Summary of the Communist Manifesto

1180 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The impact of the communist manifesto

During the late 1840’s the idea of Communism had risen among the European powers. Communism is the idea of “the movement that aims to overthrow the capitalist order by revolutionary means and to establish a classless society in which all goods will be socially owned.”[1] During this era the idea of a movement advancing towards the highest form of social organization and togetherness rose within the European countries. “It [communism] settles the question of men and nature, existence and essence, freedom and necessity, individual and collectiveness.”[2] The Communist Manifesto reflects an attempt to explain the goals of Communism, as well as the theory underlying the communist movement.

In 1847, a group of radical workers called the “Communist League" met in London. The league commissioned Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who had both become recent members, to write a manifesto on their behalf. The document Marx and Engels created is known as the Communist Manifesto. “Marx was the principle author, with Engels editing and assisting.”[3] The Communist Manifesto was originally published in London in 1848. Of all the documents of modern socialism, it is the most widely read and the most influential. Marx and Engels thought that theory was only useful if it promotes social change, clarifying the proper means and ends of revolution. Marx and Engels were looked at as activists, as well as authors and the two believed they were influencing history by creating the Communist Manifesto. Their end goal was to educate people and influence history about the communist movement. It argues “class struggles, or the exploitation of one class by another, are the motivating force behind all historical developments.”[4] At this point, a...

... middle of paper ...

.../html/c/communism.asp>

- Atkinson, Jason. The Latter Rain Page. 14 March 2002, p.1 http://www.latter-

rain.com/general/commu.htm

- Bannon, Alicia. SparkNotes on The Communist Manifesto. 3 March 2002, p. 1

<http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/communist>

- Brians, Paul. Karl Marx and Fredercih Engels: The Communist Manifesto. 3 March

2002, p. 3. <http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_2/

marx.html>

- Bannon, Alicia. SparkNotes on The Communist Manifesto. 3 March 2002, p. 2

<http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/communist>

- Kuhn, Rick. Manifesto of the Communist Party. 3 March 2002, p. 1.

<http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html>

- Kuhn, Rick. Manifesto of the Communist Party. 3 March 2002, p. 7.

<http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html>

Show More
Related

  • The Struggle Between The Working Class And Communism In The Communist Manifesto?

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the two German philosophers saw history as the struggle between the working class and the Bourgeois, or middle class (textbook 708). The Communist Manifesto was written in 1848, during the peak of the Industrial Revolution, a time when the Bourgeois made huge profits in manufacturing at the expense of the working class. According to Marx and Engels, the fruits of the Industrial Revolution created a new class of the oppressed modern working class, the Proletariat, which had never before existed because it was neither like serfdom or slave hood in that it was dependent on the Bourgeois to hire them for wage labor. This was the class the two philosophers envisioned would set off a revolution that would overthrow capitalism to end the perpetual class struggle and create a fair society known as Communism.

    Read More

  • The Soviet Government, Gilead of The Handmaid’s Tale and Oceania of 1984

    1636 Words  | 4 Pages

    Though the rewards are pleasing to the ear, the path to obtaining the benefits of communism is a violent one. This strict governing idea was derived from Communist Manifesto, a book written by two German economists, Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels, who declare that many problems in society are caused by the unequal distribution of wealth. These two believe that “Communism deprives no man of the ability to appropriate the fruits of his labour. The only thing it deprives him of is the ability to enslave others by means of such appropriations.” To achieve the goal of happiness and prosperity for all, the lines that distinguish the differences between the rich and poor must be erased. Obviously, the rich will never voluntarily give up their goods or status; therefore the figureheads must force equality among the citizens. Communism places their citizens, whether they be the wealthy or the laborers, into working classes that specify their contribution to the government. With such balanced placement of the people, individuality is impossible for any single person to achieve.

    Read More

  • The Impact of the Communist Manifesto During the Late 1800s and Early 1900s

    1053 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Communist Manifesto made the oppressed people aware of their status and called them to unite. It did this by outlining the history of classes and class struggle. The Communist Manifesto stated that society and history are shaped by class struggles and that two classes were present in 1848, the bourgeois and the proletariat. The document goes on to state that the bourgeois had created capitalism and were oppressing the proletariat.[1] Marx defines the proletariat as “an appendage of the machine”. [2] He recognized how the proletariats were being exploited and he brought it to the attention of the public. Not only does the Communist Manifesto point out that the proletariats were being exploited, it went a step further and called the proletariats to action. He called the working class the revolutionary class and told them that they had the power to fight the bourgeois.[3] The Communist Manifesto forced the Proletariats to recognize their exploitation. As a result the attitude of the proletariat was changed. Proof that the proletariats attitudes were changed comes from the widespread uprising of revolutions in Europe that followed the publication of the Communist Manifesto.

