Abstract: From haunting Europe to spreading across the globe,the "specter of Marx" has traversed three distinct phases—emergence,disappearance,and re-emergence—exhibiting synchrony with the global expansion of capitalism and manifesting three overarching historical logic of capitalist critique.In the first half of the 19th century,in the "epoch of dislocation" marked by the rapid development of European capitalism,the "specter of Marx" emerged,profoundly exposing the increasingly acute internal contradictions of capitalist society and heralding the proletariat's emergence as an independent political force on the historical stage.At the end of the 20th century,the international communist movement fell into a low ebb.Ideological discourses represented by Fukuyama's "end of history" thesis quickly dominated international public opinion.In a state of "presence-in-absence",the withdrawn "specter of Marx" continued to criticize the legitimacy narrative of the capitalist system.Entering the 21st century,contemporary capitalism has witnessed new changes.Faced with a "world in crisis",the "specter of Marx" has re-emerged,proving that Marx's critical theory remains the sharpest scalpel for dissecting contemporary capitalism.The "specter of Marx" is not an abstract conceptual game but a critical existence deeply rooted in concrete social contradictions.Its manifestation and concealment are closely related to the intensification of capitalist contradictions.However,while highlighting the openness and critical force of the "specter" metaphor,we must also guard against the nihilistic tendency in understanding it.The contemporary inheritance of Marxism should be guided by its methodology and value standpoint,thoroughly analyzing the contradictions and crises in the new era and constantly exploring the realistic possibilities for social progress and human emancipation.

Key words: Marx, specter of Marx, capitalist critique, Marxism