Marxism

Who invented Marxism

- Prussian National Karl Heinrich Marx (May 5, 1818 - March 14, 1883) was the
founder of Marxism, and the father of Socialism
- Marx Published his beliefs with the help of Friedrich Engels in the
“Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei” (The Communist Manifesto) in 1848
- Marx would later publish “Das Kapital” with Engels to further support his
ideals.
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What is Marxism?
- Marxism is described as the antithesis to capitalism, in which “class struggle
is a central element in the analysis of social change in Western societies”
- Marxism is derived to establish a people’s control over industrial production,
along with establishing union control over industry, with equal industrial
distribution.
- While supporting the overthrow of a state and the upper/middle class,
Marxism also tends to be anti theology, finding western religion to be
anti-revolutionary and oppressive.
Marx’s Two Main Literary Works
The Communist Manifesto
- About the implementation of Communism
- Talks on how a class system is self
destructive through conflict
- Revolution is the only way to establish a
Communist state, via the destruction of
private property and the capitalist system.
Das Kapital
-Describes the functioning of the Capitalist
System
- Took a 30 year study to complete
- Believes the Capitalist system is unstable
- Describes workers enslaved by the capitalist
system are nothing but drones
- Marx believed that this exploitation would lead
to a worker’s revolution
Which book was the most influential?
- While the Communist Manifesto is the most often cited in the creation of
Communism, Das Kapital was the most influential
- Das Kapital provided the stepping stones to revolution
- Encouraged violent revolution, dissolving of the state, death of the class
system, and an end to Capitalism, and the establishment of the Worker’s
Republic.
Effects of Marxism
- Marxism inspired several major revolutions around the globe, which still has a
long lasting reach into the modern era
- Inspired the first Socialist (Syndicalist) state in France known as the Paris
Commune
- Later inspired a Communist revolution in the Russian Empire, a civil war in
China, and the establishment of the Comintern (the Xth international)
- Caused a splintering in Communism, leading to Socialism, Democratic
Socialism, Marxist-Leninism, Trotskyism, Maoism, Syndicalism, Totalism, and
Market Communism.
The outcome of Marxism
- France became a temporary Syndicalist (Radical Trade-Unionism) state in
1871. The Soviet Union, being formed after a bloody revolution, would later
be considered the first Communist state, and influence revolutionary ideas in
3rd world nations and in Asia.
- Marx’s idea of global revolution essentially failed, as the fear of a Communist
revolution (i.e the Red Scare) would lead to industrial and political reform to
help serve the working class, and put more of a clamping down on the
Industrial elite (as seen with Roosevelt and Taft)
- Marxist nations such as China, while industrialized, have adapted Capitalistic
traits in order to function globally, while socialist politicians attempt to
influence to be more pacifistic and unionistic (Bread and Roses)