Karl Marx was a 19th century German philosopher who developed the socio-political theory of Marxism. Marxism argues that class struggle and economic forces influence society and history. Marx believed that capitalism exploits and alienates workers, creating conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat classes. He advocated for a socialist and eventually communist system with collective ownership and no social classes. The Communist Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels, called on workers to rise up against capitalism and replace private property with community property. Marxism went on to influence many socialist movements and ideologies.

1. MARXISM
BY KARL MARX
Wejdan AlOtaibi
Literary Criticism

2.  Who is Karl Marx?
 • Karl Marx was born on 5th May 1818,
and died on 14th March, 1883.
 • A German Philosopher, Political-
Economist and a Journalist.
 “WORKERS OF ALL LANDS, UNITE”

3.  He emphasized that the primary influence on life
was economic.
 He emphasized the role of class and ideology as
they reflect, promote, and sometimes challenge the
common social order.
 He focuses on the struggle that exists between the
working class and the ruling class.

4. Marxism?
 It is an economic and social system
based upon the political and
economic theories of Marx and
Engels.
 Many different types of Socialism and

5. What is Marxism?
 Collective ownership of land and the means
of production.
 Classless society .
 Everyone would work according to their
abilities.
 Everyone receives according to their needs.

6. Vs.

7. MARX’S CRITIQUE OF CAPITALISM:
Capitalism is…
Exploitative
Alienating
Undemocratic
Irrational
Environmentally destructive
Prone to war

8. COMMUNISM/SOCIALISM:
• Cooperation rather than division.
• Economy democratically controlled.
• Social equality exists and all forms of
oppression would disappear.
• The environment would be respected.

9. The Communist Manifesto

10. The Communist Manifesto
The Manifesto was a call to the working
classes, to rise up and liberate themselves
from the chains of capitalism.
This would be achieved by replacing all
private property with community property.
Capitalists (bourgeoisie) vs workers
(proletariat) are Marx’s focus.
Bourgeoisie alienates proletariat.

11. The Communist Manifesto
Formulates key ideas of socialist
ideology.
Describes history as the history of Class
Struggles.
The accumulation of capitalist wealth is
based on the workers’ labor.

12. THE BASIC IDEAS BEHIND
MARXISM INCLUDE:

13. 1. Exploitation and Alienation: Capitalism is based
on the exploitation of workers by the owners of
capital.
- Alienation: the process as a result of which people
become foreign to their human nature and the
product of their labor. Work becomes a meaningless
circulation of money.

14. 2. LabourTheory ofValue: The
value of a goods can be
objectively measured by
the average amount of
labor hours that are
required to produce that
goods.
The real price of the good or
service = The hours of work
required.

15. 3. Base and Superstructure:

16. 4. Class Consciousness: Any
social class has an
awareness (of itself, of the
conditions of life, and of the
social world around it), and its
capacity to act in its own
rational interests is based on
this awareness. Thus, class
consciousness must be
obtained before any class

17. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx:
1. All societies are made up of classes.
2. These two classes must always be in conflict, and in capitalist
societies the capitalists control the workers.
3. The workers must use revolutionary force to overthrow the
capitalists.
4. The revolution will be successful only when the masses of
workers become class-conscious – .
5. After the revolution the workers will create a classless society
in which all men will be equal.

18. THANK YOU..
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED LISTENING,
“MORE THAN MARX HATED CAPITALISM..”
Sources:
• Marxism - By Branch / Doctrine -The Basics of Philosophy, www.philosophybasics.com/branch_marxism.html.
• What Is Marxism All about? WorldViwe Forum, 2013.
• LICHTHEIM,GEORGE. MARXISM: an Historical andCritical Study. ROUTLEDGE, 2016.
• Read, Jason. “Transindividuality (A Concept for Marxism).” The Politics ofTransindividuality