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'''Karl Marx''' (1818-1883) was the most important of all socialist thinkers and the creator of a system of thought called Marxism, and the political system called Communism.  He helped organize the international socialist movement. His ideas motivated radical political activists who joined his call to overthrow capitalism. Marxism, reduced to the theory that all events are caused by economic self interest, had a strong influence on many areas of thought from politics to history to literature, although it cut rather little swath in the discipline of economics itself.

'''Karl Marx''' (1818-1883) was the most important of all socialist thinkers and the creator of a system of thought called Marxism, and the political system called Communism.  He helped organize the international socialist movement. His ideas motivated radical political activists who joined his call to overthrow capitalism. Marxism, reduced to the theory that all events are caused by economic self interest, had a strong influence on many areas of thought from politics to history to literature, although it cut rather little swath in the discipline of economics itself.

==Career==

==Career==

Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a happy, wealthy middle-class home in the Rhineland city of Trier, in Germany. On both sides of his family, he came from a long line of Jewish rabbis; but his father Heinrich Marx (1782-1838), an intellectual and highly respected lawyer, and his family converted to Lutheranism in 1824 when young Marx was six.  Marx received a good classical education; at age 17, he spent a year in the University of Bonn's law faculty and soaked up its cultural romanticism. At age 18 he became engaged to aristocratic Jenny von Westphalen (1814-1881), daughter of Baron von Westphalen, a prominent member of Trier society, grandaughter of a famous general, and also descended from Scottish nobility. She interested Marx in romantic literature and in the utopian socialist Saint-Simonian movement.

Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a happy, wealthy middle-class home in the Rhineland city of Trier, in Germany. On both sides of his family, he came from a long line of Jewish rabbis; but his father Heinrich Marx (1782-1838), an intellectual and highly respected lawyer, and his family converted to Lutheranism in 1824 when young Marx was six.  Marx received a good classical education; at age 17, he spent a year in the University of Bonn's law faculty and soaked up its cultural romanticism. At age 18 he became engaged to aristocratic Jenny von Westphalen (1814-1881), daughter of Baron von Westphalen, a prominent member of Trier society, granddaughter of a famous general, and also descended from Scottish nobility. She interested Marx in romantic literature and in the utopian socialist Saint-Simonian movement.

===Intellectual roots===

===Intellectual roots===

In 1836 Marx transferred to the University of Berlin, at the time the foremost scholarly center in the world. He abandoned his superficial romanticism and came under the influence of the philosophy of the recently deceased [[G. W. F. Hegel]]. which dominated German thought.  Lectures were less important than long conversations with Young Hegelian intellectuals, notably Bruno Bauer; they sought to use Hegelianism to battle the German religious, political, and philosophical status quo. After completing his doctoral thesis (which dealt with the atomic theories of Democritus and Epicurus), Marx at first hoped to obtain teaching post. When Bauer was dismissed for unorthodoxy in 1842, Marx turned to journalism and began writing for the ''Rheinische Zeitung,'' an opposition daily backed by liberal Rhenish industrialists. He soon became its editor, but the paper was closed by the authorities in May 1843, following an expose by Marx of the miserable poverty of farm workers in the Moselle vinyards, a piece of work that led him, as his friend [[Friedrich Engels]] later said, "from pure politics to economic relationships and so to socialism."  

In 1836 Marx transferred to the University of Berlin, at the time the foremost scholarly center in the world. He abandoned his superficial romanticism and came under the influence of the philosophy of the recently deceased [[G. W. F. Hegel]]. which dominated German thought.  Lectures were less important than long conversations with Young Hegelian intellectuals, notably Bruno Bauer; they sought to use Hegelianism to battle the German religious, political, and philosophical status quo. After completing his doctoral thesis (which dealt with the atomic theories of Democritus and Epicurus), Marx at first hoped to obtain teaching post. When Bauer was dismissed for unorthodoxy in 1842, Marx turned to journalism and began writing for the ''Rheinische Zeitung,'' an opposition daily backed by liberal Rhenish industrialists. He soon became its editor, but the paper was closed by the authorities in May 1843, following an expose by Marx of the miserable poverty of farm workers in the Moselle vinyards, a piece of work that led him, as his friend [[Friedrich Engels]] later said, "from pure politics to economic relationships and so to socialism."  

