Research On The "People’s Livelihood" Thought Of Marx And Engels

The livelihood of the people is a requirement of living, surviving and evelopingin aspect of materials and culture. The importance of the problem lies in thelivelihood of the people is the premise of social development, the main body ofwhich is people who plays a crucial role in the history development; moreover, thebasic drive of the social development is survival of people. Though “people’slivelihood” is not exactly mentioned in classic work and important arguments ofMarxist, his attentions to people’s livelihood almost immerge into all of the Marxisttheories and practice. With the development of reform, the problem of “people’slivelihood” appears gradually, and it has an effect on the economic development andthe social stability. The key topic of the thesis is how to realize and resolve theproblem of “people’s livelihood” using the Marx and Engels’s thoughts automaticallyunder the unity of the world outlook and methodology in contemporary China. Thereare four chapters:Chapter one is “introduction", which shows the basis and significance of theresearch, the present research conditions both home and abroad, the researchthoughts and methodology, and the research emphasis, difficulties and innovations.Chapter two is the source and forming process of Marx and Engels’ thoughts.Firstly, the theory source of “people’s livelihood” of Marx and Engels is stated, andthe important influence of shaping “people’s livelihood” of Marx and Engels byenlightenment thinkers, Hegel and Feuerbach, and the “people’s livelihood” view ofutopian socialism is analyzed in detail. Secondly, during describing the shapingprocess of “people’s livelihood” of Marx and Engel, it is divided into three stages:the embryonic stage before the shaping of the historical materialism, the formalformation stage with the establishment of the historical materialism and the perfectand mature stage under the guide of the historical materialism.Chapter three is the basic content of the “people’s livelihood” thought of Marxand Engels. As the central part of the thesis, it provides the meanings, essence,characteristics and types of the “people’s livelihood” thought in detail based on thesurvival and development of people. To improve people’s production and livingconditions, the ways and methods of improving people’s livelihood are suggested.The research is conducted based on the value orientation and theory ofcomprehensive and free development of people.Chapter four is the contemporary enlightenment of the “people’s livelihood”thought of Marx and Engels. From the aspect of combining theory with practice, the“people’s livelihood” thought of Marx and Engels is put into practice of theconstruction of the socialist harmonious society to further expand multipleperspectives of Marxist theory to realize the development process of the harmonioussociety and the basic laws, as to promote the building of a harmonious society thateveryone would develop comprehensively and free.