中國馬克思主義史學因革命而催生,因革命而茁壯,卻也因革命掣肘而飽受干擾與限制,始終難以自由成長。八十年的曲折發展,功過成敗猶待公允評議。1949年中華人民共和國建立,將這一歷程客觀劃分成了「革命前」與「革命後」兩個階段。大環境的轉變對這一新生學門的後續發展產生了決定性的影響,並形成評析此一歷程的概念主軸。 本文以相隔五十年的兩次有關「亞細亞生產方式」的討論爲主題,對照分析政經形勢與學理論述問的可能內在連繫。意圖藉由此一例證之探討,彰顯中國馬克思主義史學研究由「革命前」過渡到「革命後」階段,在理論深度方面的進退與得失。
The Chinese Marxist historiography emerged in the late nineteen-twenties from widespread appeals for social revolution. It prospered along with the revolutionary progress. However, factors of the revolution also deprived Chinese Marxist historians of their freedom. Today, after nearly eighty years, it is still hard to make proper assessments of their academic achievements. Since the Chinese Communist Party came into power in 1949, it is adequate to take the People's Republic as a ”post-revolutionary” period, in contrast to China's ”pre-revolutionary” past. The distinction is crucial because, on almost all aspects of the society, impact of the new regime is overwhelmingly decisive. This article aims to undertake a comparative interpretation of two Chinese discussions on the ”Asiatic mode of production. ”Fifty years apart from each other, theoretical arguments made in the two events actually reflect different, if not opposite, political implications. Through a careful study of this example, the author intends to reach a fair commentary regarding the Chinese Marxist historiography in general.