Karl Marx was a 19th century German philosopher, economist, historian, and revolutionary socialist. He was born in 1818 in Trier, Germany to Jewish parents. He studied philosophy and economics in Berlin and married Jenny von Westphalen. Marx was a communist who co-wrote The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels in 1848. He believed that societies are divided between the bourgeoisie (owners) who exploit the proletariat (workers) for profit. Marx predicted that this inequality would lead to an armed revolution where the workers would overthrow the owners. However, the predicted revolution in places like Britain never occurred as Marx foresaw. Marx died in 1883 having only completed one volume of his planned work Das Kapital

1. J. Marshall, 2011

2. BiographyBiography
• Born 1818 in Trier
• Jewish
• Studied philosophy and economicsin
Berlin
• Married Jenny von Westphalen
• Earned hisliving (badly) asa
journalist
• Died 1883 in London having only
written threeof theplanned eight
volumesof Das Kapital.
Karl Marx
i

3. Politics
• Marx wasacommunist.
• HewroteTheCommunist
Manifestowith hisfriend,
Friedrich Engelsin 1848.
• Hehad threekindsof writing:
– Journalism
– Political polemic
– Analysisof society and culture.

4. “Hisreal mission in lifewasto contribute, in one
way or another, to theoverthrow of capitalist society
and of thestateinstitutionswhich it had brought into
being, to contributeto theliberation of themodern
proletariat, which hewasthefirst to makeconscious
of itsown position and itsneeds, consciousof the
conditionsof itsemancipation. … Hisnamewill
endurethrough theages, and so also will hiswork.”

5. MarxismMarxism

6. Marx’srolein history
• When Marx died, hewasnot well
known (except by revolutionaries).
• After hisdeath, anumber of politicians
led “Marxist” revolutions
• Many weretotalitarian.
• Hisphilosophy underliesthethinking
of many political parties– (old Labour for
example).

7. Conflict theory
• Societiesaredivided
into two groups
• Our society iscapitalist.
Owners
(bourgeoisie)
Workers
(proletariat)

10. Ownersand workers
• Ownersexploit workersand live
off themoney which theworkers
earn.
• Workersput up with this
inequality because:
1. They areoppressed wageslavesand
cannot fight thesystem.
2. They areindoctrinated by ideology and religion
into believing what they aretold by the
powerful.
A job for United Labour

11. “Theworker
becomesall the
poorer themore
wealth he
produces, the
morehis
production
increasesin
power and range.”

12. Marx and
The Revolution
• Marx predicted that wealth would
belong to fewer and fewer people.
• Theworkerswould eventually realise
their position and overthrow the
bourgeoisie
• Therewould bean armed revolution
which would begin in Britain.
• It wascoming SOON.
I don’t care
about you!

13. • Therevolution NEVER
OCCURED (in theform hesaid it
would).
• Peoplearenot poorer?
• Wealth isnot concentrated
in thehandsof afew rich
people(but it’smoving there).
• Britain hasn’t had a
Communist revolution yet
and isnot likely to in thenear future.

14. Marx in hisown words # 1
“Men maketheir own history, but
they do not makeit just asthey
please; they do not makeit under
circumstanceschosen by themselves,
but under circumstancesdirectly
found, given and transmitted from
thepast. Thetradition of all thedead
generationsweighslikeanightmare
on thebrain of theliving.”

15. “History repeats
itself, first as
TRAGEDY,
second as
FARCE.”
# 2

16. Marx in hisown words
# 3
“Thewriter may very
well servea
movement of history
asitsmouthpiece, but
hecannot of course
createit.”
MAY SPEAK FOR
HISTORICAL
MOVEMENTS
CREATION OF
HISTORICAL
MOVEMENTS NOT
PERMITTED

17. “In bourgeoissociety
capital isindependent
and hasindividuality,
whiletheliving person
isdependent and hasno
individuality.”
I wish I didn’t
need THEIR
money to
survive.
TheSweetLifeofPetertheProletarian

19. TheEnd