Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher, economist, and political theorist whose ideas formed the foundation of modern communist and socialist thought. Born in Trier to a middle-class family of converted Jewish heritage, Marx studied law and philosophy before turning to journalism and political activism. His radical writings led to his expulsion from Germany, France, and Belgium, and he spent much of his adult life in London, where he wrote his magnum opus, Das Kapital, while living in often desperate poverty. Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), the son of a wealthy German textile manufacturer, became Marx's closest intellectual collaborator and financial supporter, co-authoring several works and editing the later volumes of Das Kapital after Marx's death. This author hub collects 1 work in the Canon Compass ranking, led by Communist Manifesto.