    Read More

  • Filling the Void: Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill and Others on Identity

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, is a short publication that contains Marx’s and Engel’s theories on the nature of society and politics, as well as class struggle, problems with capitalism, and how to slowly change the government from capitalist to socialist and finally communist. The start of the first chapter in the essay, "Bourgeois and Proletarians", states ‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’ (...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Karl Marx's Writing Of The Communist Manifesto

    2472 Words  | 5 Pages

    Karl Marx 's writing of ‘The Communist Manifesto’ in 1848 has been documented by a vast number of academics as one of the most influential pieces of political texts written in the modern era. Its ideologically driven ideas formed the solid foundation of the Communist movement throughout the 20th century, offering a greater alternative for those who were rapidly becoming disillusioned and frustrated with the growing wealth and social divisions created by capitalism. A feeling not just felt in by a couple of individuals in one society, but a feeling that was spreading throughout various societies worldwide. As Toma highlights in his work, Marx felt that ‘capitalism would produce a crisis-ridden, polarized society destined to be taken over by

    Read More

  • The Communist Manifesto Essay

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    From the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century major historical events such as the Industrial revolution had occurred. During this period of time Europe was switching into an economy that is focused mostly in the industrial field. From this emerged two social-economic classes, the rich bourgeoisie and the poor proletariats. Furthermore tension brewed from the two groups since the bourgeoisie source of wealth was from the exploitation of the proletariats. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ book The Communist Manifesto responded to the situation and created a vision of an equal communist society. The Communist Manifesto was defined by the abolishment of the bourgeois sovereign rule that followed to a revolution against capitalism

    Read More

  • Capitalism In The Communist Manifesto

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Communist Manifesto was published in 1848, a period of political turmoil in Europe. Its meaning in today’s capitalistic world is a very controversial issue. Some people, such as the American government, consider socialism taboo and thus disregard the manifesto. They believe that capitalism, and the world itself, has changed greatly from the one Marx was describing in the Manifesto and, therefore, that Marx’s ideas cannot be used to comprehend today’s economy. Others find that the Manifesto highlights issues that are still problematic today. Marx’s predicative notions in the Communist Manifesto are the key to understanding modern day capitalism.

    Read More

  • Understanding the Communist Manifesto: Social Stratification & Capitalism

    548 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels was first published in 1848, with an easy to understand language and a simple structure (brief introduction, followed by three chapters and a conclusion short); it contained the main ideals of communism. It was written from a meeting between Communists of many Nations, and published in several languages.

    Read More

  • Why The Ideas Of Karl Marx Were So Radical To Society

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Communist Manifesto, written in 1848, provided the views of Karl Marx on humans and nature. For the time in which the document was written, the ideas of Marx were very radical to society. The ongoing struggle between the Proletarians( the working class) and the Bourgeois( the owners) prompted Marx to develop a solution to this social problem. His solution to this historical problem was to create a capitalist nation, which in the end would result in a Communist nation. He wanted to help the social status of the working class, because he felt that they were being taken advantage of by the owners. The document also discusses the role of humans and their interaction with nature.

    Read More

  • Wealth and Poverty: Karl Marx

    1702 Words  | 4 Pages

    The "Communist Manifesto" Mountain View College Reader. Neuleib, Janice. A. Cain S., of Kathleen. Ruffus, Stephen. The.

    Read More

  • The Communist Manifesto

    561 Words  | 2 Pages

    Karl Marx is living in a world he is not happy with, and seems to think that he has the perfect solution. I am a strong believer in his ideas. We are living in a time period with a huge class struggle. The Bourgroise exploits and the proletariat are being exploited. Marx did not like the way this society was and searched for a solution. Marx looked for “universal laws of human behavior that would explain and predict the future course of events" (36). He saw an unavoidable growth and change in society, coming not from the difference in opinions, but in the huge difference of opposing classes. He speaks of his ideal society and how he is going to bring about this utopia in his book The Communist Manifesto. I am going to share with you more on his ideas of this “world-wide revolution” (36) that would put an end to social classes and allow people to live with equal sharing which would result in a harmonious and much peaceful world.

    Read More

  • Communist Manifesto Analysis

    970 Words  | 2 Pages

    Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ The Communist Manifesto explores class struggles and their resulting revolutions. They first present their theory of class struggle by explaining that “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (Marx 14), meaning that history is a repeated class struggle that only ends with a revolution. Marx and Engels’ message in The Communist Manifesto is that it is inevitable for class struggles to result in revolutions, ultimately these revolutions will result in society’s transition to communism.

    Read More

  • Marxist Theory and Oedipus the King

    1332 Words  | 3 Pages

    Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto. Trans. Paul M. Sweeny. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1998.

    Read More

  • Karl Marx And The Communist Manifesto

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    Born from the revolutions of 1848 throughout Europe, Marxism sought to end the class struggles that were destroying the continent. The solution to the problems of all nations occurred to Marx to be Socialism, a branch that is presently known as Marxism. Under this seemingly “utopian” socioeconomic system, equality was granted to all citizens who were in essence a community of one. “. . . universal free education; arming of the people; a progressive income tax; limitations upon inheritance; state ownership of banks. . .”(Palmer 506). These rights of which constituted Marxism eventually went on to be incorporated in Leninism and modern-day socialism. At least in its beginning, the intent of Marxism and the Communist League were noble towards the goal o...

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of The Communist Manifesto

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    The second section of The Communist Manifesto is the section in which Karl Marx attempts to offer rebuttals to popular criticisms of his theory of governance. These explanations are based upon the supposition that capitalists cannot make informed observations upon communism as they are unable to look past their capitalist upbringing and that capitalists only seek to exploit others. Though the logic behind these suppositions are flawed, Marx does make some valid points concerning the uprising of the proletariat.

    Read More

More about Summary of the Communist Manifesto

Open Document