On the morning of October 31, 2024, School of Marxism, Communication University of China (CUC) invited renowned French Marxist scholar Jean-Numa Ducange to deliver a lecture titled “The Evolution of the European Left in the Past Decade”. The lecture was hosted by Liu Dongjian, Dean of the CUC School of Marxism. Over 40 attendees participated in the lecture, including Wang Weijia, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, as well as faculty and students from other affiliated schools, both online and offline.
Professor Jean-Numa Ducange, Professor of Contemporary History, University of Rouen, Expert on the history of European Left movements and socialism, Member of the Editorial Board of the Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of French magazine Actuel Marx. He said Marxism had undergone a long development and communication process in France. He introduced the contributions of Jules Guesde, founder of the French Workers’ Party, to Marxism in France at an early stage and the significant role of Jean Jaurès, a famous activist in the French and International Socialist movement in the foundation of the Socialist Party and Marxism.
Professor Jean-Numa Ducange mentioned that Marxism was transmitted and developed in France and widely recognized in fields such as political economy and history. However, afterward, the French Communist Party faced fierce resistance from the European Left due to the impact of the Cold War. Although promoted and defended by the Socialist Party and French Communist Party, Marxism is now widely studied as a sociological theory rather than a political power in France. At last, he expressed his hope to strengthen collaboration with China to find the right version of Marxism for French society.
Stéphanie Roza, Assistant Professor at the Département de Philosophie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon and the French National Centre for Scientific Research, delivered a keynote speech on “Private Property Problems and the Birth of Communism in the 18th Century”. She introduced the opinions and arguments of several representative figures of different ideological trends, such as Morelly, Sieyès, and Robespierre, on private ownership and property rights, as well as Babeuf’s views on private property and his efforts towards social equality.
Liu Dongjian, Dean, expressed his gratitude to Professors Dikonger and Rosa for their lectures and remarked that over a hundred years ago, a group of Communist pioneers, represented by Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping, studied and practiced Marxism in France, playing a pivotal role in the widespread dissemination of Marxism in China. Today, more than a century later, he expressed his appreciation to Professors Dikonger and Rosa for providing insights into the latest developments of communism in France and even Europe. This has great significance for the faculty and students of the Communication University of China in gaining a deeper understanding of the current state of communism and socialism worldwide, enhancing their international communication capabilities, and effectively sharing China's stories with the world.
Faculty members and students engaged in discussions with the two French scholars on French socialist thought, French youth's views on China, and more.
This seminar marks a significant step by the School of Marxism, Communication University of China to implement three measures to improve ideological and political education and enhance the professional competence of the faculty. It was also one of the important academic exchanges during the Fall Reading Week. In the future, the school will expand its international perspective and increase international communication to elevate the teaching, research, and academic level of the faculty of ideological and political education to a new height by integrating Chinese and Western philosophies.
(Editor：Wu Xinyan)
