Karl Marx

Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818 in Trier, Prussia – 14 March 1883 in London, England) was a German political thinker who wrote about economics and politics. Marx thought that if a place that works together runs on wage-labor, then there would always be class struggle. Marx thought that this class struggle would result in workers taking power. He believed that no economic class—wage workers, land owners, etc. should have power over another. Marx believed that everyone should contribute what they can, and everyone should get what they need. His most famous book was the Communist Manifesto. He wrote it with Friedrich Engels in 1848. The book is about the ideas and aims of communism. His ideas are called Marxism.

Karl Heinrich Marx
Karl Marx in 1875
Born(1818-05-05)5 May 1818
Trier, Prussia
Died14 March 1883(1883-03-14) (aged 64)
London, England,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Era19th-century philosophy
RegionWestern Philosophy
SchoolMarxism
Main interests
Politics, Economics, class struggle, Alienation
Notable ideas
Co-founder of Marxism (with Engels), Alienation and exploitation of the worker, The Communist Manifesto, Das Kapital, Materialist conception of history
Influences
Influenced

Works

Das Kapital

His most important work is Das Kapital, or The Capital. It is commonly known in English as simply 'Capital.' He spent many years working on the three parts of the book. Das Kapital describes how "capitalism" works and the problems this creates, such as division of labour, alienation and exploitation. The book has led to many arguments between those who agree with the book and those who do not. Marx's ideas have been thought of as responsible for socialist revolutions (like the Russian Revolution).

Historical materialism

Marx's most popular theory was 'historical materialism', arguing that history is the result of material conditions, rather than ideas. He believed that religion, morality, social structures and other things are all rooted in economics.

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

Marx also wrote the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, a critique of political economy in which he discusses topics such as labor wages, labor rent, and capital profit, and his ideas of how to change the economy, including proletarian socialist revolution and an eventual communist society.[1]

Biography

Karl Marx was born in Trier in 1818,[2] but he had to move many times because the government did not like his ideas. Marx lived for a long time in London. He died there in 1883.[3] After he died, his friend Engels finished many of his works.

Many people continue to follow and develop Marx's ideas.

References
  1. Marx, Karl; Friedrich Engels, Robert Tucker The Marx-Engels Reader: Second Edition WW Norton and Company New York page 66
  2. Blumenberg, Werner Karl Marx: An Illustrated History Verzo London 2000 page 4
  3. von Dehsen, Christian D. 1999 Lives and Legacies: An Encyclopedia of People who Changed the World: Philosophers and Religious Leaders Oryx Press 1999 page 127

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