The Human Essence In Marx's View

Hegel's theory about the essence of the human being is metaphysical. In his philosophy, the essence of human being was self-consciousness.The essence of the human being didn't have reality. It was only a symbol of the Absolute Spirit. The essence of the human being was the alienation of self-consciousness. This description obviously can not make the successors satisfied. After Hegel, Powell,Feuerbach and Stirner tried to turn it to reality .However,their effort returned to metaphysics finally .They didn't break the old theoretical framework. Their theory didn't break the inherent nature of thinking. Their theory didn't explain human essence by the relationship between human being and the outside. Marx found the key to the reality of human being during his criticism to the traditional philosophy .It was the objective activity. He analyzed the human essence from practice and treated it as the basic of his philosophy. Marx's theory of human essence was failed into three periods. Marx's understanding of human essence was more and more specific from free activity in the early days to the holders of class interests in the Capital period. It was a gradual deepening process. This paper aims at finding the trace of formation course that Marx's theory of the human essence and reveals the inherent meaning of Marx's theory of human essence .Then to show science of Marx's theory of human essence.This paper falls into three parts :Part One introduces the contents of the early Marxist theory of human essence. This part discusses the attempt of Powell and Feuerbach and Stirner who tyied to surpass Hegel's metaphysics. Powell treated self-consciousness as human essence he wanted to find out the main activity which had been abandoned by Hegel.Feuerbach abandoned the pure essence of Hegel's metaphysical rational construction and he thought the essence of human essence was emotional and natural. ,Stirners theory of essence was only individual out of general. These effort failed because they were on the basis of old philosophy foundation .Marx's theory was based on real human. Practice is the basis of Marx's philosophy. Human-to-human social relations is formed in practice. Only the Marxist philosophy completed the metaphysical essence of human subversion in practice .Part Two introduces the thinking course of Marx's views of human essence. Marx thought human essence was free activity in 1844 Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts by Feuerbach's influenceing. Marx described human essence as social relations in on Feuerbach and German Ideology. In Capital, the human essence was the holders of class interests. Marx reviewed the human essence in the reality and social relationship. So human essence was more and more specific and deepening.Part Three discusses the necessary conclusion which liberation theory of Marx leaded to. We must begin with material basis if we want to seek liberation ways because our essence is determined by social relationship. The liberation of human is in correspondence with the liberation of proletariate. The meaning of liberation is the possession of social relations which deprived by someone. We must destroy the material basis of the old society by revolutionary. Then to establish our own rule . Liberation implies the free and comprehensive development will come true.