Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Karl Marx was a German philosopher and revolutionary. He created the foundations of communist doctrine, where he criticized capitalism. His philosophy exerted influence in various areas of knowledge, such as sociology, politics, law, theology, philosophy, economics, among others. May 1818. Son of Herschel Marx, lawyer and counselor of justice, a Jewish descendant, he was persecuted by the absolutist government of Frederick Guilherme III. In 1835 he completed the junior high school course at Friedrich Wilhelm. Still in that year and a good part of 1836, Karl studied law, history, philosophy, art and literature at the University of Bonn.
At the end of 1836, he went to Berlin, where the ideas of Hegel, outstanding philosopher and idealist, spread. German. Marx aligns himself with the "left Hegelians", who seek to analyze social issues, based on the need for transformations in the bourgeoisie of Germany. Between 1838 and 1840, his thesis was dedicated to the elaboration of his thesis, in search of a position of professor. In 1841, at the University of Iena, he presented the work "The difference between the philosophy of nature of Democritus and that of Epicurus".
For political reasons, Karl is not named, universities do not accept masters who follow Hegel's ideas. Disillusioned, he dedicates himself to journalism. He writes articles for the German Annals of his friend Arnold Ruge, but the censorship prevents its publication. In October 1842, he moved to Cologne, and took over the direction of the Gazeta Rena newspaper, but shortly after the publication of the article on Russian absolutism, the government closed the newspaper.
In July 1843, he married Jenne, sister of her friend Edgard von Westphalen. The couple moves to Paris, where together with Ruge he founds the magazine "Anais Franco Alemães", where he publishes the articles by Fredrich Engels. Marx publishes "Introduction to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Law" and "On the Jewish Question". He enters a secret society, but is expelled from the city.
public in 1848 the "Communist Manifesto", where he already outlined his main ideas with the class struggle and historical materialism. In late 1844, Marx began writing for the "Vornaerts" in Paris. Opinions displease the government of Frederick Guilherme V, Emperor of Prussia, who pressures the French government to expel the publication's collaborators, including Marx and Engels. In February he is forced to leave France. goes to Belgium.
Dedicates himself to writing theses about socialism and maintains contact with the European labor movement. founds the "German Workers' Society". Together with Engels, they acquire a weekly and join the "League of the Righteous", a secret entity of German workers, with branches throughout Europe. At the 2nd Congress of the League, they are requested to write a manifesto. Based on Engels' work, the principles of communism, Marx writes the "Communist Manifesto" which he sends to London in January 1848.
In the work, Karl criticizes capitalism, exposes the history of the labor movement, and ends with a appeal for the union of workers around the world. Shortly thereafter, Karl and his wife are arrested and expelled from Belgium. After various exiles and deprivations, they finally settled in London. Despite the crisis, in 1864 he founded the "International Association of Workers, in London" that becomes known as the "First International". With the help of Engels, he published in 1867, the first volume of his most important work, "O Capital", in which he summarizes his criticisms of the capitalist economy. He had adopted in 1875. Marx's theories influenced the Russian revolution of 1917, theorists and politicians such as Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin and Mao Zedung. Thus, his doctrine was present in several countries, such as the extinct USSR, China and Cuba.
Karl Heinrich Marx died in London on March 14, 1883, as a result of a bronchitis and problems. respiratory.
Source: e-biographies
