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Was Karl Marx a Bad Person?

Shizzable

The Derpiest One Of All
    • 216
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    Karl Marx, the "creator," if you will, (wow that saying looks really stupid when written) of Communism thought that the current system of government would result in some sort of worker uprising. He "created" Communism, a system in which everyone shared the wealth. This system was then later used in Russia, where it was abused by Joseph Stalin, everyone's favorite dictator. He killed about 20 million people and turned Russia to crap.

    My question to you guys: was Karl Marx a bad person?

    In my current understanding of the subject, he wasn't. After all, Communism works very well in theory (it obviously doesn't in practice, though). I think Marx really wanted to create a successful system of government, but his views were corrupted by some certain people when adapted. What do you guys think?
     
    Communism in of itself isn't a terrible or offensive idea, but it goes against human nature. Because of this, it's taken advantage of, and in the end, becomes destructive. So no, Karl Marx wasn't, and I think he was trying to develop his own utopia.

    I actually intend on reading A Communist Manifesto because I'm curious about what he actually said personally.
     
    Karl Marx stated that a preverted more dictatorial and crude form of Communism would be the first step in order to create a Communist State of which all of those it governs would be able to live more enhanced and fulfilling lives. He actually may have agreed with some of the choices made by Stalin in establishing this crude authoritarian form of communism.

    Marx's theory is actually fascinating, those whom support capitalism can benefit from undertstanding his origin of history. That is the process by which human's history is created, and continues to progress. Capitalist have used these theories to support their arguments as well as socialist, ect. He really dives into the relationship of the means of production, who controls them, and the effect upon the economic and political superstructures of which our history is founded. Essentially, resources and the means of production are what drives human history. Of course, that is a VERY basic summary of his ideology of human history, but it is one of the founding principles of his communist theories.

    He was not a bad man. He has allowed for economists and political scientists to better understand the relationships among economic, political, and societal institutions. And, sharp, logical, and creative intellectuals are anything but "bad" for they unlock knowledge, knowledge that holds the keys to enhanced human civilization. He is probably one of my favorite philosophers despite my political ideology not lining up with the the theories of communism. Those who write him off as a crazy Commi, clearly haven't actually read his Communist Manifesto!
     
    Really I can't add anything to what the rest of you have already said but I feel the need to contribute anyway.

    Communism is an idealistic system of government that isn't in itself a bad thing. In fact, most of the worlds wars and crisis have been products of capitalism (well, that and religion). A Communist democracy is really the ideal system of government in theory - a government in which all wealth is divided equally and power is held by those who are elected. The problem here is that communism goes against human nature. Human's can't help but take more and seek to improve their own lives - even if that means trampling n others.

    So, was Marx a bad person? No. Marx envisioned a utopia, a world in which there was no division between the rich and poor and we were one step closer to reality. It is just unfortunate that his system has been abused by the likes of Stalin who couldn't overcome their capitalist tendencies to the point that his name has been slandered along with the ideals he stood for.
     
    I don't have much else to say now that you guys have given out all there is on the topic, really. Yes, Karl imagined a more perfect world than ours, where everyone was more equal. Alright, we've all argued on Communism and it has been used in mocking phrases in my country. Well, alright, we humans all prefer to aim high, rather than be equal to all. We can't change that, which is why Communism doesn't fit. But what of Karl Marx? He just envisioned a more perfect world, and stated his ideas, which were liked by many and disliked by many. That doesn't make him a bad person, yeah.
     
    Karl Marx wasn't exactly a bad person, he just imagined a system that works better on paper than in practice.
     
    It's better than capitalism. "A system organized around the weakest qualities of individuals will produce these same qualities in its leaders." Look at where our government is now and tell me this isn't the case.

    True, we're not in a totalitarian dystopia (currently; we came close with McCarthy and nothing says it won't happen at some point). So that's a plus. Then again, I think Marx would argue that what the leaders of the USSR did was not in line with what he was suggesting.
     
    Communism is an ideaololgy I would say looks neat in theory but difficault in practise. I'm sure most people would love to live in a Utopian like society where everyone is equal although history has shown that as soon as there's a person in charge of the running of the country, greed and power take over and it just ruons the entire ideaology.
     
    people must know that...There is a difference between Communism and socialism ..here if you care to know

    Spoiler:



    it wasn't a bad theory if it went the way it was suppose to be more economical than political imo ..but what can i say,power rules!