===Revolution of 1848===

===Revolution of 1848===

Just as soon as the "Communist Manifesto"  appeared, the middle classes and intellwectuals of Europe rose in rebellion. The first of the revolutions of 1848, broke out in Paris. Marx rushed back to Paris at the invitation of the liberal provisional government that had replaced the government of King Louis Philippe. By March 1848, the revolution had reached Prussia, and in Berlin King Frederick William IV had  

Just as soon as the "Communist Manifesto"  appeared, the middle classes and intellwectuals of Europe rose in rebellion. The first of the revolutions of 1848, broke out in Paris. Marx rushed back to Paris at the invitation of the liberal provisional government that had replaced the government of King Louis Philippe. By March 1848, the revolution had reached Prussia, and in Berlin King Frederick William IV had  

been compelled to grant an elected parliament, a free press, and the convening of an assembly to draw up a new constitution. Marx hurried to Cologne (part of Prussia), and resumed his journalistic activities, concentrating his energies on a new paper, the "Neue Rheinische Zeitung," which under his editorship favored an alliance between the German workers' movement and the more progressive elements of the middle class. By autumn, 1848, the revolution had been defeated in France and in the Austrian  

been compelled to grant an elected parliament, a free press, and the convening of an assembly to draw up a new constitution. Marx hurried to Cologne (part of Prussia), and resumed his journalistic activities, concentrating his energies on a new paper, the "Neue Rheinische Zeitungvineyards," which under his editorship favored an alliance between the German workers' movement and the more progressive elements of the middle class. By autumn, 1848, the revolution had been defeated in France and in the Austrian  

Empire. Marx still favored such an alliance and refused to support separate working-class candidates in elections. Not until April 1849, a month before the final collapse of the revolution in Germany, did he change tactics and advocate separate working-class political action. But it was far too late. Marx returned  

Empire. Marx still favored such an alliance and refused to support separate working-class candidates in elections. Not until April 1849, a month before the final collapse of the revolution in Germany, did he change tactics and advocate separate working-class political action. But it was far too late. Marx returned  

once again to Paris, expecting the revolution to succeed there; it did not and he was expelled in July 1849. Marx returned to London to begin his long exile.

once again to Paris, expecting the revolution to succeed there; it did not and he was expelled in July 1849. Marx returned to London to begin his long exile.

===Views on Religion===

===Views on Religion===

Marx' view on [[religion]] is mostly based on [[Ludwig Feuerbach's]] ideas<ref>Feuerbach, L. ''The Essence of Christianity'', New York, 1957</ref>. Marx is considered very controversial in religious circles for his statement, "Religion...is the opiate of the masses."  This was written in his 1843 work "A Contribution to the  [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1843/critique-hpr/intro.htm Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right]" and expresses Marx's belief that religion offers a false palliative to assuage the suffering of "the oppressed", which in his view essentially blames [[faith]] in [[God]] as the hindrance to carrying out the Marxist program.

Marx' view on [[religion]] is mostly based on [[Ludwig Feuerbach's]] ideas<ref>Feuerbachexhaustivereadingsemi-clandestineémigréEngelsintellectuals, L. ''The Essence of Christianity'', New York, supersede1957</ref>. Marx is considered very controversial in religious circles for his statement, "Religion...is the opiate of the masses."  This was written in his 1843 work "A Contribution to the  [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1843/critique-hpr/intro.htm Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right]" and expresses Marx's belief that religion offers a false palliative to assuage the suffering of "the oppressed", which in his view essentially blames [[faith]] in [[God]] as the hindrance to carrying out the Marxist program.

