自“社会主义”这个概念在世界上出现以来 ,关于什么是社会主义的问题 ,随着时间的推移 ,不同时代的人给予了不同的回答。其所以如此 ,是因为任何一种理论的形成 ,归根结蒂是那个时代经济、社会现实的反映。不同时代的哲人对“社会主义”赋予了具有时代特点的差异 ,同时他们又都遵循着一些共同的原则。差异使他们相区别 ,共同原则又使他们相联系。其差异和共同原则 ,对于我们理解当代的“社会主义”应有一定的启迪 Since the emergence of the concept of “socialism” in the world, as to what is socialism, people of different eras have given different answers over time. This is so because the formation of any kind of theory is, in the final analysis, a reflection of the economic and social realities of that era. Philosophers of different eras have given “socialism” distinctions of a time-specific nature, and at the same time, they all follow some common principle. The difference distinguishes them, and the common principle in turn connects them. Their differences and common principles should have some enlightenment for us to understand contemporary “socialism.”