Karl Marx

The Communist Manifesto

A book written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that describes the new political system of scientific socialism, which becomes the basis for communism. The book states that all of human history is based on the conflict between the bourgeoisie (those who own the means of production) and the proletariat (working class), and predicted that the proletariat would rise up in a violent revolution to overthrow the bourgeoisie and create a society with an equal distribution of goods and services

Bourgeoisie

Middle class between aristocrats and workers. The term was used by Marx and Engels to describe the capitalist, or factory owners, who exploit the worker, or the proletariat

Marxism

Political and economic theory developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in support of an economic interpretation of history that contributed to a class struggle between the haves and have nots; belief that private ownership must be abolished in favor of collective ownership

Classless Society

Society without class structure

Socialism

System in which the government owns and operates all essential means of production, distribution, and exchange of goods; society as a whole, not the individuals owns all the property

Proletariat

Term used by Marx and Engels to describe the industrial working class in capitalist countries