Marx, Karl

A German scholar of the nineteenth century; the founder of Marxism, the fundamental theory of communism. Much of his work, including Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto, was done with Friedrich Engels. Marx lived outside Germany most of his life, notably in London, where he wrote Das Kapital. He organized the first International in the 1860s.

A German scholar of the nineteenth century; the originator of Marxism, the fundamental theory of communism. Marx viewed political, social, and economic reality as based in the class struggle and predicted that capitalism would destroy itself. With the downfall of capitalism, the workers of the proletariat (see also proletariat) would come to power and begin a new age, free of economic exploitation. Much of Marx's work, including The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, was done with Friedrich Engels. (See also socialism.)