Karl Marx Pholosophy Essay Example For Students

Karl Marx Pholosophy Essay Karl Marx was the greatest thinker and philosopher of his time. His views on life and the social structure of his time revolutionized the way in which people think. He created an opportunity for the lower class to rise above the aristocrats and failed due to the creation of the middle class. Despite this failure, he was still a great political leader and set the basis of Communism in Russia. His life contributed to the way people think today, and because of him people are more open to suggestion and are quicker to create ideas on political issues. Karl Heinrich Marx was born May 5th, 1818 in Trier. Although he had three other siblings, all sisters, he was the favorite child to his father, Heinrich. His mother, a Dutch Jewess named Henrietta Pressburg, had no interest in Karls intellectual side during his life. His father was a Jewish lawyer, and before his death in 1838, converted his family to Christianity to preserve his job with the Prussian state. When Heinrichs mother died, he no longer felt he had an obligation to his religion, thus helping him in the decision in turning to Christianity. Karls childhood was a happy and care-free one. His parents had a good relationship and it help set Karl in the right direction. His splendid natural gifts awakened in his father the hope that they would one day be used in the service of humanity, whilst his mother declared him to be a child of fortune in whose hands everything would go well. The story of his life, Mehring, page 2 In high school Karl stood out among the crowd. When asked to write a report on How to choose a profession he took a different approach. He took the angle in which most interested him, by saying that there was no way to choose a profession, but because of circumstances one is placed in an occupation. A person with a aristocratic background is more likely to have a higher role in society as apposed to someone from a much poorer background. While at Bonn at the age of eighteen he got engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, daughter of the upperclassmen Ludwig von Westphalen. She was the childhood friend of Marxs oldest sister, Sophie. The engagement was a secret one, meaning they got engaged without asking permission of Jennys parents. Heinrich Marx was uneasy about this but before long the consent was given. Karls school life other than his marks is unknown. He never spoke of his friends as a youth, and no one has ever came to speak of him through his life. He left high school in August of 1835 to go on to the University of Bonn in the fall of the same year to study law. His father wanted him to be a lawyer much like himself but when Karls reckless university life was getting in the way after a year Heinrich transferred him to Berlin. Also, he did not go to most lectures, and showed little interest in what was to be learned. Karls reckless ways were not tolerated at Berlin, a more conservative college without the mischievous ways of the other universities. While at Berlin, Marx became part of the group known as the Yong Hegelians. The group was organized in part due to the philosophy teacher Hegel that taught from 1818 to his death. The teachings of Hegel shaped the way the school thought towards most things. Those who studied Hegel and his ideals were known as the Young Hegelians. Hegel spoke of the development and evolution of the mind and of ideas. Although Karl was younger than most in the group, he was recognized for his intellectual ability and became the focus of the group. While at Berlin He came to believe that all the various sciences and philosophies were part of one overarching, which, when completed, which would give a true and total picture of the universe and man. Communist Manifesto, Marx Francis B. Randal, page 15 Marx was an atheist, and believed that science and philosophy would prove everything. Thus he had no belief in a god of any type. Marx believed that Hegel must have been an atheist as well because of his strong belief in the mind. Drug abuse EssayNumbers of proletariat will increase as well as their political awareness, and will revolt against the bourgeoisie and will eventually win. In the second part Marx discusses the importance of Communism, and if private property is abolished, class distinctions will be as well. The second part also stresses the importance of the necessity of the proletariat and bourgeoisie being common and the level of class being the same. The third part critiques other social ideas of the modern day. The final and fourth part discussed the differences between his political issues as apposed to those of the other oppositonal parties. This part ends in bold capital letters WORKINGMEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE! The days of November 1850 fall almost exactly in the middle of Marxs life and they represent, not only externally, an important turning point in his lifes work. Marx himself was keenly aware of this and Engles perhaps even more so. The Story of his life, Mehring, page 208 Living in political exile his life changed. His ideas were no longer followed like they once were. His isolation from the general public provided a new light in his life. Then, in 1855, his only son died. His son showed much potential, and was the life of the family. When he died, Jenny became very sick with anxiety, and Marx himself became very depressed. He wrote to Engles The house seems empty and deserted since the boy died. He was its life and soul. It is impossible to describe how much we miss him all of the time. I have suffered all sorts of misfortunes but now I know what real misfortune is. The Story of his Life, Mehring, page 247 After the Communist League disbanded in 1852 Marx tried to create another organization much like it. Then, in 1862 the First International was established in London. Marx was the leader. He made the inaugural speech and governed the work of the governing body of the International. When the International declined, Marx recommended moving it to the United States. The ending of the International in 1878 took much out of Marx, and made him withdraw from his work; much like the ending of the Communist League had done. This time, it was for good. The last ten years of his life is known as a slow death. This is because the last eight years many medical problems affected his life. In the autumn of 1873 he was inflected by apoplexy which effected his brain which made him incapable of work and any desire to write. After weeks of treatment in Manchester, he recovered fully. He controlled the demise of his health. Instead of relaxing in his old age he went back to work on his own studies. His late nights and early mornings decreased his health in the last few years of his life. In January of 1883, after the death of his daughter Jenny, he suffered from Bronchitis and made it almost impossible to swallow. The next month a tumor developed in his lung and soon manifested into his death on March 14, 1883. Although Marxs influence was not great during his life, after his death his works grew with the strength of the working class. His ideas and theories became known as Marxism, and has been used to shape the ideas of most European and Asian countries. The strength of the Proletariat has been due to the work of Marx. His ideals formed government known as Communism. Although he was never a rich man, his knowledge has been rich in importance for the struggle of the working class.