Karl Marx: Life, Philosophy, and Impact on Society
Karl Marx was educated in a free and democratic Germany. He joined the Left Hegelians and worked as a partner in the Gazette of the Rhine, where his articles were frequently censored. Later, he moved to Paris, where he met Engels, which led to his interest in communism. He wrote articles against Hegel (Manuscripts in Paris, 1844). After being expelled from France, he moved to Brussels, where he wrote The Holy Family, breaking with the Left Hegelians. Later, with clearer communist thoughts, he co-authored The German Ideology and The Communist Manifesto. In 1849, he moved to London, which became his permanent home. Following his observations on the British capital, he wrote Das Kapital.
Let’s analyze the various ideologies and events surrounding his life:
Philosophy
Germany was dominated by the thought of Hegel, a pure idealist. Soon, the younger generation divided into Right and Left Hegelians, with Marx joining the latter alongside Feuerbach. Both thinkers influenced Marx’s thinking, incorporating terms such as dialectic and the concept of alienation.
Politics
An era of revolutions began with the independence of the USA and the French Revolution, aiming to remove the old regime. The revolutionary ideal was based on political liberalism (Locke and Montesquieu), advocating for national sovereignty, the division of powers, and representative government. This ideal was accompanied by the concept of economic liberalism, based on non-intervention in the economy and private property rights, something Marx strongly criticized.
Traditional liberalism, the ideology of those who criticized and defended the Enlightenment tradition and religious values, also played a role. This movement is represented by Romanticism, which exalted tradition, religious values, and individualism.
Nationalism and Positivism
Closely related to traditionalism is nationalism, which views the nation as a living entity, more than just the sum of individuals. Marx saw this as an ideological justification of the bourgeoisie. On the other hand, positivism saw science and philosophy as tools that should be limited to the analysis of empirical facts. It was a movement that arose against Romanticism and idealism. Science experienced significant development, dominated by Darwin’s Biology, deterministic mechanism in Physics (every phenomenon has a fixed cause), and the emergence of new linguistics, experimental psychology, and classical economics.
The Industrial Revolution and Social Classes
Under this scientific development and the expansion of colonialism, the Industrial Revolution occurred, reaching the height of bourgeois society. Social classes became more defined, and the working class began to feel exploited, witnessing the beginning of workers’ revolutions, which arose to ensure the interests of workers in terrible conditions. Thus, the first violent labor organizations were formed, such as the IWA (International Workers Association). Marx, with his works, had a great influence on these events.
Socialism and its Streams
Coupled with this movement came socialism, a social movement that fought against economic inequalities resulting from economic liberalism. Within socialism, we can identify three streams:
- Anarchism: Fighting the state and any centralized form of power.
- Utopian Socialism: Proposing social reform based on goodwill, creating companies where workers are treated well. It was criticized by Marx.
- Communism: Defending strict social equality by force, through a community of shared ownership. Marx was a faithful advocate, reflected in his Communist Manifesto.
Conclusion
The 19th century, during which Marx developed his life, can be defined as a very agitated political and social period, where capitalism expanded “wildly” throughout the world.