Philosopher · 1818 – 1883

Karl Marx

Little-Known Facts

  • Marx spent much of his life in poverty in London, relying on financial support from his friend Friedrich Engels.
  • He worked for years as a journalist, including as a European correspondent for an American newspaper.

Myths & Misconceptions

Did Marx design the communist states of the twentieth century?

No. Marx died in 1883 and left no detailed blueprint for governing; the states later built in his name were shaped by later leaders and conditions he never described.