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'''Karl Marx''' was a 19th century [[Germany|German]] philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, and revolutionary. He is most famous for his collaboration with [[Friedrich Engels]] in developing the theory of [[Dialectical Materialism]], which forms the basis of the ideology now known as [[Marxism]]. Marx's ideas have had a profound impact, and he is widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the [[Communism|communist]] movement. | '''Karl Marx''' was a 19th century [[Germany|German]] philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, and revolutionary. He is most famous for his collaboration with [[Friedrich Engels]] in developing the theory of [[Dialectical Materialism]], which forms the basis of the ideology now known as [[Marxism]]. Marx's ideas have had a profound impact, and he is widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the [[Communism|communist]] movement. | ||
Marx was born in Trier, [[Germany]] in 1818 to a middle-class Jewish family. He studied law and philosophy at the universities of Bonn and Berlin, where he became involved in radical political circles. After completing his studies, Marx worked as a journalist and became increasingly interested in the plight of the [[working class]]. He moved to Paris in 1843, where he met Engels, and the two began their collaboration. | Marx was born in Trier, [[Germany]] in 1818 to a middle-class Jewish family. As a child his father trained him in 18th century poetry, and as a young man he aspired to be a poet. Though he gave up on this prospect, he never lost his love of the art. Every year he read through the works of Aeschylus in Greek, and his literary background is clear both in his references (Goethe, Heine, Shakespeare, among others) and his own electric prose.<ref>William M. Johnson, 1967, [https://annas-archive.org/scidb/10.2307/2708421?scidb_verified=1 Karl Marx's Verse of 1836-1837 as a foreshadowing of his early Philosophy]</ref> He studied law and philosophy at the universities of Bonn and Berlin, where he became involved in radical political circles. After completing his studies, Marx worked as a journalist and became increasingly interested in the plight of the [[working class]]. He moved to Paris in 1843, where he met Engels, and the two began their collaboration. | ||
Marx and Engels developed the theory of dialectical materialism, which holds that history is driven by the conflict between opposing social forces. According to this theory, society progresses through a series of stages, each characterized by a particular mode of production. Marx argued that [[capitalism]], the current mode of production, is characterized by the exploitation of labor of the working class by the [[Bourgeoisie]], and that this exploitation would eventually lead to a revolution in which the working class would overthrow the Bourgeoisie and establish a socialist state. | Marx and Engels developed the theory of dialectical materialism, which holds that history is driven by the conflict between opposing social forces. According to this theory, society progresses through a series of stages, each characterized by a particular mode of production. Marx argued that [[capitalism]], the current mode of production, is characterized by the exploitation of labor of the working class by the [[Bourgeoisie]], and that this exploitation would eventually lead to a revolution in which the working class would overthrow the Bourgeoisie and establish a socialist state. | ||