S1983 E1 • Karl Marx and Marxism

Also known as "Karl Marx : The Spectre of Marxism"-- Karl Marx (1818-83) remains a towering figure in modern social, cultural and polititical theory. His revolutionary views on power and social relationships have influenced many generations of radicals and critical thinkers. 'Men make their own history,' Karl Marx famously declared, but 'do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves'. For Marx, the working class was denied agency and would only assume its role as actor in the world through the revolutionary transformation of economic and social relations inspired by class consciousness. The ideas of Marx have shaped the modern political world more than any other thinker. This probing programme looks at the theory and practice of those ideas. The impact of Marx on the 20th century was all-pervasive and worldwide, costing tens of millions of lives where Communism was imposed, resulting in brutal wars to contain or expand it, and vastly improving the lives of workers where fear of Communism resulted in social reform. This program looks at the man, at the roots of his philosophy, at the causes and explanations of his philosophical development, and at its most direct outcome: the failed Soviet Union.