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Karl Marx Facts

Karl Marx Facts
Karl Marx was a German born historian, philosopher, and economist of Jewish ancestry who is often viewed as the founder of communism. Marx is best known for his writings, The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1867-1894 in three volumes), but he was wrote dozens of books, articles, and tracts in his lifetime. Marx was born on May 5, 1818 to Heinrich and Henriette Marx in Trier, Prussia, which later became part of Germany. Although Marx came from a long line of Jewish ancestry, on both sides of his family, which included rabbis, his father had converted to Christianity and Karl was raised in a more secular household. Marx earned a PhD from the University of Jenna in 1841. After university, Marx traveled throughout Europe, working as a professional writer and editor for left-wing newspapers and developing his radical ideas that would later become known as Marxism and communism. Marx married Jenny von Westphalen in 1843 and seven children. The couple remained married until her death in 1881.
Interesting Karl Marx Facts:
Marx's historical and economic ideas borrowed heavily from the German philosopher Georg Hegel, namely the idea of thesis and antithesis. Marx believed that world history could be summed up as an eternal struggle between the oppressors (thesis) and the oppressed (antithesis). Following the Hegelian logic, Marx argued that the conflict between thesis and antithesis destroys both and creates a new thesis.
Marx was closely associated with German-Jewish philosopher Friedrich Engels. The two men collaborated on The Communist Manifesto.
After living in France and Belgium for several years, Marx returned to Germany in 1848, but was exiled to England after he was the Kaiser associated him with the nationalist rebellions.
The lines between socialism, Marxism, and communism are often blurred making definitions subjective. Communism is generally viewed as Marxism in practice, where the state controls production and attempts to mitigate class differences.
Despite being an ardent socialist/communist, Engels came from a wealthy family, which is how his revolutionary lifestyle, and Marx's to a certain degree, was funded.
Marx wrote for the New-York Daily Tribune during the 1850s.
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need," was said by Karl Marx.
Karl Marx died of bronchitis on March 14, 1883 in London, England at the age of sixty-four. His body was interred in Highgate Cemetery where it stands today with a large monument.
Marx didn't believe in nationalism or national boundaries and thought that one day the "international proletariat" would join hands worldwide against their oppressors. It is therefore perhaps fitting that Marx died a stateless person.
Karl Marx's influence was probably even greater after his death. His idea of history, known as "historical materialism," became common in left-wing circles and his economic ideas formed the backbone of twentieth century socialism and communism.
Statues of Marx were erected around the world in communist states during the Cold War and many still stand in those places.
The modern academic theories of Critical Theory and Critical Race Theory are deeply influenced by Marxist philosophy.


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