Karl Marx: Biography and Story the Father of Socialism and Founder of Communism

Karl Marx is known as the Father of Socialism and also the founding father of communism. This figure is known for his revolutionary thoughts, especially his famous socialism and communism.

Karl Marx is more often considered an activist and revolutionary than a philosopher. His work and thoughts inspired and became the basis for many communist regimes in the 20th century. It is difficult to find a thinker who can be said to have had a comparable influence in the creation of the modern world as Karl Marx.

In his life, Karl Marx was known as a philosopher, sociologist, political economist and social theorist. How is his life journey? Read the profile and biography of Karl Marx and his thoughts.

Quick Info

Full Name	Karl Heinrich Max
Birth Date	May 5, 1818
Birth Place	Trier, Prussia
Died	London, England, March 14, 1883
Parents	Father – Heinrich Marx Mother – Henriette Pressburg
Siblings	Louise Million, Sophia Marx, Emilie Conradi, Hermann Marx, Caroline Marx, Mauritz David Marx, Eduard Marx, Henriette Marx
Wife	Jenny von Westphalen
Child	Eleanor Marx, Jenny Marx Longuet, Laura Marx
Known as	Father of Socialism, Founding Father of Communism

Karl Marx Biography

Karl Marx was born in Trier, Prussia, which is now Germany, on May 5, 1818. His father Heinrich Marx, a lawyer, provided for his family relatively well, typical of a middle class life. His mother’s name was Henriette Pressburg. Karl Marx’s parents came from Jewish priests (rabbis).

Early Life

Very little information is known about Karl Marx’s childhood, but since childhood he received private education from his father. But in 1830, Karl entered Trier High School.

After he was 17 years old, Karl Marx was accepted to study at the University of Bonn. Karl really wanted to study philosophy and literature but his father insisted on enrolling him in law. Here he joined a community of writers who had radical thoughts.

His association with this community made Karl’s thoughts tend to become radical and he was involved in disputes with other campus organizations. Finally, his father transferred Karl to Berlin University so he could be more serious about his studies. He also graduated from the University.

In 1841 Marx received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Berlin, a university that was greatly influenced by Hegel and young teachers who adhered to Hegel’s philosophy, but thought critically. Stay up-to-date with Deltsapure! Provide accurate and updated news for readers.

Become a Writer

Marx got his doctorate from a boring study of philosophy, but that study preceded many of his later ideas. After graduating he became a writer for a radical liberal newspaper and within 10 months he became the editor-in-chief of the newspaper.

But because of its political stance, the newspaper was then closed by the government. The early essays published in the period begin to reflect a stance that guided Marx throughout his life.

Marx’s essays were liberally sprinkled with democratic principles, he rejected the abstractness of Hegelian philosophy, the naive dreams of communist utopia and the ideas of activists who urged what he considered premature political action. In rejecting this idea of activism, Marx laid the foundation for the idea of living alone.

Karl left Germany when he found a more liberal atmosphere in Paris. In Paris he grappled with the ideas of Hegel and his supporters, but he also encountered two new sets of ideas – French socialism and English economic politics.

Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx

In a unique way he combined Hegelianism, socialism and political economy which later determined his intellectual orientation. What was also very important was his meeting with the person who later became his lifelong friend, donor and collaborator, namely Fredrich Engels (Carver, 1983).

In Karl Marx’s biography, it is known that Engels, the son of a textile factory owner, became a socialist who criticized the living conditions faced by the working class. Much of Marx’s compassion for the plight of the working class came from his exposure to Engels and his own ideas.

In 1844 Marx and Engels held a long discussion in a famous Café in Paris and laid the foundation for their lifelong friendship.

Regarding this discussion, Engels said “our complete agreement in all areas of theory became apparent… and our cooperation agreement began from then on” (McLellan, 1993: 131). In the following year, Engels published the work The Condition of the Working Class in England.

Karl Marx and Economics

Interest During this period Marx published a number of very difficult to understand works (most of which were not published during his lifetime) including The Holy Family and The German ideology (co-authored with Engels).

And he also wrote The Economic And Philosophic Manuscripts in 1844, which indicated that his attention to the economic field was increasing.

Even though Marx and Engels had the same theoretical orientation, there were also several differences between them. Marx tended to be a theoretical intellectual who was less organized and very family oriented.

Engels was a practical thinker, neat and organized businessman and a man who did not believe in the institution of the family. Even though they were different, Marx and Engels forged close cooperation so that they collaborated to write books and articles and worked together in radical organizations.

In fact, Engels helped finance Marx for the rest of his life, allowing Marx to devote his attention to his intellectual and political activities. Even though there is a close association between the names Marx and Engels, Engels explained that he was a junior friend.

Marx was able to work very well without me. I have never achieved anything like Marx achieved. Marx’s understanding was higher, his experience was further and his views were broader and quicker than mine. Marx was a genius (Engels, quoted in McLellan, 1973; 131-132).

Many believe that Engels failed to understand Marx’s intricacies. After Marx died, Engels became the main spokesman for Marxian theory and in various ways distorted and oversimplified it, although he remained faithful to the political perspective he forged with Marx.

Because some of his writings had disturbed the Prussian government, the French government (at Prussia’s request) expelled Marx in 1845 and therefore Marx moved to Brussels. His radicalism increased and he became an active member of the international revolutionary movement.

Karl Max and the Communist Party Manifesto

He also joined the communist league and together with Engels was asked to write the league’s articles of association, the result was the communist manifesto of 1848, a major work marked by famous political slogans (for example ‘workers of the whole world unite!!).

In 1849 Karl Marx moved to London and, considering the failure of the political revolution of 1848, he withdrew from revolutionary activities and turned to more detailed research activities on the role of the capitalist system.

Biography of Karl Marx: Writing the Book ‘Das Kapitalis’

Karl Marx’s study ultimately resulted in three volumes of a book called ‘Das Kapital. The first volume was published in 1867; the other two volumes were published after he died.

During his research and writing he lived in poverty, supporting his living simply from his writing fees and financial assistance from Engels.

Karl Max’s basic thoughts when writing Das Kapital were the ideas of classical economists, namely Adam Smith and Benjamin Franklin, as quoted from Wikipedia.

Karl Max’s Popularity Until His Death

In 1864 Marx became involved again in political activities, joining ‘The International’, an international labor movement. Karl soon became prominent in the movement and devoted several years to it.

He began to gain popularity, both as an international leader and as a writer of des capitals. The split of the international movement in 1876, the failure of various revolutionary movements and illnesses, finally caused Marx to collapse. His wife died in 1881 and his daughter in 1882 and Marx himself died in 1883.