马克思恩格斯阶级和阶级斗争理论与当代现实——西方国家阶级关系的演变趋势

On the Marxist Theory of Class and Class Struggle and the Evolution of Class Structure in Western Countries

阶级和阶级斗争理论是科学社会主义理论的灵魂。一百多年前马克思恩格斯阐述的关于阶级斗争理论观点仍具现实指导意义,但由于时代的发展和西方发达国家社会经济生活的重大变化,需要加以发展和与时俱进。信息社会的来临,金融经济的增强,国家调节资本主义的形成,使西方国家各阶级状况、结构和相互关系出现了与马克思时代不同的特点,雇佣劳动者生活水平和技术文化水平有所提升,新兴中产阶级不断壮大,劳动人民政治地位和社会作用日益增强,无产阶级已经不是任人宰割的孤立无援的力量。作为剥削阶级和统治阶级的资产阶级,为了维护既得利益,在社会经济矛盾和劳动人民斗争的压力下,不得不进行多方面的适应生产社会化和分配公平化的改革和制度创新,在客观上为社会主义因素的生成和成长提供了土壤,也使阶级结构的变化和阶级斗争的形势日益向着有利于无产阶级和劳动群众的方向演化。

The theory of class and class struggle is the soul of scientific socialism. One century ago, Marx and Engels established this theory, which is still relevant to the world today. However, many changes have happened in the social and economic life in western countries, therefore, this theory must also change and progress with time. The advent of information society, development of financial economy, and formation of state-regulated capitalism, all these have changed the profile and structure of class and reshaped the relationship among different classes. The living standard and the level of skill of the employed laborer have increased. The middle class is growing steadily. The political and social position of working people also increases. Under the pressure of social and economic contradictions and working people’s struggle, the capitalist class as ruling and exploiting class has to adapt to the socialization of production and equalization of income and carry out social reform to maintain its position, which paved the road to socialism and changed the class structure and the situation of class struggle in favor of the proletarian and working people.