Karl Marx

Renowned for his theories about capitalism & communism

 • Born in Trier, Germany

• Studied law and philosophy in

Karl Marx’s university

early life 1/2 • Marx was a philosopher,

economist, historian, sociologist,
political theorist, journalist and
socialist revolutionary
 • Attended a Lutheran elementary
school but later became an
atheist (one who does not believe
in the existence of God) and a
Karl Marx’s materialist (one who believes that
physical matter is all that is real)
early life 2/2
• In October 1835 at the age of 17,
Marx admitted to the University
of Bonn wishing to study further
 • Most famous and best-known book
was “The Communist Manifesto”
•
• Wrote numerous other books such
Karl Marx’s as: Das Kapital, Holy Family, The
works and Civil War in France, The German
ideology etc
inspiration
1/3 • Marx became interested in the
works of German philosopher
G.W.F. Hegel and classical political
economists such as Adam Smith and
David Ricardo
 • By 1837, Marx was writing both fiction
and non-fiction, having completed a
short novel, Scorpion and Felix, a
drama, Oulanem, as well as a number of
love poems dedicated to Jenny von
Karl Marx’s Westphalen
works and
• Soon abandoned fiction for other
inspiration pursuits, including the study of both
2/3 English and Italian, art history and the
translation of Latin classics

• Was considering an academic career, but

this path was barred by the
government's growing opposition to
classical liberalism and the Young
 • Moved to Cologne in 1842, where
he became a journalist, writing for
the radical newspaper Rheinische
Zeitung (Rhineland News),
Karl Marx’s expressing his early views on
socialism and his developing
works and interest in economics
inspiration
3/3 • Criticised right-wing European
governments as well as figures in
the liberal and socialist
movements, whom he thought
ineffective or counter-productive
 •“The philosophers have only
interpreted the world, in various
ways. The point, however, is to
change it.”
Karl Marx’s
quotes 1/2 •“History repeats itself, first as
tragedy, second as farce.”

•“Men make their own history, but

they do not make it as they please.”
 •“Necessity is blind until it becomes
conscious. Freedom is the
consciousness of necessity.”

•“Society does not consist of

Karl Marx’s individuals but expresses the sum of
quotes 2/2 interrelations, the relations within
which these individuals stand.”

•“The theory of Communism may be

summed up in one sentence: Abolish
all private property.”