THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO
Uploaded by barbardo1 on Nov 16, 2008
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO
When philosophers imagine a utopian society based upon their theories it is not as clean and perfect as when a country tries to put it into practice in reality. The same could be said of Karl Marx and the countries that saw his “Communist Manifesto” as a blue print for a better world. After Karl Marx death, there was a split amongst the followers of his theories as to the best way to interpret the execute his manifesto. There were some like Lenin of Russia and Mao of China that were in the revolutionary camp of implementation. Others like German Philosopher Bernstein were revisionists of Marx theories that took a Socialist-Democratic approach seen in many European countries that saw a peaceful implementation was the moral way to go.
The contributions of Eduard Bernstein as a member of the German Social Democratic Party helped bring a revised brand of socialism that influenced political parties in many European countries after Marx death. Bernstein’s criticism of Marx socialism as a revolutionary way to get to communism would be brought about by unethical ends (revolution by force). This more democratic approach thought that democratic support on socialist policies as well as support in the formation of unions was a more ethical means of achieving a socialist society where the common man can benefit. An example or end product of this approach is Sweden. They have socialist benefits without the price of forfeiting democratic principles such as the right to ownership of private property.
In the 1917 Bolshevic revolution the start of the Russian communist model began with Lenin taking a Marxist approach. The government followed the Marxist model of invigorating the proletariat to a revolution over the state. Once under communist rule the elements of the old state like the Czarist monarchy and the Russian Orthodox Church became enemies of the new state. Once these rivals were removed they were able to transform into communist state with no private property. Over the years, the rich resources of Russia empowered a big government structure with a focus on a strong military. They became rivals of the west and its capitalist view and preached in there dogma the expansion of communism throughout the world. They supported other new communist regimes like Cuba in the expansion effort and ultimately was facing economic and political failure. Under President Yeltsin the Russians opened up politically in...