In 1848 our demagogue published his most
incendiary work-“The Communist Manifesto.”
1848 was the year of revolutions throughout Europe. France was the first to revolt, next a loose
confederation of states in Germany followed suit. Then the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell into
flames, and eventually the revolution spread as far south as the Papal States
in Rome. It appeared as though the age
of monarchies was coming to an end.
Most Americans have probably never even
heard of these revolutions, and that’s because in the end they all just petered
out. But for the age of men at the time
this meant progress, it made men like Marx bold and brash. He was sure change was coming to the world,
and he wanted the communists to be at the forefront of it.
And therein lies two important things to
know about Communism. Firstly, Marx and
his followers believed that the workers from all over the world would join in
their revolution, because it was a human struggle, it was every man’s struggle. Secondly, because of that Marx called for a
violent revolution in every country in his Manifesto. He called for a violent, worldwide
revolution, and he expected it to happen.
This terrified industrialized
countries. Marx had just called on the
entire class of proletariats to revolt and to do it violently. Marx made a huge gamble. He thought he could instigate insurrections
throughout the rest of Europe, but instead, as peace was restored, he found
Europe turning a hostile eye towards Marxism.
Communists had been labeled, and they had been labeled the enemy. And it would be this label that would feed
the fascist movements nearly 100 years later.
Marx was right, a specter was haunting
Europe, and war and change were coming.
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