Research On Digital Capitalism From The Perspective Of Historical Materialism

At the end of the 1990 s,Dan Schiller first proposed that "under the influence of the logic of the expansionary market,the Internet is driving the transformation of the political economy to the so-called digital capitalism",resulting in "a capitalist system more inclined to the information and communication technology-intensive industry".Due to the explosive development of digital technology,the latest evolution of digital capital and the formation of the universal system of digital platforms,digital capitalism has become the latest form of capitalism after industrial capitalism and financial capitalism.The bourgeois world is generous in praising the latest development of digital technology and digital capital.It is generally believed that the latest development of digital capitalism will create a better,democratic and free world.However,the digital capitalist social network foam and financial crisis continue to erupt,bringing the global economy into a more unstable and risky dangerous situation.This has gradually made people realize that although digital capitalism has brought many new changes,the inherent ills of capitalism have not been solved,and the fate of digital capitalism is still heading for "inevitable doom".Returning to the perspective of historical materialism,we find that digital capitalism is a product generated under specific historical conditions.This specific historical condition is related to the intensification of the inherent contradictions of capitalism,the frequent occurrence of capitalist economic crises,and the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation.With the digital information infrastructure including 5G,AI,big data,cloud computing,Internet of Things,industrial Internet,etc.gradually becoming the new driving force of global economic development,the profit-seeking nature of technology and capital coincides with each other.With the help of the neo-liberal policy,the two "conspire" to generate digital capital.Under the operation of digital capital logic,the rule of digital capitalism has gradually expanded to the world.While digital capitalism has brought a series of new changes,it is also faced with the inherent development dilemma arising from it.Today,we can still find answers to the questions of the times from Marx.The scientific judgment of "Two Never Will" has made it clear that digital capitalism is the improvement and repair of capitalism in the contemporary era,and it still contains certain vitality.However,the concrete form of capitalism is changeable but the essence is immutable.Digital capitalism can only delay the demise of capitalism,but cannot eradicate its inherent "chronic disease".The assertion of "two necessity" continues to show its correctness and scientificity in the current era.To study digital capitalism from the perspective of historical materialism is not to deny the progressive role of digital technology in social productivity,but to face up to the opportunities and challenges of the era of digital economy,focus on giving full play to the positive effects of digital technology,make better use of digital technology to serve human welfare,and provide feasible and necessary reference for the development of digital economy in countries around the world,especially in China.