Since the reform and opening up, China's social economy has developed rapidly, but the level of productivity is not

Break up. But all this is still very short compared with the development level and course of capitalist productive forces. Therefore, it is particularly important to constantly study and learn the experience and lessons of the development of productive forces in developed capitalist countries, especially in post-war capitalist countries. At the same time, these studies and studies are of great significance to correctly understand the arduousness and inevitability of socialism replacing capitalism. This paper mainly discusses the external and internal reasons for the development of capitalist productive forces.

After the Second World War (after 1945), the capitalist productive forces have made great progress in just a few decades. This development is unprecedented in both speed and scale, and its influence is enormous. These have important reference significance and research value for the development of productive forces in China since the reform and opening up. So, what development did the capitalist productive forces have after the war? The following is a preliminary understanding of the development of capitalist productive forces.

First, the understanding of the development of capitalist productive forces

First, the economy. The post-war capitalist countries are in a restrictive position in the development of the world economy, and the largest part of the world economy is the developed countries' economy. The speed and scale of world economic exhibition are still restricted by developed countries to a certain extent, and it is in a dominant position in international economic affairs. Today's world economy is a global economy, involving more than 200 countries and regions, including various types of economies. It is not and cannot be completely dominated by any one country. However, countries such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank

The activities of international economic institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the changes of international economic factors such as international prices, interest rates and exchange rates are still dominated by developed capitalist countries to a certain extent.

At the same time, in the course of capitalist economic development for more than 50 years, it was not smooth sailing, but also experienced various bumps and twists and turns, showing the characteristics of spiral development.

Followed by technology. Post-war capitalist countries are in a leading position in the development of science and technology in the world. Generally speaking, western developed countries are the main representatives of the world's scientific and technological level. For example, more than 95% of the Nobel Prize in Science has been won by scientists in developed countries, more than 80% of the world's major scientific research activities are in the hands of developed countries, and more than 70% of the world's scientific papers and international technology patent applications come from developed countries. As the primary productive force, science and technology contribute 50%-70% to the economic growth of developed countries.

Finally, the quality of workers. It is in a higher position in the education quality of workers in the world. Labor force is an important factor in the development of productive forces, and the educational quality of workers in developed countries is the highest in the world. Its per capita educational years are more than 13 years, which is more than twice that of developing countries. The college enrollment rate of school-age population in developed countries is as high as 5 1%, while that in developing countries is only 8%; The proportion of scientists and engineers in the national population is 3.6‰ in developed countries and only about 0.2‰ in developing countries. So, what is the driving force for the rapid development of post-war capitalism? Generally speaking, the reasons for the development of capitalist productive forces after the war mainly include external reasons and internal reasons.

Second, the reasons for the development of capitalist productive forces after the war

(1) External reasons.

First, the influence of scientific and technological revolution on capitalist productive forces. Science and technology is not an independent factor of productivity, but a penetrating factor, which plays a huge and comprehensive role in promoting the development of productivity. With the rise of the third scientific and technological revolution represented by the development and utilization of atomic energy and microelectronics technology. The arrival of knowledge economy has played an important role in the development of capitalist productive forces. Mainly manifested in the improvement of labor productivity, the improvement of resource utilization and the stimulation of consumption life.

After World War II, the world entered the third scientific and technological revolution. The new scientific and technological revolution has brought about historic changes in the industrial structure of developed capitalist countries. With the first climax of the scientific and technological revolution, the industrial structure of developed capitalist countries has entered a period of great change and adjustment, which is mainly manifested in the proportion distribution of the three major industries. According to statistics, in 1965- 1987, the proportion of primary industry in all developed countries dropped from 5% to 3%, the secondary industry dropped to 35%, and the tertiary industry rose to 6 1%. At present, the tertiary industry in America has reached 72%.

