The Communist Manifesto

Definition

The Communist Manifesto is a political pamphlet written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, published in 1848, that outlines the principles of communism and critiques capitalism. It serves as a rallying call for the proletariat to rise against the bourgeoisie, emphasizing class struggle and the need for social reform to achieve a classless society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Communist Manifesto was commissioned by the Communist League, aiming to provide a concise statement of the group's ideology.
2. The pamphlet famously opens with the line 'A spectre is haunting Europe—the spectre of communism,' signaling the rising influence of communist ideas across Europe.
3. Marx and Engels argue that all history is characterized by class struggles, leading to the eventual overthrow of capitalism by the proletariat.
4. The Manifesto outlines ten measures for implementing socialism, such as free education for all children and progressive taxation.
5. It emphasizes the importance of international solidarity among workers, stating that 'workers of the world unite!' as a call for global cooperation against capitalist oppression.

Review Questions

• How does The Communist Manifesto define the relationship between the proletariat and bourgeoisie, and what implications does this relationship have for social reform?
  • The Communist Manifesto defines the relationship between the proletariat and bourgeoisie as fundamentally antagonistic, with the bourgeoisie exploiting the labor of the proletariat to accumulate wealth. This exploitation leads to social inequality and necessitates reform. Marx argues that social reform can only be achieved through a revolution where the proletariat unites to overthrow their oppressors, ultimately leading to a classless society where resources are shared equally.
• Discuss how The Communist Manifesto critiques capitalism and its impact on society as portrayed by Marx and Engels.
  • In The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels critique capitalism as an economic system that prioritizes profit over human welfare, leading to alienation and inequality. They argue that capitalism reduces workers to mere commodities whose value is determined solely by their labor. This critique highlights how capitalists accumulate wealth at the expense of workers, creating a cycle of oppression that can only be broken through collective action and social reform aimed at dismantling capitalist structures.
• Evaluate the significance of The Communist Manifesto in relation to 19th-century social reform movements and its lasting impact on modern political thought.
  • The Communist Manifesto is significant because it not only influenced 19th-century social reform movements but also laid the groundwork for various socialist ideologies that emerged in response to industrialization. Its emphasis on class struggle and calls for worker unity resonated with numerous labor movements worldwide. The ideas presented in the manifesto continue to shape modern political thought, inspiring discussions about economic equality, workers' rights, and critiques of capitalism, making it a foundational text in both historical and contemporary contexts.

Related terms

Proletariat: The working class in capitalist society who, according to Marx, are exploited by the bourgeoisie and must unite to overthrow capitalist systems.

Bourgeoisie: The capitalist class who own the means of production and employ wage laborers, central to Marxist theory as the oppressors of the proletariat.

Class Struggle: The ongoing conflict between different classes in society, primarily between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, which Marx argues drives historical development.