The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Its Influence on Society Essay

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Its Influence on Society The German political philosopher and revolutionary, Karl Marx is best known for his radical concepts of society. His socialist views are best seen in his work Communist Manifesto. As one of the most influential thinkers of all times, he was able to convey revolutionary ideas in a manner that all could understand. Due to its comprehendible nature and usefulness to the people of his time this document was widely popular among commoners of the Nineteenth Century. In fact some historians refer to the Manifesto as the first systematic statement about modern socialism the world has ever seen. Powerful language and fueled by desires for better standards of living this great historical document forever changed the world. The Manifesto has been a major influence in all-communist literature since its publication in 1848. Translated in many languages and published in hundreds of millions of copies the piece has spurred wars, massacres, and countless protests. The Communist Manifesto was written as a response to a cold hard world, and ever since then the world has been responding to it with rejection and praise. The works of Karl Marx have influenced and inspired millions of lives throughout human history. 1 During the Nineteenth century when Marx and Engels created The Communist Manifesto, the bourgeois rejected their work, yet it was openly accepted by thousands of proletariats. The immediate response was not only found in Marx’s true followers, members of the Communist League. These people strongly supported and believed in the ideals of socialism. The central idea at the heart of the Communist Manifesto was Marx theory of histo... ...ited: 1 Attack on Capitalism ( Waterloo: Canada and the World, 1999). 19-22. 2 â€Å"Karl Marx† 3 March 2002. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm (16 April 2002). 3 â€Å"Friedrich Engels.† 26 February 2002. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUengels.htm (16 April 2002). 4 Rich Kuhn. â€Å"Manifesto of the Communist Party 1848.† 13 December 1999. http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html (16 April 2002). 5 Gerhard Rempel. â€Å"War Communism.† http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/stalin/lectures/WarCom.html (16 April 2002). 6 Mathew White. â€Å"30 Worst Atrocities of The 20TH Century.† June 2000. http://www.plaza.interport.net/mwhite28/Proportionality (16 April 2002). 7 Gilman, Antonio. The Communist Manifesto, 150 Years Later. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.