Karl Marx
Karl Marx
1818 - 1883
[pic]
Gary Kennedy
Student Number - 12112101
Outline Karl Marx’s Main Theories of Work and Capitalism and Discuss their Relevance to Today’s World.
Introduction
Karl Marx - Possibly the most important thinker of our times. Through his theories of Marxism this philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionist predicted our historical evolution. Marx born in Germany in 1818 attended the University of Berlin. After much study he became editor of the liberal newspaper Rheinische Zeitung and with many of his debatable conflicting articles about economics was forced by the Prussian government to close down the paper. Marx then moved to France which led him to first meet German socialist Friedrich Engels which would begin the start of a lifelong friendship. After some time in France Marx became a strong supporter of communism and was later expelled from Paris for his writings on alienation under the capitalist society at the time. His return to Germany forced him back into his study where he and Engels published their most famous book The Communist Manifesto (Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels,1848) which was backed by the Communist League based in London. After the breakout of the revolutions across Europe Marx moved to London where he sought refuge and began his greatest work based on his theories of the economy. He wrote three volumes of a book he named Capital which discusses the Theories of Surplus Value and his understanding of the labour theory of value which were later published by Engels after his death.
Marx’s Key Points and Theories
The three volumes by Marx discuss in great detail his synopsis about the exploitation of workers and surplus value under capitalism, and they elaborate on other theorists ideas such as Adam Smith, with his principal of The Invisible Hand and David Ricardo’s labour theory of value. Although Marx sees capitalism as a class struggle between Capital (the employers and owners of wealth) and Labour (the
1818 - 1883
[pic]
Gary Kennedy
Student Number - 12112101
Outline Karl Marx’s Main Theories of Work and Capitalism and Discuss their Relevance to Today’s World.
Introduction
Karl Marx - Possibly the most important thinker of our times. Through his theories of Marxism this philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionist predicted our historical evolution. Marx born in Germany in 1818 attended the University of Berlin. After much study he became editor of the liberal newspaper Rheinische Zeitung and with many of his debatable conflicting articles about economics was forced by the Prussian government to close down the paper. Marx then moved to France which led him to first meet German socialist Friedrich Engels which would begin the start of a lifelong friendship. After some time in France Marx became a strong supporter of communism and was later expelled from Paris for his writings on alienation under the capitalist society at the time. His return to Germany forced him back into his study where he and Engels published their most famous book The Communist Manifesto (Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels,1848) which was backed by the Communist League based in London. After the breakout of the revolutions across Europe Marx moved to London where he sought refuge and began his greatest work based on his theories of the economy. He wrote three volumes of a book he named Capital which discusses the Theories of Surplus Value and his understanding of the labour theory of value which were later published by Engels after his death.
Marx’s Key Points and Theories
The three volumes by Marx discuss in great detail his synopsis about the exploitation of workers and surplus value under capitalism, and they elaborate on other theorists ideas such as Adam Smith, with his principal of The Invisible Hand and David Ricardo’s labour theory of value. Although Marx sees capitalism as a class struggle between Capital (the employers and owners of wealth) and Labour (the
Bibliography: Free to Lose, John Roemer, 1988, Century Hutchinson Printing LTD. The Ideas of Karl Marx, Alan Woods, 21/06/13 Understanding Marx, Robert Paul Wolff, 1984 by Princeton University Press.