The Communist Manifesto

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Gutenberg ID

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Title

The Communist Manifesto

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A foundational text of political theory, this work outlines the history of class struggles and argues for the inevitable overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat. Written by Marx and Engels, it serves as a manifesto for the Communist League, detailing the economic conditions of the working class and the theoretical path toward a classless society.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1848 as the platform for the Communist League, *The Communist Manifesto* by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels declares that a specter of Communism haunts Europe, prompting all existing powers to unite against it. The authors assert that the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles, ranging from ancient freemen and slaves to the modern bourgeoisie and proletariat. They argue that modern society has simplified these antagonisms into two great hostile camps: the bourgeoisie, who own the means of production, and the proletariat, who must sell their labor to survive. Marx and Engels contend that the bourgeoisie, by developing industry, has simultaneously created its own grave-diggers in the proletariat. As industry advances, the proletariat organizes and eventually becomes too powerful for the bourgeoisie to rule, leading to an inevitable revolution. The Manifesto distinguishes Communists from other working-class parties by their international perspective and their focus on the long-term interests of the movement as a whole. They do not form a separate party opposed to other working-class parties but represent the most advanced and resolute section of the working class. Theoretically, they clearly understand the line of march and ultimate results of the proletarian movement. The immediate aim is the formation of the proletariat into a class, the overthrow of bourgeois supremacy, and the conquest of political power. The text critiques Utopian Socialists who seek to improve society through peaceful means and administrative reforms, arguing instead for the forcible overthrow of existing social conditions. It asserts that the abolition of private property is not the abolition of all property, but specifically the abolition of bourgeois property, which is based on the exploitation of wage labor by capital. The authors argue that the bourgeois family and its relations will vanish with the vanishing of capital. The Manifesto concludes with a call for the workingmen of all countries to unite, asserting that the proletariat has nothing to lose but their chains and a world to win. The work remains a foundational text for the international socialist movement, outlining the historical inevitability of proletarian victory.

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