic, of Li Dazhao's thought. Early Li Dazhao's thought is full of materialist and dialectical analysis. He absorbed the splendid essence of simple dialectics from ancient Chinese traditional culture, combined it with modern western ideas, mostly about evolution, and thus synthesized and created his theory. All this was the ideological basis for his later ideas.Li Dazhao's understanding of Marxism showed individuality, creativity and practicality. He did not dogmatically and mechanically copy Marxism.Li Dazhao thought that the nature of Marx's historical materialism was historical philosophy. Its general methodology is the same as positive science, but it has two specific methods, one is experienced induction, the other is the historical evolutionary method.Li Dazhao's thought is an important link between Mao Tsetung and Sun Yatsan's. Li Dazhao initiated the beginning of Chinese Marxism. It contains both practical and the theoretical ideas. Li Dazhao's thought undoubtedly provided valuable spiritual resources for our socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics. We must strengthen our research into Li Dazhao's ideological significance, to better develop contemporary Chinese Marxism, and to construct contemporary Chinese culture.