Marxism

Marxism is the organized movements and theories established in Karl Marx's name, claiming to follow and set into practice his theories after his death in 1883. Marx is reputed to have said, in disgust at the quality of thinking of his French followers, that if these were Marxists, then he was not a Marxist at all. Marx and Engels nevertheless set about seeking to establish Marxism as a scientific rather than merely utopian socialism, and set out equally to place Marxism as the leading force in the formative international workingmen's movement. The history of Marxism is caught up with the history of the four internationals.

During his later life in exile in Britain, Marx's influence on the German social democrats took time to consolidate. The combined ...