A Presentation by Jens Aka James Dedon

Karl Heinrich Marx Karl Marx was born on the 5 th of May 1818 to a middle class family in Trier, Germany. Strong anti-Semitism at the time forced Karl's father to convert the family to Christianity or risk forfeiting his career in law. Marx’s father was an educated man. Thus exposing young Karl to philosophy and classical literature.

Karl attended Gymnasium in Trier between the years 1830 and 1835 where he received average grades. Upon completion of Gymnasium, Karl enters the University at Bonn, to study law and follow in his fathers footsteps. Education

While attending University at Bonn, Karl meets and falls in love with Jenny Von Westphalen, the daughter of a powerful member of Trier’s high society. Karl and Jenny became secretly engaged to be wed. In the autumn of 1836, following his engagement to Jenny, Karl enters the University of Berlin for a more formal education.

Marx spoke in a Rhenish dialect that was extremely difficult for the Berliners to understand. He also suffered from a pronounced lisp. These factors led to a sort of social isolation. Karl was not a good verbal communicator. He was much better at expressing himself by writing down his ideas. He confided only in a tight knit group of friends and professors at the University in Berlin.

While studying in Berlin, Karl becomes involved in a group known as the “Young Hegelians,” a group of professors and students who would discuss philosophy and politics. Hegelianism was a popular philosophy in Berlin at the time.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel ( ) G.W.F. Hegel was German philosopher of the “German Idealism” period. Hegel used a scientific process of critiquing philosophy. Traditional logic is used systematically break down philosophy to a solidified level.

In May of 1838, Karl’s father dies. Karl quickly slips into depression and becomes even more involved with the Young Hegelians. He abandons most of his formal education. In the course of the five years when Karl attended University in Berlin, he attended only thirteen courses. This is the amount of courses a normal student would complete in a year and a half. He also changed his address an astonishing 7 times in the same five years. Karl refers to University simply as his “camping ground.”

Karl cannot receive doctorate from Berlin University. After applying at a few different Universities throughout Germany, Karl is awarded a doctorate from Jena University in Karl had been planning a career as a University Professor, much like his mentor and fellow “Young Hegelian” Bruno Bauer, but as tensions grew within the Prussian autocracy against their radical views on government, state funded careers became out of the question. Marx, married his love Jenny Von Westphalen June 19, 1843, and less than a year later she gives birth to their first daughter, Jenny. Eleanor, Laura and Edgar follow.

The Problem…. During the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution was changing the world. The human condition was degrading swiftly. Class struggles intensify as the bourgeoisie (Industry owners) exploit the proletariats’ (workers) worth…their means to produce.

J.D. Rockefeller $900,000,000

Lil Johnny 5 cents a day!

Political Activism After University, Karl Marx takes up a position as an editor for a socialistic periodical known as the Rheinische Zeitung. The political radicalism of the papers content force the government to close down the newspaper. Karl takes his family to France in This would be the first of many government-induced exoduses by the Marx family. 1844, Early September: Karl Marx meets Friedrich Engels, his closest associate until the end of his life.

Marx and Engels Freddie and Karl get into lots of trouble together. In 1845, Karl is forced out of France by the French government. He takes his family to Belgium where they live for the three years in a humble 3 room flat. It is here where Karl conceives his ideas of history pertaining to the materialistic needs of mankind. This would be the basis for what would soon become known as Marxism.

Marx·ism [ máark sìzzəm ] Noun 1. Marx's theories: the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in which class struggle is a central element in the analysis of social change in Western societies 2. politics based on Marx's theories: political ideology based on the theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels Marx·istnadj

The Revolutions of 1848 break out and Karl moves back to Paris. The revolution is squandered, and the Communist League is dispersed. Not but a few months later, Marx and his family return to Germany. Karl starts the Neue Rheinische Zeitung. A continuation of his prior revolutionary newspaper. The Prussians once again shut down his circulation, and Karl moved once again. This time to London. He would remain in London for the rest of his days.

Marx and Engels were commissioned by The Communist League to write its manifesto and mission statement. Throughout Europe revolution was in the air during the 1840s. In 1848, France, Britain, and Germany all suffered huge socialist uprisings. Published in February of 1848, the Communist Manifesto would be the vehicle to spread the Idea of Scientific Socialism and bring momentum to the cause. The Manifesto was first published as a pamphlet in London, February It’s circulation is in the hundreds of millions. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of social literature of all time.

Published first in 1867, Das Kapital was much more critical of capitalism than The Communist Manifesto. Where the Communist Manifesto was a calling for others to join the cause, Das Kapital was more a academic reference text. Das Kapital took an in depth look at the history of society and the impacts of economics on the human condition. Marx intended to publish a total of three volumes of Das Capital, but deceased on March 14,1883, before the final two volumes reached print. Friedrich Engels completes the final two drafts and brought them to print in 1885 and Das Kapital continues today to be a most valuable source of information regarding economics and labor.

Who comes rushing in, impetuous and wild Dark fellow from Trier, in fury raging, Nor walks nor skips, but leaps on his prey. In tearing rage, as one who leaps to grasp Broad spaces of the sky and drag them down to Earth, Stretching his arms wide to the heavens. His evil fist is clenched, he roars interminably. As though ten thousand devils had him by the hair. -Edgar Bauer Brother of Bruno Bauer A member of the Young Hegelians 1842

Many people view Karl Marx and Marxism as nothing more than the reasons for the cold war, and the atrocities caused by many of the communist regimes that have been in power in the world. Other people believe Karl Marx was one of, if not the greatest philosopher of all time. In fact according to BBC listeners in 2005, Marx is the greatest philosopher of all time. “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.” -Francis Wheen BBC Radio

Gregg, Samuel, “Low Marx for Poor Memory.” Action Institute For the Study of Religion and Liberty, September 14, November 29, “Karl Marx.” Wikipedia, 30 November, Kreiss, Steven. “Karl Marx,” The History Guide, March 26, November 29, “Marx, Karl," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia © Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Payne, Robert. “Marx. A Biography,” New York: Simon & Schuster, Redding, Paul, "Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2002 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.),. Wheen, Francis, :In Our Time’s Greatest Philosopher Vote,” BBC Radio Online, September 2005,.