Marx as a Writer

Marx hooks the reader immediately: "A spectre is haunting Europe---the spectre of Communism" (78). At the same time, he undermines the anti-Communist argument by mocking it, giving the message that Communism is not the horrible threat which its enemies pretend it is.

Then, in the first sentence of the manifesto proper, Marx presents his basic argument: "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles" (79). Marx goes on to present a simple and clear argument---disputed and even inaccurate as it may be---backing up that first sentence. His argument is that history is a matter of the evolving relations between the oppressor and the oppressed, from the feudal age to the capitalist age and, finally, to the salvation of socialism or communism.

Marx shows himself to be a good writer because he is conscious of what he wants to say, of how he wants to say it to fire up the reader and make his points, and

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it to the workers. The capitalists see the workers as their enemies, and they are not going to allow reform, according to Marx. In fact, the very nature of the capitalist is to oppress the worker because of the march of history: "Hitherto, every form of society has been based . . . on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed classes" (93). Marx leaves no doubt that he is proposing revolution and not reform. He sets up an undeniable challenge to the capitalist property-owner: "In one word, you reproach us with intending to do away with your property. Precisely so; that is just what we intend" (98). The only way revolution will not occur, then, if Marx's plan is implemented through history as he says it will be, is if the capitalists voluntarily surrender their power and property. Of course, they will not do so, not only because they do not want to, but because they cannot do so, for they are shackled by the processes of history just as they have shackled the workers under them. Marx uses history as a vehicle for his argument by showing that the process whereby socialism or communism is to come about is inevitable. He is not merely saying that the coming of the revolution, followed by the perfect communist society, should h
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Revolution Marx, Communist Party, bourgeois society, York Penguin, argument history, history hitherto, facet marxian philosophy, violent revolution, passion confidence, successful propagandist, reduced level, oppressor oppressed, class struggles, capitalist society,
Approximate Word count = 1844
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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