Abstract: The study on the political turn of contemporary western aesthetics is the deepening and expansion of the basic problems of contemporary aesthetics, and it is another theoretical expression of the aesthetic relationship of modernity. Western Marx cultural politics which originates from Marx's thought heritage, Gramsci's cultural leadership theory, Jacques Rancière and aesthetic politics of the “Post-Althusser school”, the theory of Slavo Žižek's post-political bio-politics, have constituted the main theoretical path of the contemporary western asthetics. These theoretical paths further emphasize the sense of reality and problem consciousnes. With the emphasis on the significance of modernity, historical evolution and realistic expression of aesthetic discourse. The theoretical problems are not only a new theoretical aspect of contemporary aesthetics, but also a sort of recombing of the relationship between aesthetics and politics, aesthetics and society, aesthetics and ethics in the modern society.

Key words: aesthetics, politics, political turn, aesthetic modernity