===Anti-semitism===

===Anti-semitism===

Karl Marx is often labeled an [[Anti-Semitism|anti-Semite]] or a "self-hating [[Jew]]" for statements such as, "Money is the [[jealous god]] of [[Israel]], in face of which no other god may exist", "The god of the Jews has become secularized and has become the [[god of the world]]. The [[bill of exchange]] is the real god of the Jew. His god is only an illusory bill of exchange", and "What is the worldly religion of the Jew? Huckstering. What is his worldly [[God]]? Money."

Karl Marx is often labeled an [[Anti-Semitism|anti-Semite]] or a "self-hating [[Jew]]" for statements such as, "Money is the [[jealous god]] of [[Israel]], in face of which no other god may exist", "The god of the Jews has become secularized and has become the [[god of the world]]. The [[bill of exchange]] is the real god of the Jew. His god is only an illusory bill of exchange", and "What is the worldly religion of the Jew? Huckstering. What is his worldly [[God]]? Money."

* Elster, Jon.  ''An Introduction to Karl Marx'' (1986) [http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Karl-Marx-Jon-Elster/dp/052133831X/ref=sr_1_3/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192896566&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

* Elster, Jon.  ''An Introduction to Karl Marx'' (1986) [http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Karl-Marx-Jon-Elster/dp/052133831X/ref=sr_1_3/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192896566&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]

* Hobsbawm, Eric J., ed.  ''Marxism in Marx's Day.'' 1982. 349 pp.   

* Hobsbawm, Eric J., ed.  ''Marxism in Marx's Day.'' 1982. 349 pp.   

* Kolakowski, Leszek.  ''Main Currents of Marxism: The Founders, the Golden Age, the Breakdown.'' (1981, 2005). 1504 pp.  covers Marx and all the Marxists [http://www.amazon.com/Main-Currents-Marxism-Founders-Breakdown/dp/0393060543/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192896392&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], by a leading conservative scholar; strong emphasis on philosophy

* Kolakowski, Leszek.  ''Main Currents of Marxism: The Founders, the Golden Age, the Breakdown.'' (3 vol. 1981, 2005). 1504 pp.  covers Marx and all the Marxists [http://www.amazon.com/Main-Currents-Marxism-Founders-Breakdown/dp/0393060543/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192896392&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], by a leading conservative scholar; strong emphasis on philosophy

* McLellan, David. ''Karl Marx: A Biography'' (4th ed. 2006)  

* McLellan, David. ''Karl Marx: A Biography'' (4th ed. 2006)  

* Mehring, Franz. ''Marx: The Story of His Life'' (1918) [http://www.questia.com/read/3077782 online edition] [http://www.marxists.org/archive/mehring/1918/marx/index.htm  another online edition]

* Mehring, Franz. ''Marx: The Story of His Life'' (1918) [http://www.questia.com/read/3077782 online edition] [http://www.marxists.org/archive/mehring/1918/marx/index.htm  another online edition]

* Marx, Karl. ''Grundrisse: Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy'' ed. by Martin Nicolaus (1993) [http://www.amazon.com/Grundrisse-Foundations-Critique-Political-Classics/dp/0140445757/ref=sr_1_38/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192887474&sr=8-38 excerpt and text search]

* Marx, Karl. ''Grundrisse: Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy'' ed. by Martin Nicolaus (1993) [http://www.amazon.com/Grundrisse-Foundations-Critique-Political-Classics/dp/0140445757/ref=sr_1_38/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192887474&sr=8-38 excerpt and text search]

* Marx, Karl. ''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' (1906), 865pp [http://books.google.com/books?id=IpJC7HNskeYC&dq=inauthor:karl+inauthor:marx&num=30&as_brr=1 online ediition]

* Marx, Karl. ''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' (1906), 865pp [http://books.google.com/books?id=IpJC7HNskeYC&dq=inauthor:karl+inauthor:marx&num=30&as_brr=1 online ediition]