Comprehensive Study Guide for Marxist-Leninist Philosophy

Introduction to the Concept and Basic Problems of Philosophy

• Etymology of the Term "Philosophy":

  • The term "Philosophy" originates from Ancient Greek.
  • It is composed of two roots: philos (meaning "to love") and sophia (meaning "wisdom").
  • Thus, philosophy literally translates to the "love of wisdom."

• The Fundamental Question of Philosophy:

  • The basic problem of all philosophy, especially modern philosophy, is the relationship between being and thinking, or between matter and consciousness.
  • Every philosophical system is defined by how it addresses the connection between humans and the surrounding world.

• The Two Aspects of the Fundamental Question:

  • The First Aspect (Ontological): Focuses on which comes first—matter or consciousness. It asks: between matter and consciousness, which exists first, which exists second, and which decides the other?
  • The Second Aspect (Epistemological): Focuses on whether humans have the capability to perceive or understand the world. It asks: Are humans capable of knowing reality?

• Categorization Based on the Fundamental Question:

  • Materialism (Chủ nghĩa duy vật): Systems that solve the first aspect by asserting that matter exists first and determines consciousness.
  • Idealism (Chủ nghĩa duy tâm): Systems that solve the first aspect by asserting that consciousness or spirit exists first and creates the material world.
  • Objective Idealism: Asserts that the material world is created by a spiritual entity (e.g., God, Absolute Idea) existing outside of human consciousness.
  • Subjective Idealism: Asserts that the existence of things is determined by human sensations or a "complex of sensations."
  • Theory of Cognition: The basis for dividing philosophy into those who believe the world is knowable (Gnosticism) and those who do not (Agnosticism).

Philosophical Methods and historical Materialism

• The Dialectical Method:

  • Cognizes objects in their universal connections, mutual influences, and constraints.
  • Views objects in a state of constant motion, change, and development.
  • It is considered a scientific method of cognition.

• Metaphysics (Acounterpoint to Dialectics):

  • Frequently views causes of change as external to the object.
  • Views objects in isolation or at rest rather than in motion.

• Historical Evolution of Materialism:

  • Ancient Materialism: Characterized by identifying matter with specific, concrete objects or elements (e.g., Earth, Water, Fire, Air, or the Atom).
  • Metaphysical/Mechanical Materialism (17th–18th Century): Often identified matter with mass or mechanical properties.
  • Dialectical Materialism: Developed by Marx, Engels, and later Lenin, identifying matter as objective reality.

The Emergence and Development of Marxism-Leninism

• Economic and Social Prerequisites for Marxism (Mid-19th Century):

  • The industrial revolution led to the strong development of capitalism.
  • Capitalism matured, leading to the emergence of the proletariat (working class) as an independent historical force.
  • The failures of early worker movements highlighted a desperate need for a scientific guiding theory.

• Direct Theoretical Sources of Marxism:

  • German Classical Philosophy: Specifically Hegel's dialectics (stripped of idealism) and Ludwig Feuerbach's materialism.
  • English Classical Political Economy: Adam Smith and David Ricardo.
  • French Utopian Socialism: Saint-Simon, Fourier.

• Natural Science Prerequisites in the Early 19th Century:

  • The Law of Conservation and Transformation of Energy: Proved the material unity of the world and the persistence of motion.
  • Cell Theory: Proved the unity of all living organisms (plants and animals).
  • Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: Proved the continuous, natural development of the biological world.

• The Role of V.I. Lenin:

  • Guarded and creatively developed Marxism during the era of imperialism and proletarian revolution.
  • Propagated Marxism into Russia and applied it to the specific revolutionary struggle of the Russian working class.

• Timeline and Nature:

  • The formation of Marxism is generally associated with the period around $1848$ (the publishing of the Communist Manifesto).
  • The term "Marxist-Leninist Philosophy" refers to the system built by Marx and Engels and further developed by Lenin.
  • Its core functions include providing a scientific Worldview and Methodology.

The Theory of Matter and Consciousness

• Definition of Matter (Lenin's Definition):

  • Matter is a philosophical category used to denote objective reality.
  • It is given to humans in sensations, copied, photographed, and reflected by our sensations, and exists independently of them.
  • Scientific insignificance: It guides science by asserting matter is infinite, eternal, and neither created nor destroyed.

• Motion and Rest:

  • Motion: The essential mode of existence of matter. There are five basic forms of motion according to Engels (Mechanical, Physical, Chemical, Biological, and Social).
  • Source of Motion: Located within the object/phenomenon itself, caused by the interaction of its internal contradictory aspects.
  • Rest (Đứng im): Matter in rest is only relative and temporary; motion is absolute.

• The Nature of Consciousness:

  • Biological Origin: The human brain and the impact of the objective world on the brain. Consciousness is a function of the most highly organized form of matter: the human brain.
  • Social Origin: The primary stimulants are Labor and Language. Labor created the need for communication and complex thinking.
  • Essence: Consciousness is a subjective reflection of the objective world. It is an active, dynamic, and creative reflection, not a passive photocopy.

• Relationship between Matter and Consciousness:

  • Matter exists independently and determines consciousness.
  • Consciousness can react back upon reality through human practical activity (Hoạt động thực tiễn).
  • Creativity originates from properly reflecting objective reality and then acting upon it with subjective dynamism.

