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Karl Marx and Marxism Essay

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Karl Marx and Marxism

Karl Marx set the wheels of modern Communism and Socialism in motion with his writings in the late nineteenth century. In collaboration with his friend, Heinrich Engels, he produced the The Communist Manifesto, written in
1848. Many failed countries' political and socio-economic structures have been based on Marx's theories, for example the USSR, East Germany etc. Many people believe that Marxism is not applicable to today's society, as Karl Marx put forward his ideas not anticipating the type of society we have today. The welfare state system has effectively nullified Marx's arguments, and made them irrelevant. Karl Marx, born on May 5, 1818, died on March 14, 1883, was a German economist, philosopher and …show more content…

Because of this, the worker is alienated from the product of their labours, having no control over what is made, or what becomes of it.

Karl Marx was very concerned with the class system in Prussia. He was an avid campaigner against a system where one group of people flourish at the expense of another class, in this case the working. He believed that all things should be equal, and that sharing should abound, with no-one person owning everything, all belonging to the state. Marx believed that once most workers recognized their interests and became 'class conscious', the overthrow of capitalism would proceed as quickly and democratically as the nature of the capitalist opposition allowed. The socialist society that would emerge out of the revolution would develop the full productive potential inherited from capitalism through democratic planning on behalf of social needs. The final goal, towards which socialist society would constantly build, is the human one of abolishing alienation. Marx called the attainment of this goal Communism.

Marxism in its various forms has affected the world greatly throughout time. Both world wars have involved communist countries to a great extent.
Communism has gone wrong in many countries, with the state turning into an authoritarian one, with a few people at the top abusing their power for their own personal gain, at the expense of the other members of the public.

In conclusion, I believe that Marx's

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