Karl Marx Essay, Research Paper

Human relationships have always been dynamic. Change and adaptability have gone

hand in hand with the passage of time for human society. Systems have been

developed to regulate, direct and control the resources of this society. The

systems are referred to as governments and the resources as the populace or

inhabitants and forces of production. A government must be dynamic in its nature

reflecting the change in society. At times these systems have resisted the

necessity to adapt with its components (Society) creating a deficit between the

system and those it regulates. As the deficits develop, they cause instability,

and could lead to revolution.1 Theories have been developed to explain the

systemic phenomenon Karl Marx was the greatest thinker and philosopher of his

time. His view revolutionized the way in which people think. He created an

opportunity for the lower class to rise above the aristocrats and failed due to

the creation of the middle class. Despite this failure, he was still a great

political leader and set the basis of Communism in Russia. His life contributed

to the way people think today, and because of him people are more open to

suggestion and are quicker to create ideas on political issues. Karl Heinrich

Marx was born May 5th, 1818 in Trier. Although he had three other siblings, all

sisters, he was the favorite child to his Father, Heinrich. His mother, a Dutch

Jewess named Henrietta Pressburg, had no interest in Karl’s intellectual side

during his life. His father was a Jewish lawyer, and before his death in 1838,

converted his family to Christianity to preserve his job with the Prussian

state. When Heinrich’s mother died, he no longer felt he had an obligation to

his religion, thus helping him in the decision in turning to Christianity.

Karl’s childhood was a happy and care-free one. His parents had a good

relationship and it help set Karl in the right direction." His ?splendid

natural gifts’ awakened in his father the hope that they would one day be used

in the service of humanity, whilst his mother declared him everything would go

well. (The story of his life, Mehring, page 2). In High school Karl stood out

among the crowd. When asked to write a report on "How to choose a

profession" he took a different approach. He took the angle in which most

interested him, by saying that there was no way to choose a profession, but

because of circumstances one is placed in an occupation. A person with a

aristocratic background is more likely to have a higher role in society as

apposed to someone from a much poorer background. While at Bonn at the age of

eighteen he got engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, daughter of the upperclassmen

Ludwig von Westphalen. She was the childhood friend of Marx’s oldest sister,

Sophie. The engagement was a secret one, meaning they got engaged without asking

permission of Jenny’s parents. Heinrich Marx was uneasy about this but before

long the consent was given. Karl’s school life other than his marks is unknown.

He never spoke of his friends as a youth, and no one has ever came to speak of

him through his life. He left high school in August of 1835 to go on to the

University of Bonn in the fall of the same year to study law. His father wanted

him to be a lawyer much like himself but when Karl’s reckless university life

was getting in the way after a year Heinrich transferred him to Berlin. Also, he

did not go to most lectures, and showed little interest in what was to be

learned. Karl’s reckless ways were not tolerated at Berlin, a more conservative

college without the mischievous ways of the other universities. While at Berlin,

Marx became part of the group known as the Yong Hegelians. The group was

organized in part due to the philosophy teacher Hegel that taught from 1818 to

his death. The teachings of Hegel shaped the way the school thought towards most

things. Those who studied Hegel and his ideals were known as the Young

Hegelians. Hegel spoke of the development and evolution of the mind and of

ideas. Although Karl was younger than most in the group, he was recognized for

his intellectual ability and became the focus of the group. While at Berlin

"He came to believe that all the various sciences and philosophies were

part of one overarching, which, when completed, which would give a true and

total picture of the universe and man." (Communist Manifesto, Marx (Francis

B. Randal), page 15) Marx was an atheist, and believed that science and

philosophy would prove everything. Thus he had no belief in a god of any type.

Marx believed that Hegel must have been an atheist as well because of his strong

belief in the mind. Marx’s doctoral thesis was competed in 1841. It carried the

title "The Difference Between the Philosophies of Nature of Democrtius and

Epicurus."(The Making of Marx’s Critical Theory, Oakley, page 11) It had to

do with the Greek philosopher Epicurus and how his beliefs related to Marxs’ of

that day. This thesis was an early indication of the thinking behind Karl Marx.

Much of his later work and ideas are evident in this essay. He passed his thesis

into the University of Jena because Bonn and Berlin required an oral part to the

thesis. The quickness was also a matter in this. He passed it in early April,

and got his degree in history and philosophy in April 15, 1841. After graduation

he was unable to find work. This caused him to take a job with the German

newspaper Rheinische Zeitung in early 1842. By the end of the year, Marx made

editor- in-chief. A few months after that in 1843 because of his radical

writings, and his social views, Marx was forced to step down as editor, and soon

after that the paper closed altogether. He married Jenny von Westphalen, and

with a member of the Young Hegelians, Arnold Ruge went to Paris to publish a

radical journal on his beliefs. It was evident in his works that he was a

revolutionary that advocated criticism of everything in existence. This was

especially anticipated by the proletariat. The proletariat were the working

class of the day. They were the poor and made up the majority of people. Marx

went on to believe that the proletariat would rise up against the bourgeoisie.

