Karl Marx
Braidie LeClair
Background:
Karl Heinrich Marx was born in Prussia on May 5, 1818 to Heinrich and Henrietta Marx. Marx, one of nine children, was the son of both a successful lawyer and a passionate activist for Prussian reform. In 1835, Marx ventured onward and began studying at the University of Bonn where he became actively involved in the student life, a culture that promoted liveliness and rebellion. After being imprisoned for drunkenness and participating in a duel while at college, his father insisted he enroll in a more structured curriculum so he transferred to the University of Berlin where he studied law and philosophy. It was during his studies in Berlin that he was first introduced to the philosophy of G.W.F Hegel.[1]
Very quickly, Marc became actively involved with the Young Hegelians – a radical group of students who the current criticized the political and religious establishments of their time. As time progressed, Marx’s radical tendencies and zealous philosophies continued to develop with him. Marx’s philosophies hindered him from obtaining teaching positions after his completion of his degree, resulting in him becoming ajournalist. Throughout his life, Marx was worked as both an editor and a contributor for numerous periodicals however every position was often short lived due to the connection between his journalism and his political activism.[2] From 1842-1843, Marx was editor of a liberal newspaper, the RheinischeZeitung, until the government suppressed and shut down its publication. After he lost his job as editor, Marx relocated to Paris – the political heart of Europe in the 1840’s.
It was in Paris that Marx met Friedrich Engels, who would become his lifelong collaborator, partner and friend. Together, the two men began publishing different criticisms and establishing the foundation of their working relationship. Marx was eventually expelled from France in 1845 for writing a radical newspaper that had strong ties to a communist organization and relocated to Brussels. While living in Brussels, Marx was introduced to the ideas of socialism and formally severed his association with the Young Hegelians. While in Brussels, Marx’s began to develop his well-known theories.
While in Brussels, Marx wrote The German Ideology in which he developed his theory of historical materialism. In 1846, Marx found a Communist Correspondence Committee, in an attempt to link socialists from all around Europe.[3] Inspired by Marx’s ideas, socialists in England held a conference and developed the Communist League and in 1847 enlisted Marx and Engels to write “Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei” or the Manifesto of the Communist Party. This writing became known as the infamous Communist Manifesto.[4] Shortly after it’s publication in 1849, Marx was forced to flee Belgium and was denied citizenship in both France and Prussia and was forced to live illegally in London. Marx spent the remainder of his life living in London where he became increasingly focused on capitalism and economic theory. He spent the remainder of his life writing and revising manuscripts to a series of volumes titled Das Kapital,until his death March 14, 1883 of pleurisy.
Effect:
At Karl Marx’s funeral, Marx’s lifelong friend Frederick Engels delivered the oration. Engels concluded the eulogy with the observation that Marx, though he was a loyal friend and a brilliant man, was the “best hated and calumniated man of his times”.[5]The life of Karl Marx radically changed the face of the earth and created upheaval of the conventional formation of modern society.The organized political creation of Marx’s ideas is only a very weak reflection of the power and influence he had over the masses of workingmen and women.[6] Marx’s life work triggered entire revolutions in countries such as Russia and Cuba that continue to affect the infrastructure of the internal operations of nations, the culture of the nation, and the dynamic of their international relations. For example, the Cold War, a hostile exchange of international tension between the former Soviet Union and Cuba – 2 communist nations and the United States, a capitalist country.[7] Marx’s ideas and life influenced mass amounts of individual lives and the cultural, economic and political structures of the modern world.[8] The life and works of Karl Marx triggered countless events, ideas, revolutions and changes in the structure of our world.
[1]"Karl Marx", Biography.com, A&E Television Network, 2013
[2]Chakravorti, Robi, "Marx the Journalist", Economic and Political Weekly 28.36,1993 p.1856-59.
[3]Service, Robert, “Comrades!: A History of World Communism”, Harvard University Press, 2007.
[4]Sandle, Mark, “The Rise of ‘Modern’ Communism”, Longman, 2012.
[5]Engels, Frederick, "Frederick Engels’ Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx," The Grave of Karl Marx, Highgate Cemetery, London, 17 Mar. 1883.
[6]Coyne, Edward J., "Karl Marx 1818-1883", Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 22.85, 1993 p.113-28.
[7]Brown, Archie,”The Rise and Fall of Communism”,HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009.
[8]Alesina, Alberto, and Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln, "Good-Bye Lenin (or Not?): The Effect of Communism on People's Preferences", The American Economic Review 97.4, 2007 p.1507-28.
Bibliography
Alesina, Alberto, and Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln. "Good-Bye Lenin (or Not?): The
Effect of Communism on People's Preferences." The American Economic Review
97.4 (2007): 1507-28. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/
stable/30034104>.
Brown, Archie. The Rise and Fall of Communism. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. Print.
Chakravorti, Robi. "Marx the Journalist." Economic and Political Weekly 28.36
(1993): 1856-59. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/
4400109>.
Coyne, Edward J. "Karl Marx 1818-1883." Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 22.85
(1993): 113-28. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/
30094976>.
Engels, Frederick. "Frederick Engels’ Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx."
The Grave of Karl Marx.Highgate Cemetery, London. 17 Mar. 1883. Speech.
"Karl Marx." Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 5 May 2013.
<http://www.biography.com/people/karl-marx-9401219?page=1>.
Sandle, Mark. The Rise of ‘Modern’ Communism.Longman, 2012. PDF file.
Service, Robert. Comrades! : A History of World Communism. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press, 2007. Print.
