A review by ed_moore
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

informative inspiring slow-paced

4.0

It is difficult for one to go about giving a rating to the Communist Manifesto, simply because it is the Communist Manifesto. Marx and Engels wrote a crucial piece of literature to the history of political thought and formed the communist ideology, and for such it holds great merit. However, though the principles of communism are inherently well intentioned, as seen by the chapters of history playing out since its publication in 1848 the system of communism is a flawed ideology, where natural human corruption leads those in charge of communist governments to exploit their power and not act for the people as they intended it to. It has led to human exploitation, genocides and the rise of dictatorships. For that reason, I do not review it based on its content, written style or messages, but purely intellectual interest. Marx and Engels direct their manifesto to the reader, it speaks directly to you as a member of the proletariat and encourages revolution against the chains of capitalism and the bourgeoise. It’s social commentary is largely accurate and interesting, and many of Marx and Engel’s claims for a brighter and more equal future, contradictory to the facade of the utopian socialism, are positive and well argued. Where they falter however is in a lack of a practical solution. The first step for the success of communism is a single individual claiming power over a country in order to enact communist policies, and the order these policies will be enacted is set out in the second section ion the manifesto. In practice, when this leader seizes the property and assets of the bourgeoise, it is rare that they are fairly distributed to the people. For the success of communism one individual must take absolute power, and that undermines the very ideology that such individual is pursuing. The manifesto presents fascinating political ideals and changed the shape of history, whereas its failure as an ideology is present immediately, in the manifesto of the ideology itself.