Modern Communism: Marx, Engles, Lenin, and Stalin Essay

Karl Marx was born in Prussia in 1818. Later in his life he became a newspaper editor and his writings ended up getting him expelled by the Prussian authorities for its radicalism and atheism (Perry 195). He then met Fredrich Engels and together they produced The Communist Manifesto in 1848, for the Communist League. This piece of writing basically laid out Marx’s theory of history in short form (Coffin 623). The Communist Manifesto is mainly revolved around how society was split up into two sides, the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat. I do believe that the ideas of the Communist Manifesto did indeed look educated on paper but due to the lessons of history communism is doomed to fail in the past, present, and future. Communism did not prevail in many different countries, two of them being Berlin and the Soviet Union.

He begins trying to use a sort of a reverse psychology, by saying the communists do not write their principles specifically for the proletarians. Rather, just by chance, the communist vision is perfect for the proletarians to use. He said the problem of all other societies before this time have been a battle between the oppressors versus the oppressed. The basis of these battles has been property. So Communism looks to get rid of different classes in society. Therefore getting rid of different property levels or class levels. Marx says it best by “In sense, the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.” He says with no private property there will be no reason to fight or feud.

Three different types of economic systems used by governments are Communism, Capitalism, and Socialism. Each type of system is unique in different ways. Each has distinct aspects that make it what it is. In communism, the government runs everything and there are no social classes. The government in capitalism doesn’t interfere with any businesses and lets the citizens own and operate them. Socialism is basically a mixture of the two economic systems. The government runs certain businesses, but citizens run the rest. The three economic systems are different in the way they run things and regulate things.

The question of whether or not Stalinism was a logical continuation of Leninism is a difficult one. Stalinism did take significantly more drastic measures than Leninism did. There were differences in policy. But in spite of these, Stalinism still found its basis in Leninism. Even Trotsky, a friend of Lenin and a staunch opponent of Stalin, grudgingly admits that "Stalinism did issue from Bolshevism" (Trotsky). Stalin's policy of socialism in one country, his use of terror to eliminate opposition, and his suppression of democracy and the soviets were all characteristics of Lenin well before they were characteristic of Stalin. Although some of Stalin's policies were different from those of Lenin, what difference Stalinism did

In 1924 capitalism was no longer prevalent in the Soviet Union. The change was due to a sweeping absorption from the Communist Party of everything that could be possibly controlled to secure power domestically, and changing the minds of a nation to all see capitalist behavior as wrong. Once eradicated, scare tactics went from highlighting the negativity of domestic capitalism, to how the nasty capitalists of the outside world were going to get them - despite there being no reality in those actions to back up the accusations. So with unlimited domestic authority and a cultivation of false foreign hostility, with the help of the secret police and an economic monopoly, a new power structure shaped the Soviet Union.

     The Communist Manifesto was written by two world renowned philosophers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. This book was produced in an era of great suffering and anguish of all workers in a socially distressed system. In a time when revolutions were spreading through Europe like wildfire, Marx organized his thoughts and views to produce the critical pamphlet “The Communist Manifesto”. Marx’s scrutiny illustrates his belief that unless change is to occur the constant outcome will repeatedly remain uniform. This is a novel that displays the differentiation between the Bourgeois and the Proletariat. Class relationships are defined by an era's means of production. Marx’s

The first thing that is important when objectively examining the ideology of communism is the historical bias we as Americans have experienced. Although not all of Marx’s beliefs would not be considered universally peaceful, the movement itself is about putting power directly into the hands of the people and taking it away from the their oppressors, even if (and possibly especially if) they do not realise they are oppressed in the first place. Ultimately, Marx aims to liberate the people he sees as the contributors to society by banding them together in solidarity to ensure the destruction of liberal democracy, private property, and individual rights.