Braidie LeClair
Background:
Karl Heinrich Marx was born in Prussia on May 5, 1818 to Heinrich and Henrietta Marx. Marx, one of nine children, was the son of both a successful lawyer and a passionate activist for Prussian reform. In 1835, Marx ventured onward and began studying at the University of Bonn where he became actively involved in the student life, a culture that promoted liveliness and rebellion. After being imprisoned for drunkenness and participating in a duel while at college, his father insisted he enroll in a more structured curriculum so he transferred to the University of Berlin where he studied law and philosophy. It was during his studies in Berlin that he was first introduced to the philosophy of G.W.F Hegel.[1]
Very quickly, Marc became actively involved with the Young Hegelians – a radical group of students who the current criticized the political and religious establishments of their time. As time progressed, Marx’s radical tendencies and zealous philosophies continued to develop with him. Marx’s philosophies hindered him from obtaining teaching positions after his completion of his degree, resulting in him becoming ajournalist. Throughout his life, Marx was worked as both an editor and a contributor for numerous periodicals however every position was often short lived due to the connection between his journalism and his political activism.[2] From 1842-1843, Marx was editor of a liberal newspaper, the RheinischeZeitung, until the government suppressed and shut down its publication. After he lost his job as editor, Marx relocated to Paris – the political heart of Europe in the 1840’s.
It was in Paris that Marx met Friedrich Engels, who would become his lifelong collaborator, partner and friend. Together, the two men began publishing different criticisms and establishing the foundation of their working relationship. Marx was eventually expelled from France in 1845 for writing a radical newspaper that had strong ties to a communist organization and relocated to Brussels. While living in Brussels, Marx was introduced to the ideas of socialism and formally severed his association with the Young Hegelians. While in Brussels, Marx’s began to develop his well-known theories.
While in Brussels, Marx wrote The German Ideology in which he developed his theory of historical materialism. In 1846, Marx found a Communist Correspondence Committee, in an attempt to link socialists from all around Europe.[3] Inspired by Marx’s ideas, socialists in England held a conference and developed the Communist League and in 1847 enlisted Marx and Engels to write “Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei” or the Manifesto of the Communist Party. This writing became known as the infamous Communist Manifesto.[4] Shortly after it’s publication in 1849, Marx was forced to flee Belgium and was denied citizenship in both France and Prussia and was forced to live illegally in London. Marx spent the remainder of his life living in London where he became increasingly focused on capitalism and economic theory. He spent the remainder of his life writing and revising manuscripts to a series of volumes titled Das Kapital,until his death March 14, 1883 of pleurisy.
Effect:
At Karl Marx’s funeral, Marx’s lifelong friend Frederick Engels delivered the oration. Engels concluded the eulogy with the observation that Marx, though he was a loyal friend and a brilliant man, was the “best hated and calumniated man of his times”.[5]The life of Karl Marx radically changed the face of the earth and created upheaval of the conventional formation of modern society.The organized political creation of Marx’s ideas is only a very weak reflection of the power and influence he had over the masses of workingmen and women.[6] Marx’s life work triggered entire revolutions in countries such as Russia and Cuba that continue to affect the infrastructure of the internal operations of nations, the culture of the nation, and the dynamic of their international relations. For example, the Cold War, a hostile exchange of international tension between the former Soviet Union and Cuba – 2 communist nations and the United States, a capitalist country.[7] Marx’s ideas and life influenced mass amounts of individual lives and the cultural, economic and political structures of the modern world.[8] The life and works of Karl Marx triggered countless events, ideas, revolutions and changes in the structure of our world.
[1]"Karl Marx", Biography.com, A&E Television Network, 2013
[2]Chakravorti, Robi, "Marx the Journalist", Economic and Political Weekly 28.36,1993 p.1856-59.
[3]Service, Robert, “Comrades!: A History of World Communism”, Harvard University Press, 2007.
[4]Sandle, Mark, “The Rise of ‘Modern’ Communism”, Longman, 2012.
[5]Engels, Frederick, "Frederick Engels’ Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx," The Grave of Karl Marx, Highgate Cemetery, London, 17 Mar. 1883.
[6]Coyne, Edward J., "Karl Marx 1818-1883", Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 22.85, 1993 p.113-28.
[7]Brown, Archie,”The Rise and Fall of Communism”,HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009.
[8]Alesina, Alberto, and Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln, "Good-Bye Lenin (or Not?): The Effect of Communism on People's Preferences", The American Economic Review 97.4, 2007 p.1507-28.
Bibliography
Alesina, Alberto, and Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln. "Good-Bye Lenin (or Not?): The
Effect of Communism on People's Preferences." The American Economic Review
97.4 (2007): 1507-28. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/
stable/30034104>.
Brown, Archie. The Rise and Fall of Communism. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009. Print.
Chakravorti, Robi. "Marx the Journalist." Economic and Political Weekly 28.36
(1993): 1856-59. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/
4400109>.
Coyne, Edward J. "Karl Marx 1818-1883." Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 22.85
(1993): 113-28. JSTOR. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/
30094976>.
Engels, Frederick. "Frederick Engels’ Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx."
The Grave of Karl Marx.Highgate Cemetery, London. 17 Mar. 1883. Speech.
"Karl Marx." Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 5 May 2013.
<http://www.biography.com/people/karl-marx-9401219?page=1>.
Sandle, Mark. The Rise of ‘Modern’ Communism.Longman, 2012. PDF file.
Service, Robert. Comrades! : A History of World Communism. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press, 2007. Print.