Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels: From Socialism to Communism “Workers of all lands unite. The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it” Inscription on Karl Marx’s tombstone in London

Socialist Origins Christian Socialism Co-operative Movement Trade Unions Utopian Theorisers Early to Mid Nineteenth Century Socialism Revolutionary Socialism Democratic Socialism MarxismAnarchism Socialist Parties

Idea of Socialism Latin: Socius – Companion –Fellowship Poor, weak and oppressed need –Pooling of resources –Redistribution of wealth –Individual rights subordinated to Common Good Intra-Inter-Multinational Oppressors –Natural opponent to Nationalism

Roots of Socialism Christian Socialism –Christian Doctrine Community Renouncing of personal wealth Selflessness Helping the Poor –Sermon on the Mount Used to justify collectivism Protestant versus Catholic Competition

Roots of Socialism Trade Unionism –Collective bargaining Pay and conditions –Artisans Guilds Horizontal Craft Unions –Industry Wide Unions Vertical Unions Variety of ideologies –Working Class base

Roots of Socialism Co-operative Movement –Protect members from being exploited by big business Manufacturing –Eg Robert Owen Consumer –Rochdale Pioneers Agricultural –Peasant farmers agreeing to cooperate

Roots of Socialism Utopian Theorists –French Influence Inspired by French Revolution Tainted by French Revolution –Variety of Ideas Model Communes Scientifically ordered society free from government interference State-funded worker controlled industries Egalitarianism Harmony

Marx: The Early Years Born in Prussia –Middle class family –Ancestors Rabbis Although he was baptised a protestant –Doctorate in Materialism & Atheism in Ancient Greece Hegelian –Joins Young Hegelian Movement at Berlin Uni –Historical Inevitability Replaces Hegel’s Spirit with Economic Materialism Rationalist rather than Romantic –Prussians disallow his promotion at the University Journalist in Cologne –Criticisms of Prussian rulers leads to newspaper’s closure Flees to Paris, 1843 –Joins socialist groups –Writes his first communist ideas Economic and Philosophical manuscripts, 1844 –Meets Friedrich Engels

Freidrich Engels: The Early Years Bremen –Wealthy family Cotton workers with concerns in Belgium and Manchester –Sympathetic with Socialism Meets Marx in Paris 1843 Moves to Belgium with Marx 1844 –Joins communist League 1848 – 1850 helps in Revolutions 1850 returns to father’s cotton mill in Manchester –Supplies financial support for Karl Marx to undertake studies

Marx and the 1848 Revolutions Belgium 1844 – 1847 –Studies History London 1847 – 1848 –Joins Communist League –Publishes timely Communist Manifesto “A Spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of Communism” “Let the ruling classes tremble” “The Proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains” “Working men of all countries, unite!” Paris and Berlin –Forced to flee back to England

Das Kapital 30 Years of Preparation –Engels provided finance –British Library provided Research Facilities Dialectical materialism –Aimed to create a Universal Theory of Human Society to complement Darwin’s Natural Theory of Evolution Mixture of ideas –Materialist History Feuerbach –Class Struggle –Labour Theory of Value Saint-Simon Adam Smith –Dialectical Progress Hegel Intellectualy dismissed –Despite scientific rigour Emotionally Devastating –Quasi-religion for the dispossessed