On the afternoon of May 15, at the invitation of the School of Marxism, Shanghai Party Institute, David M. Kotz, author of Revolution from Above: The Demise of the Soviet System, world-famous expert on Soviet issues, Marxist economist, vice-president of the World Association for Political Economy and professor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, came to the school for academic discussion. Some 40 people, including faculties from the School of Marxism, the Department of Philosophy, the Department of Scientific Socialism, the Personnel Division, the Institute Branches and some District Party Institutes, as well as some postgraduates, attended the seminar, which was presided over by Professor WANG gonglong, executive director of the School of Marxism.

In the first session, Professor Kotz made a presentation entitled Lessons from the Demise of the Soviet System. During the presentation, Mr. Kotz explained why he had decided to write the book Revolution from Above: The Demise of the Soviet System, and listed several common explanations for the disintegration of the Soviet Union. After refuting those explanations, Mr. Kotz gave his own opinion that the Soviet Union had been disintegrated because the high-rank officials in the Soviet Communist Party had forsaken their belief in communism in order to maintain their privileges and vested interest, and he also gave relevant evidence to support his argument. Mr. Kotz further analyzed the causes of this ideological change from the perspective of the economic and political characteristics of the Soviet Union. Finally, Professor Kotz suggested the lessons socialist countries should learn from the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Next was the lively and exuberant Q&A session where the audience were eager to ask pertinent questions, which were answered by the professor in an accurate, profound and vivid way. The audience still felt the excitement even after one hour of continuous questions and answers. They all said that the presentation was very impressive and inspiring.

WANG gonglong made a summary by saying that the seminar was a complete success, and Professor Kotzs presentation was reflective of his acute observation and scrupulous attitude towards academic research, and that many of the arguments and evidence mentioned in the presentation were in high agreement with the consensus generally recognized in China, thereby further strengthening our confidence in the path, theory, institution and culture with Chinese characteristics. Mr. WANG also hoped that the School of Marxism would create more opportunities for such academic exchanges.