Writers of the World

Perhaps the most regarded, or loathed, philosopher with or without any understanding of the subject falls singularly into the hands of Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto (1848). Published under the growing development of "Modern Industry" alongside his fellow writer Frederich Engles, Marx's own belief in 'hard determinism' and the inevitability of a Communist revolution sweeping countries such as Germany and the UK in particular, as the upcoming industrial capitals. It is still all the more difficult to judge therefore without falling to an exact belief of the ideology.

Karl Marx

(1818-1883)

Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution.

Summary

1. Marx did not consider himself a 'philosopher' in the sense of an epistemological sense, but rather of a more practical economist. He suggests on this point that "Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways, but the real task is to alter it."
2. He implies that though the the bourgeoisie (as will shortly be explained) to introduce "civilisation into their midst", they will in turn themselves become their own "grave diggers" as the workers rise up and take control of society for themselves.
3. He defines two main classes: the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat. The former translates as 'town-dweller' and the other as the urban working population (as Modern Industry was seen to be the dominant force at that time). These two classes being 'hostile' and ultimately irreconcilable. The eventual conclusion would be like a Hegelian 'kingdom of ends' whereby communism would eliminate the state and class struggle for which the world would return to a state of nature.
4. Like Hegel, he saw communism as a dialectical process and saw that the movement was driven by a pre-deterministic approach where socialism would be a prophecy that would be historically realised. He regarded the geist or mystical nature of Hegel's theories to be false and saw empirical matter being the driving force of destiny.
5. He considered the idea of 'alienation' as workers may have nothing to lose but their chains (i.e. Rousseau), but they were under the illusion of capitalism separating man with the material worth of objects. Marx himself implicated "Capital is therefore not only personal; it is a social power." 

There are perhaps many myths that surround Marxist ideology. Examples of this consist around the idea of abolishing all private property, which in principle justified capitalist factories or institutions which sold goods for profit, rather than simply just for the sake of it (though much of this stands for the Communist belief). In addition, Marx had no emotional preference for the workers but believed in Man's 'superior importance' (Russell) and the tide of socialism being the inevitable progress regardless of morals or ethics. This would otherwise mean a Revolution would be bloody and violent and not just simply a peaceful transition from one state to another. Perhaps born out of the radical philosophy of figures such as Hegel, who saw man's function as no more as a means to the state and Nietzsche, who foresaw the death of God and rise of man, it may be assumed that Marx's close studies for empirical conclusion was influenced by this new wave of liberal philosophy. Indeed, in descriptions of 'Dictatorship of the Proletariat' the state would take control for man's benefit and all religion being abolished after these revolutions.

Despite this ideal approach by Marx, it is not without its faults. His preference of class over race and his 'cosmic optimism' give much cause to question how accurate this philosophy is. As Russell says, the irony of Marx’s theories was as much unscientific despite his detailed research. And like the destiny of Germany or the UK, it has not seen any significant revolution by the workers in which history shifts itself to eternal peace. Instead, peasants in Russia and a junta in China were to be the figureheads of this ideology. Along with Hegel, there is no paradise where the humans have returned to Eden and no Communist Utopia. Instead it has led to many years of conflict where no country of a communist ruling has no reached the stage beyond socialism. Though he may be admired, Marx must be classed as a philosophical failure in the eyes of the world.