Then in 1844 Marx met a man that would change his life forever.When going to

England after doing military service, he meet Marx in Cologne in the offices of

the Rheinische Zeitung. Both of them had gone through the German philosophic

school and whilst abroad they came to the same conclusions but while Marx

arrived at an understanding of the struggles and the demands of the age basis of

the French Revolution, Engles did so on the basis of English industry. (The

Story of His life, Mehring, page 93) Friedrich Engles was born in 1820 in the

Rhine Province of the Kingdom of Prussia. Like Marx he was brought up with the

German philosophies of Hegel, and like Marx, Engles began to follow the works of

Hegel. These parallels between Marx and Engles formed a relationship that would

last for the rest of each others lives. They both contributed to each others

works, and co-wrote many things. The similarity in background between the two

also meant a similarity in ideas. The both believed in the struggle of the

proletariat and that it would rise up against the bourgeoisie. Marx is

considerate to be the greater of the two philosophies. The one contrast was the

way in which one solved problems. Marx would use historical research to solve a

problem, as apposed Engles who used his imagination and pure mind to come about

a solution. These differences in culture and similarities in beliefs

complemented each other well. This outlook on society and the class war was

ingenious. It was their greatest work together, the communist manifesto, which

achieved them their most popularity among the proletariat, and created the most

problems with the government for the two. Communist Manifesto or Manifest der

Kommunistischen Partel was a book written by Marx with collaboration from Engles.

Basically meaning that Marx wrote it but he discussed the issues in the

manifesto with Engles. It documents the objectives and principals of the

Communist League, an organization of arand intellectuals. It was published in

London in 1848, shortly before the revolution in Paris. The manifesto is divided

into four parts, and the beginning of the entire document reads "A specter

is haunting Europe". The first part outlines his ideas on history and a

prediction on what is yet to come. He predicts a confrontation between the

proletariat and the bourgeoisie, the working class and the higher class. Because

of the main logic behind capitalism the bourgeoisie will seek more power and

more wealth. With them doing this, the living conditions of the proletariat will

decrease. Numbers of proletariat will increase as well as their political

awareness, and will revolt against the bourgeoisie and will eventually win. In

the second part Marx discusses the importance of Communism, and if private

property is abolished, class distinctions will be as well. The second part also

stresses the importance of the necessity of the proletariat and bourgeoisie

being common and the level of class being the same. The third part critiques

other social ideas of the modern day. The final and fourth part discussed the

differences between his political issues as apposed to those of the other

oppositonal parties. This part ends in bold capital letters "WORKINGMEN OF

ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!" The days of November 1850 fall almost exactly in the

middle of Marx’s life and they represent, not only externally, an important

turning point in his life’s work. Marx himself was keenly aware of this and

Engles perhaps even more so. (The Story of his life, Mehring, page 208) Living

in political exile his life changed. His ideas were no longer followed like they

once were. His isolation from the general public provided a new light in his

life. Then, in 1855, his only son died. His son showed much potential, and was

the life of the family. When he died, Jenny became very sick with anxiety, and

Marx himself became very depressed. He wrote to Engles "The house seems

empty and deserted since the boy died. He was its life and soul. It is

impossible to describe how much we miss him all of the time. I have suffered all

sorts of misfortunes but now I know what real misfortune is…." (The Story

of his Life, Mehring, page 247) After the Communist League disbanded in 1852

Marx tried to create another organization much like it. Then, in 1862 the First

International was established in London. Marx was the leader. He made the

inaugural speech and governed the work of the governing body of the

International. When the International declined, Marx recommended moving it to

the United States. The ending of the International in 1878 took much out of

Marx, and made him withdraw from his work; much like the ending of the Communist

League had done. This time, it was for good. The last ten years of his life is

known as "a slow death". This is because the last eight years many

medical problems affected his life. In the autumn of 1873 he was inflected by

apoplexy which effected his brain which made him incapable of work and any

desire to write. After weeks of treatment in Manchester, he recovered fully. He

controlled the demise of his health. Instead of relaxing in his old age he went

back to work on his own studies. His late nights and early mornings decreased

his health in the last few years of his life. In January of 1883, after the

death of his daughter Jenny, he suffered from Bronchitis and made it almost

impossible to swallow.