2017-03-14 Tue

“The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property.” –Karl Marx.

Karl Marx, a revolutionary sociologist, historian, and economist was born on 5th May 1818 in Prussia (Germany). It is here that the journey of his philosophies began. After his newspaper “Rheinische Zeitung” was suppressed in 1843, he was forced to move to Paris in 1843 along with his wife, Jenny von Westphalen. Here he founded a political journal – Deutsch-Franzosische Jahrbucher (German-French Annais). Co-authored by Friedrich Engels it was released in 1845 as ‘The Holy Family’.

He later had to move to Belgium after being expelled from Paris for writing for another radical newspaper- Vorwarts. Here he found the Communist Correspondence Committee (1846) in an attempt to link socialists from across Europe. Inspired by this, socialists in England formed the Communist League and in 1847 asked Mark and Engels to write “Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei” or ‘The Communist Manifesto’ (1848) as it is commonly known.

Later after also being expelled from Belgium, he moved to London where he stayed until his death on 14th March 1883 despite being denied Britain Citizenship. He found the “German Workers’ Educational Society” in London and continued to work as a journalist, including a 10-year stint as a correspondent for the New York Daily Tribune (1852-62). Never earning a living wage, he was largely supported by Engels.

Increasingly focused on capitalism and economic theory, he published the first volume of “Das Kapital” (1867) but could not complete and publish the remaining editions which were later assembled and published by Engels.

India Post issued this 1 Rupee commemorative stamp of Karl Marx on 5th May, 1983.