Karl Marx wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848 amidst a wave of revolutions that were changing the political course of Europe. The Manifesto is one of the most influential political writings throughout the world. The Communist Manifesto put forward a unique view on the relevance and significance of history which relied more heavily on economical distinctions than revolutionary progress. It also proposed a process, by which the working proletariat class would overthrow the ruling bourgeoisie class and create a classless society in which private property would be abolished. However, if looked at closely the Manifesto contains some contradictions and oversimplifications that allow communism to be suspect to misinterpretation and manipulation

Karl Marx, lived between 1818 and 1883, was a humanist, materialist, and a philosopher, not an economist, contrary to popular belief. “[…] a man engaged in endless internecine political and philosophical warfare” (Menand, 2016, pg. 2). He is the author to the popular text, “Manifesto of the Communist Party” (1848), where Marx defined communism, discussed how industrial capitalism is evil, alienation versus objectification, liberation from alienation, types of class struggles in society, dialectical materialism, and socialism. Marx have always been harshly criticized for his advocacy of communism, but often times, it’s only because people fail to understand Marx’s communism (Marxism). The communism that modern days’ people came to know of are through the political system of Russia, China, North Korea, Vietnam, among other communist countries, where it’s controlled through absolute dictatorship and human’s freedom is reduced; the rise of state capitalism and crude communism. In this essay, I will define communism based Marx’s definition in his text, “Manifesto of the Communist Party”, and explore why and how communism has been distorted for political purposes.

Karl Marx wrote the Communist Manifesto in order to give a voice to the struggling classes in Europe. In the document he expressed the frustrations of the lower class. As Marx began his document with "the history of all hitherto societies has been the history of class struggles" he gave power to the lower classes and sparked a destruction of their opressors.1 He argued that during the nineteenth century Europe was divided into two main classes: the wealthy upper class, the bourgeoisie, and the lower working class, the proletariat. After years of suffering oppression the proletariats decided to use their autonomy and make a choice to gain power. During the

Karl Marx and Freidich Engels both raised the essential question of this study in the second chapter, “Proletarians and Communists.” Of the book, “Communist Manifesto” (1848) Karl Marx, he distinguished himself as a man of high caliber, and a philosopher of immense intellect. When Marx published his novel, “Communist Manifesto”, in the book, he underlined convincing ideas that detail theories of communism coexisting with multiple strategic solutions to capitalism. The author further distinguishes communism is the exceptional method of managing a government either politically and economically, in such a way no person is subjected to dealing

Karl Marx is often called the father of communism, but his life entailed so much more. He was a political economist, philosopher, and idea revolutionist. He was a scholar that believed that capitalism was going to undercut itself as he stated in the Communist Manifesto. While he was relatively ambiguous in his lifetime, his works had tremendous influence after his death. Some of the world’s most powerful and most populace countries follow his ideas to this day. Many of history’s most eventful times were persuaded by his thoughts. Karl Marx was one of the most influential persons in the history of the world, and a brief history of his life will show how he was able to attain many of his attitudes.

     What is Communism? Communism is the doctrine of the conditions of the liberation of the proletariat. It also can be defined as a conceptualized system of government in which resources and production facilities are the property of the entire society rather than individuals. In a communist society, labor is shared equally as well, and the benefits of labor are distributed according to need (Communism.4all 1). No one person shall be ranked higher than another and there is to be one person in charge of the society in a communism government. There are still to this day many countries that fall under the rule of communism and the ways they were transformed under communist rule is quite interesting.

Karl Marx was an idealist. He observed the cruelties and injustices that the poor working class endured during the period of industrial revolution, and was inspired to write of a society in which no oppression existed for any class of people. Marx believed in a revolution that would end socialism and capitalism, and focus on communist principles. The Manifesto of the Communist Party, written by Karl Marx and edited by Frederick Engels, describes the goals of the communist party for ending exploitation of the working class and creating a society in which there is equality in society without social classes.1

Lenin believed that Trotsky was the best suitable to take the Communist party to the next level. Trotsky was not all that popular among party members though and Stalin was in a position as Gen Sek, or General Secretary, to place his people in powerful positions throughout the party. Also, Stalin worked extremely hard at achieving power whereas Trotsky was rather lazy. Because of these reasons along with Stalin's "zero tolerance" attitude towards everyone, he was able to seize control.