ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the contemporary Chinese philosopher Zhao Tingyang and his recent theory of tianxia or all-under-heaven. This chapter echoes the first because after a long detour through Marxism, it appears that Chinese intellectuals have found Confucius again. The previous chapter dealt with Japanese leftists enamored with the Chinese Revolution, but with Zhao it appears that the Chinese Revolution has moved into the background. He instead contends that one must return to a deeper past to find possibilities for future international politics. As such, Zhao does not really engage with Marx. Yet, Chinese Marxists have recently criticized this attempt to return to Confucius severely. At issue in this debate is the relationship between philosophy and history. This chapter syntheses Marxism and Zhao’s philosophy because they share a common goal, namely the search for an alternative global order. However, we need to supplement Zhao’s program with an understanding of capitalism, which the chapter addresses at the end.