Since 1980s, new changes have taken place in the industrial structure of developed countries. The adjustment of industrial structure has changed to service industry, high technology and informatization. The tertiary industry and information industry have developed rapidly, and the high-tech industry dominated by information industry has become the leading industry of the national economy. Take the United States as an example At present, the output value of high-tech industries in the United States accounts for more than 50% of the gross national product, of which the information industry accounts for more than 30%. It shows that the information technology industry has surpassed the automobile industry, one of the pillar industries in the United States, and become the largest industrial sector.

Secondly, the impact of globalization on capitalist productive forces. The essence of economic globalization is the globalization of capital. The international flow of capital is the condition for the survival and development of capitalism. The historical process of capitalism from 120 since 1980s is dominated by the development of monopoly. Throughout the 20th century, capitalism experienced a development process from private monopoly to state monopoly, and from state monopoly to international monopoly. The core of monopoly capital is financial capital. The most profound change of contemporary capitalist economy takes place in the financial field, and financial globalization is the concentrated expression of this change. Financial globalization is the hub and lever of capital globalization. It marks that capitalism has entered a new historical stage: financial monopoly capitalism.

Financial monopoly capitalism is the highest rule of capital over human social production. It has further advanced the socialization of production. Financial monopoly capitalism further expands the survival and development space of capitalism, thus alleviating the contradictions and crises of capitalist economy.

Finally, under the background of economic globalization, the influence of transnational corporations on capitalist productive forces. As the main body of the world economy, multinational corporations are mostly enterprises from western developed capitalist countries, and their economic activities are the core of global economic activities. The continuous improvement of the production socialization level of multinational corporations has extended the transnational flow of international production capital in global economic activities.

(2) Internal reasons. There are mainly the following points:

First of all, the adjustment of fiscal and monetary policies in post-war capitalist countries has strengthened national macro-control, increased the means of macro-control, and relaxed the control over financial markets. So as to minimize and delay the occurrence of economic crisis.

Secondly, a series of reform measures have been taken, which have alleviated the constraints of private ownership on the development of productive forces to a certain extent, eased class contradictions and social contradictions to a certain extent, and provided a certain space for the development of productive forces. Such as the implementation of the trade union system, the establishment of high wages, high consumption, high social security, high welfare system.

Finally, in terms of theoretical research. In recent years, developed capitalist countries have paid more and more attention to the study of economic ethics. And constantly use new theoretical achievements to guide the practice of capitalist reform, thus laying a certain foundation for the development of capitalism from a theoretical height.

Three, based on the above analysis, we should have the following understanding of the development of capitalist productive forces after the war.

First, the development of capitalist productive forces is not comprehensive and balanced. The development of capitalist productive forces is mainly concentrated in more than 20 developed capitalist countries, and not all capitalist countries have developed rapidly. Productivity determines relations of production, which will only hinder or promote productivity. Therefore, it is wrong to correctly understand the dialectical relationship between productive forces and production relations, think that as long as capitalism can develop productive forces, only capitalism can develop productive forces, and take the capitalist system as the omnipotent magic weapon for the development of productive forces.

Second, under the background of knowledge-based economy and economic globalization, the promotion of scientific and technological development to the development of productive forces is constantly expanding. In terms of scientific and technological development, there is still a considerable gap between China and western developed capitalist countries. Therefore, we should pay special attention to the development of science and technology, especially to the transformation of science and technology into productive forces. Third, pay attention to the study of economic ethics to reflect on the current economic problems and provide scientific theoretical guidance and basis for economic development.

Fourth, from the development trend, with the development law of productive forces (especially the role of scientific and technological progress and industrial structure upgrading), with the local adjustment of capitalist production relations, and with the continuous development of the vitality of market economic system and operating mechanism, the productive forces of developed capitalist countries will continue to develop and maintain the most developed productive forces level in the world for a long historical period in the future.

Fifth, Marx's historical materialism tells us that it is a spiral development process for new things to replace old things. Capitalism will not automatically withdraw from the historical stage, it is constantly adjusting itself to meet the needs of the development of productive forces. Therefore, the demise of capitalism is still a long historical process.