Communist Manifesto

QUESTION: What is the Communist Manifesto?

ANSWER:

The Communist Manifesto is a declaration of the intentions of a communist organization. In the Manifesto you will find a detailed and succinct explanation of the ideas that form the basis of communist and socialist ideologies.

Written in 1848, it has survived as an important historical document. Even though the passing years have proven this Manifesto did not work, its principal concepts are studied for even more ideas that may work or to see why it has failed.

The owners of the means of production (the bourgeoisie and the industrial laborers) were called proletariats, which made up the vast portion of society. The bourgeoisie were the ones who maintained control of the politics and the proletariats were basically without a voice in government.

Marx believed that each class of people had an opposing class that was trying to destroy the lesser one. His theory was to eventually eliminate all classes of people and thereby abolishing all forms of government, money, and nation-states.

The way that Marx preferred to establish this doctrine is by force. War and domination of business, government, and working class would eliminate any need for competition among industry. He also advocated re-education of those under socialism and conditioning them away from the ‘It’s all about me’ attitude.

He failed to realize production of goods and services would eventually be less expensive allowing more of the working class to become ‘bourgeoisie’ themselves and start new small entrepreneur enterprises that would drive the economies further up the industrialized ladder raising the standard of living for the whole world.

Communist revolutions, as history shows, happened in those countries with little economic development. This was contrary to his theory that industrialized nations would be easier to force into socialism.

The Communist Manifesto has had great influence on historians and scholars throughout the world.