Marx, Karl
Overview
Karl Marx was a 19th-century philosopher, economist, sociologist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best known for his analysis of capitalism and his ideas on how society could be organized differently. With his collaborator Friedrich Engels, he wrote the Communist Manifesto (1848), one of the most influential texts in modern history.
Significance
Marx's work has had a profound impact on economics, political theory, and sociology, influencing the development of communism, socialism, and critical theories. Marx argued that economic and social relationships, not just ideas or values, shape history. He famously proclaimed that "the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles," highlighting the power dynamics between different groups in society (Marx & Engels, 1848).
Contributions
Marx made several key contributions to social thought. His materialist conception of history, also known as historical materialism, posits that economic and technological factors play a significant role in shaping society and its development. He also developed the labor theory of value, which argues that the true worth of a commodity is determined by the amount of labor required to produce it. Furthermore, Marx's critique of capitalism emphasizes its exploitative nature, as capitalists extract surplus value from workers, creating wealth disparities and social conflict (Marx, 1867).
Major Works
- The Communist Manifesto (1848)
- A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy (1859)
- Das Kapital, Volume I-III (1867, 1885, 1894)