Principles and Laws of Materialist Dialectics

• Two Fundamental Principles:

  • The Principle of Universal Connection: Objects are not isolated; they exist in complex, objective, and universal relationships. This leads to the Practical Viewpoint of Totality (Quan điểm toàn diện) and the Specific-Historical Viewpoint.
  • The Principle of Development: The world is in a constant movement from low to high, simple to complex. This leads to the Developmental Viewpoint (Quan điểm phát triển).

• Key Categories of Dialectics:

  • The Individual and the General: The General (Cái chung) only exists within the Individual (Cái riêng). The Individual is more diverse, while the General is deeper and repeats across many individuals.
  • Cause and Effect: Cause is the interaction that produces a change; Effect is the resulting change. The relationship is objective and follows a sequence.
  • Necessity and Chance: Necessity (Tất nhiên) stems from internal causes and dictates the path of development; Chance (Ngẫu nhiên) stems from external factors but serves as the "form" through which necessity manifests.
  • Content and Form: Content is the sum of elements/processes; Form is the way they are organized. Content determines form; however, Form can promote or hinder content development.
  • Essence and Phenomenon: Essence (Bản chất) is the internal, stable side of an object; Phenomenon (Hiện tượng) is the external manifestation.

• The Three Laws of Dialectics:

  1. The Law of Transition from Quantitative Changes to Qualitative Changes:
     • Quantity (Lượng): Denotes scale, number, speed, and size.
     • Quality (Chất): The organic unity of attributes that makes a thing what it is.
     • Degree (Độ): The limit within which quantitative changes do not yet change the quality.
     • Node (Điểm nút): The point where quantity changes lead to qualitative leaps.
     • Leap (Bước nhảy): The transition to a new quality.
  2. The Law of Unity and Struggle of Opposites: Known as the "kernel" of dialectics. It explains the source and internal motive of all development.
     • Unity: Mutual dependence and penetration of opposites.
     • Struggle: Mutual exclusion and negation. Struggle is absolute, while unity is relative/temporary.
  3. The Law of Negation of the Negation: Points out the tendency and path of development (a spiral, not a straight line). Development involves inheritance—discarding the old while preserving positive elements for the new.

Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology)

• The Nature of Knowledge: An active and creative reflection of the objective world by the subject (humans) onto the object (reality).

• The Dialectical Path of Cognition (Lenin's Formula):

  • "From living perception to abstract thought, and from abstract thought to practice—such is the dialectical path of the cognition of truth."

• Stages of Cognition:

  • Sensory Cognition (Living Perception): Includes Sensation (Cảm giác), Perception (Tri giác), and Representation (Biểu tượng). It is direct and reflects external appearances.
  • Rational Cognition (Abstract Thought): Includes Concepts (Khái niệm), Judgments (Phán đoán), and Inferences (Suy luận). It is indirect and reflects the essence/laws of objects.

• Truth: Knowledge that is consistent with objective reality and verified by practice. Truth is objective, concrete, relative, and absolute.

• Practice (Thực tiễn): The sum of objective, purposeful, socio-historical material activities aimed at transforming nature and society.

  • Forms: Material production (most basic), socio-political activity, and scientific experimentation.
  • Role: It is the basis, motive, goal of knowledge, and the ultimate criterion for truth.

Historical Materialism (Social Philosophy)

• Social Existence (Tồn tại xã hội) vs. Social Consciousness (Ý thức xã hội):

  • Social Existence: The material life of society (climate, population, and most importantly, the Method of Production).
  • Social Consciousness: The spiritual life of society (politics, law, morality, religion, art, science). It reflects social existence but has relative independence.

• The Socio-Economic Formation (Hình thái kinh tế - xã hội):

  • A category used to define society at a specific historical stage, characterized by a specific level of Productive Forces, a corresponding Relation of Production (the Economic Base), and a Superstructure built upon it.

• Dialectics of Production:

  • Productive Forces: The content of production (Laborers and means of production/tools). Tools are the most dynamic element reflecting the level of development.
  • Relations of Production: The social form of production (Ownership, management, and distribution of products). Ownership of the means of production is the most decisive factor.
  • Law: Relations of production must correspond to the level and nature of the productive forces.

• Economic Base (Cơ sở hạ tầng) and Superstructure (Kiến trúc thượng tầng):

  • Economic Base: The set of relations of production that form the economic structure.
  • Superstructure: Political and legal institutions (State, parties) and social consciousness (ideology). The state is the most powerful element.
  • Law: The Economic Base determines the Superstructure. Change in the base leads eventually to change in the superstructure, though some elements (like art or religion) change slowly.

• The State and Revolution:

  • State: Not eternal; it arose with private property and class contradictions that cannot be reconciled. Its essence is a machine for the ruling class to maintain dominance.
  • Social Revolution: A fundamental change in the socio-economic formation, triggered by contradictions between growing productive forces and outdated relations of production.

Philosophical Doctrine of Man

• Human Nature:

  • Marx's Thesis: "In its reality, the essence of man is the total sum of all social relations."
  • Humans are both biological beings (products of nature/evolution) and social beings (subjects and products of history).

• The Role of the Masses:

  • The masses (Quần chúng nhân dân) are the decisive force and the main creators of history.
  • The highest goal of social development in Marxism is the happiness and comprehensive development of humans.

Vietnam's Path to Socialism

• Transitional Period: Vietnam is in the period of transitioning to socialism by skipping the capitalist stage (bỏ qua chế độ tư bản chủ nghĩa).
• Skipping Nature: This means skipping the dominance of capitalist relations of production and its superstructure, not skipping the development of productive forces or scientific achievements.
• Economic Policy: Developing a multi-sector commodity economy (Market economy with socialist orientation).