Liu Xuyi’s Study Of American History

Liu Xuyi(1913-2018)is a famous scholar in the field of American history research in China.He is knowledgeable,brave in exploration,diligent in research,and has made great achievements in the field of American history research and sociology.Liu Xuyi is also one of the founders of the field of American history research in China after the reform and opening up.He has made great contributions to the field of American history research in China,but his research results are scattered and unsystematic.This paper takes Liu Xuyi’s study of American history as a topic,starting with his life,academic works,historical thoughts and historical methods,and comprehensively summarizes and evaluates Liu Xuyi’s achievements in the study of American history,his role in promoting the study of American history in China and his academic status.This paper will explore from the following aspects:The introduction mainly discusses the basis of topic selection and the current situation of academic research.The first chapter discusses Liu Xuyi’s life and academic career.Liu Xuyi did not obey the feudal imperial power,sympathized with the working people and yearned for a free and democratic society.From his childhood,he set up the ambition of "suwang" to change Chinese society with knowledge.Liu Xuyi’s learning experience is full of ups and downs,but he has firm faith,clear goal and tireless in the pursuit of truth.In 1964,Liu Xuyi began his career in the study of American history,insisting on studying with Marxist theory and method,and made many achievements.The second chapter analyzes Liu Xuyi’s study of Roosevelt’s new deal.Throughout Liu Xuyi’s study of American history,the most representative research results are:one is to evaluate Roosevelt’s "New Deal" comprehensively and objectively;the other is to summarize Liu Xuyi’s innovative views on the development of American capitalism.The two chapters will be combined with the analysis of Liu Xuyi’s works.In addition,this part also comments on Liu Xuyi’s historical contention with other scholars.The third chapter mainly explains Liu Xuyi’s research on American capitalist system,including presidential system,bipartisan system,foreign policy and the development of American capitalism.The fourth chapter analyzes Liu Xuyi’s representative works on American history,mainly including the fifth and sixth volumes of general history of the United States(six volumes)edited by Liu Xuyi and Yang Shengmao,in which Liu Xuyi participated,analyzes the writing characteristics and main problems of these two volumes,and makes a comparative study with other American history works at the same time.At the same time,this chapter also studies the reference book "American research dictionary" edited by Liu Xuyi.The fifth chapter summarizes Liu Xuyi’s historical thoughts and methods in the study of American history.Liu Xuyi’s historical thoughts and methods are complementary.Historiography is the principle that he abides by in American History Research Institute.It is also the main performance that he makes full use of Marxist theory in historiography research,including advancing with the times,seeking truth from facts and so on.The method of historiography is an important way to realize his historiography thoughts and achievements,including the combination of historiography and theory,comparative research,interdisciplinary research,etc.