Karl Marx

May 5 is the birthday of Karl Marx, an immensely influential German philosopher, political economist, and revolutionary. While Marx's ideas have declined somewhat in popularity, particularly with the decline of Marxism in Russia, they are still very influential today.

In his article on Marxism’s future in the West, Hau Li Xin, a Chinese scholar, recalled the time when he was in London, where Marx had lived and worked for over 30 years. In front of Marx’s tomb, he saw some bunches of flowers with a banner written in English: “Long live true socialism”.

In a corner of Hyde Park, a socialist was eloquently criticizing capitalism by quoting Marx’s theory on surplus value. In many lecture-rooms, the works of Marx and Engel were obligatory or optional curricula of students in the faculties of philosophy, economics or politics. In London’s big bookshops, hundreds of his works were on display.

Particularly, when Hau Li Xin attended the “Workshop on Marxism” held in London on July 1996, he saw an exciting huge number of attendants who gathered to study Marxism. Hau Li Xin realized the powerful vitality of Marxism and its irresistible attraction to the Western Europe’s working people.

A well-known scientific socialism scholar of China, Mr. Ho Pin Meng, who mentioned “10 theoretical matters that need more thorough study”, stated that Marxism is a science to be developed.

Marxism’s vitality does not only stem from the viewpoint of methodology, which considers dialectical method and historical materialism as the most scientific theories, nor from the fact that based on these scientific methods, the objective law of the development of human society can be drawn out.

Muscovites hold a picture of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin in a grand parade marking the 87th anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, Nov. 7, 2004.

The vitality is also seen in Marxism’s adaptation and perfection in line with the development of humanity and the changes of our time.

However, it should be reminded that the process of Marxism’s adjustment can not be made by itself; it is the result made by Communist Party members who put Marxism into practice, during great revolutions of people.

Nowadays, Marxism is facing big challenges; thus, one of the most important tasks of the communists is to develop, amend and improve the Marxism theory.

As for Viet Nam, in the light of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh ideology, the country is building socialism and developing its socialism-oriented market economy.

It is a long, winding and untravelled road. In order to perform the task of a governing Party, that is to lead the country to reach the targets of wealthy people, strong nation and equal, democratic and civilized society, one matter of principle is to consistently develop Marxism.

It does not only include anti-dogmatism and anti-empiricism. It requires a lot of patience to develop Marxism with chances and challenges ahead to find out the answers to many issues of the new age.