Short Blurb

The Communist Manifesto formed the basis of the modern communist movement and argued that the economic system of capitalism would inevitably self-destruct. Communism is an economic and political theory that advocates for a war between classes and for a society where private property is abolished and publicly owned, with the government paying people according to their needs and abilities. The Manifesto is divided into a preamble and four chapters. The first part describes the antagonistic relationships between the bourgeoisie (the property-owning class) and the proletariat (the working class) and how the dissolution of Feudalism and traditional hierarchical society led to the creation of the bourgeoisie. The second chapter is predominantly concerned with combatting theoretical attacks on the Communist ideology and, more importantly, showcasing to the proletariat the benefits of wholesale adoption of Communist thought. The second chapter concludes with a list of demands supported by Communists. The third part of the Manifesto focuses on socialist and Communist literature, theory, and philosophy. It is divided and subdivided into sections that analyze then-current socialist movements and uprisings. The fourth and final part of the document examines the relationship between Communists and opposing political parties. In this chapter, Marx and Engels suggest that Communism would function as a sort of umbrella under which opposition parties could converge to achieve greater political success and power. The common theme of the document is explaining and tearing down systems that exploit class struggle.