The Great philosopher Karl Marx

Karl Marx was a German thinker whose work exerted enormous influence in philosophy, economics, and sociology. His articulation of the communist platform inspired several major revolutions across the globe, including the Russian Revolution in the early twentieth century.Karl Marx was born in 1818 in Trier, Prussia, which is in modern day Germany. Marx’s father was a lawyer, and young Karl Marx was able to attend the University of Bonn. He matriculated in 1935. In 1936 he began attending the University of Berlin, where he studied philosophy and law. At the university of Berlin, he was introduced to the philosophy of G.W.F. Hegel, which would later influence Marx’s own theory of history. He also became increasingly involved with the political movements of his day, and he found himself at odds with the monarchical and aristocratic elements of society. Perhaps in part due to his focus on politics, Marx submitted a dissertation to the University of Jena, which was known for having more relaxed academic standards. He was awarded a degree in 1841.In 1843, Marx moved (along with his wife) to Paris, France. At the time, Paris was a center for socialist thought. There, Marx became increasingly involved with socialist/communist circles, and he befriended Friedrich Engels, who would become his lifelong collaborator. In 1847, Marx and Engels joined a socialist secret society, the League of the Just (which was soon renamed the Communist League), who asked them to author a program for their organization. Together, Marx and Engels authored The Communist Manifesto, which detailed the goals and general principles of the Communist Party. Karl Marx’s definition of communism - articulated in that pamphlet - involved the worldwide unification of the working class, who would then seize the means of production and government. In 1848, at roughly the time that The Communist Manifesto was completed, revolutions began breaking out across Europe. This brief period is known as the Year of Revolution and the Spring of Nations. While multiple countries saw various uprisings, none of them were successful. In 1849, Marx was expelled from Paris and went to live in London, which would remain his home until his death. From roughly then until 1964, Marx lived in poverty with his wife and children. During this time, Engels was able to give money to Marx. In 1864, Marx joined the International Working Men’s Association, where he became an involved member and leading figure. The group grew in prestige for several years before being torn apart by opposing factions. One source of disagreement lay in Marx’s support of the Paris Commune, which was not universally endorsed within the association. The International Working Men’s Association was disbanded in 1876. Marx spent the last few years of his life depressed, and his creative output lessened. He died in 1984 of a lung abscess.

Source: study.com