    Karl knew what it is like to be poor and to suffer from poverty ..he felt how the people under poverty line living he knew what it is like to suffer because of lack money..and he had his sons died because of that..he wanted to make a system that helps those poor people to live a good life and tbh i think it's a great theory...he lived far from his home for many reasons one of them was religion..not to mention that his family gave up him...he lived a hard life but played a great part on it..i can say i have respect for him but still nobody is perfect!.
     
    I'm no expert, but I imagine I'm just agreeing with most of what people are putting above:

    No, Marx was not a bad person purely because he "created Communism". Firstly, he created an ideal, which sadly goes entirely against about 90% of humanity's nature, so didn't work in practise. Secondly, for all I know he was a rapist, which would make him a bad person, but creating Communism didn't.

    Sadly, Communism is an even bigger failed experiment than Prohibition - the latter didn't stop your Americans from drinking, the former didn't catch on outside of a few countries, and so Capitalism progressed, with no foreseeable collapse into the chaos from which true Communism could arise. Unless, of course, we have to escape enslavement by aliens xD. And even then, no doubt a leader would emerge.
     
    If communism actually worked in practice, video games would use it as an economic model. I haven't played many communism-using games, have you?

    Pure capitalism isn't exactly inherently evil either:

    "Capitalism is a social system based on the principle of individual rights. Politically, it is the system of laissez-faire (freedom). Legally it is a system of objective laws (rule of law as opposed to rule of man). Economically, when such freedom is applied to the sphere of production its' result is the free-market."
    Click to expand...

    Sounds to me like voluntary exchange. I think the problem arises when economic systems are abused and it seems to me both capitalism and communism have that weakness; people just simply abuse them in different ways. Looking at the definition again, I'm under the suspicion that we don't even have real capitalism. We still withhold individual rights from certain people and we have too many regulations to even have a "free-market."
     
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    It's important to note that true Leninism-Marxism hasn't been seen yet, only a bastardized autocratic version. If Trotsky had succeeded Lenin and not Stalin, that may have been different. And theorizing about an alternative style of government, politics, and by extension human nature doesn't mean you're inherently evil, regardless of what most conservatives think.
     
    I propose a new system: Lawism. If you do something really bad (like breaking the law, discriminatory actions toward another, or visited by a legal party too many times) against yourself, other people, or humanity as a whole you'll end up homeless and shunned. If you're good, contribute to humanity through labor or ideas put into practice, and share your wealth, you'll be justly rewarded (no mansions though).

    Spoiler:


    Anyway, back on topic... Marx wasn't a bad person for making the theory as many have said. It's the people that put it into practice that made communism be viewed as 'evil' from, well, most of the world (mainly the US...uneducated pricks... oops I'm talking about my own country!).
     
    Marxism is also an interesting lens through which you view the world. Look at it in terms of class, and in terms of how Marx defined power, and you'll see that a lot of "liberal" talk comes from Marxian analysis. Things like rape culture, feminism, white power structures, political correctness all of that stems from a Marxist way of looking at things. The very liberal community here at PC is part of that too.
     
    Darkroman said:
    I propose a new system: Lawism. If you do something really bad (like breaking the law, discriminatory actions toward another, or visited by a legal party too many times) against yourself, other people, or humanity as a whole you'll end up homeless and shunned. If you're good, contribute to humanity through labor or ideas put into practice, and share your wealth, you'll be justly rewarded (no mansions though).

    Spoiler:


    Anyway, back on topic... Marx wasn't a bad person for making the theory as many have said. It's the people that put it into practice that made communism be viewed as 'evil' from, well, most of the world (mainly the US...uneducated pricks... oops I'm talking about my own country!).
    Click to expand...

    Watch out America might brand you a terrorist. O_o

    Nah he wasn't bad his intentions were good but humans are evil beings and will take advantage of its own in order to rise to power. SO no he was not bad probably a good guy.
     
    As a communist, I think Karl Marx was a great thinker, and I'm a huge fan.

    Karl Marx was just as great as Charles Darwin, Plato, etc.


    It is such a shame that US government brainwashed everybody here into thinking "Communism is evil" But I know that, my comrades, is a load of lies. That's why I never vote.

    In short... I despise the evils of capitalism, and want power to the proletariat!
     
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