How Marx became a communist

141 years ago this week, Karl Marx died. His ideas laid the scientific foundation of the revolutionary communist movement, and would transform the course of world history.

Today, not only do these ideas continue to inspire millions, they also provide our sharpest theoretical weapons in the struggle to overthrow capitalism and bring the working class to power.

In this talk, Josh Holroyd – editor for In Defence of Marxism – explores the theories and events that inspired and shaped the young Karl Marx.

[ronmackinnon]

Spellings of some of those mentioned (for anyone interested, as closed captioning doesn't help):

Etienne Cabet (1788-1856)
Etienne-Gabriel Morelly (1717-1778)
Gracchus Babeuf (1760-1797)
Pierre [not 'Paul, ' as misstated by the speaker at about 19:05] Leroux (1797-1871)

Louis Auguste Blanqui [who is not to be confused with Louis Blanc] (1805-1881)
Wilhelm Weitling (1808-1871)

[FreshHeat]

Josh needs a forumn where he can talk about this in detail. Dude is a natural!

[dinnerwithfranklin]

Excellent talk. I really enjoyed and learned from it.

[ronmackinnon]

(2:00) To be clear, Frederick William IV didn't become King of Prussia until 1840. While that would have been during Marx's time studying at the University of Berlin, the Prussian monarch up until that point in his life was Frederick William III (whose reign had begun back during the wars of the French Revolution).

[madgringo]

Tremendously well explained Political
Greetings from Spain..
❤😮😊❤

[ronmackinnon]

(24:19) So for Saint-Simon, the 'working class' basically corresponded to what had been called the 'Third Estate' under the *ancien regime*, in which all the 'commoners' -- i.e., anyone who wasn't part of the nobility or clergy, i.e., not only workers and peasants, but also bourgeois business owners big and small -- were grouped together.

[pamcj]

What a wonderful class on marxism! Congrats, comrades!

[stavroskarageorgis]

Before Berlin, Hegel was at Jena. Interesting that it's from the University of Jena that Marx received his Doctorate.

[wolfcookerBack]

Thank you for the historical observation of that figure- Karl Marx🚩

[merchantofthepeople]

Absolutely incredible speech. You truly are a natural. I'm inspired...

[merrick]

Oh for ...sake. Marx was a German economist who, using data, predicted where a capitalist society would end up. Right where we are now.

[danielzimmerlindz]

i think you did explain pretty well the essence of marxism, I never ever heard such a good explanation, congratulation. your intervention about Marx and communism gives me hope for the future, especially now when reactionnary ideas are flourishing. CONGRATULATION.
AMITIES. VIVE L'INTERNATIONALISME PROLETARIEN BRAVO CAMARADE. Daniel a french communist

[ronmackinnon]

(46:01-46:12) Info on the George Sand work which was the source of the 'combat or death' quote used by Marx at the end of 'The Poverty of Philosophy' isn't that easy to find. But apparently it's from a novel called 'Jean Ziska' (about the Czech historical figure Jan Zizka), first published in 1843.

[ronmackinnon]

At 40:10, he first says that Proudhon was considered 'an expert on political economy' in France, but moments later says that he was considered a 'bad economist' in France. Any explanation for that contradiction, other than that the speaker misstated one of those?

[stavroskarageorgis]

The Z in Zeitung is pronounced almost as "ch". The "z" sound is invariably rendered via an 's' (between vowels). Diese, wesen, etc..

[creerz]

Revolutionary greetings from Denmark ✊

[afaqahmed]

Workers of the world Unite
From Pakistan section of imt

[cynthiawones]

At some point, the speaker says something about reducing the size of government as a hopeful measure to accomplish something for people in general. I hope he also knows this is utopian — in the sense he seemed to be using that word (meaning unrealistic). Someone will always try to take over when the government of the people is too weak. It sounds like American Republicans of our day or American libertarianism… just more opportunity for the richest to get their way. By American, I’m referencing my observations living in the US. Apparently the early socialists or communists were naive, understandably. After 23 minutes, the speaker is saying the workers advocate for their concerns and the more educated or elite or wealthy, with means of superimposing their terminology or ideas upon the situation, join in. Again, in the US (and I would think anywhere where there is a class swimming in means) the billionaire circles (might’ve been millionaires back then) took the wording of a “right to work” to undermine workers who are less well off; for example. Sure, the elites will say, you have a right to work yourself into the ground for me or “fer’merika.” They have time on their hands to mess with the understandings of the public and tell everyone that the business owners, especially the “most successful’ ones, are the most patriotic and would do what is best.

[Justanotherdude-vdrf]

A good video, it's important to remember that as valuable as his works are they were an ongoing process over his entire life and that it took time for him to fully come into his own. Kind of how we need to keep pushing communism, it sucks that it takes time but that time is crucial it's far more important that it be done right and effectively than to come in half worked.

[CarnaubaWax_]

“Not the Marx we know. Still very Hegelian.”
What?