Karl MarxKarl Marx is often called the father of communism, but his life involved much more. He was a political economist, a philosopher and a revolutionary of ideas. He was a scholar who believed that capitalism would devalue itself, as he declared in the Communist Manifesto. Although he was relatively ambiguous during his lifetime, his works had considerable influence after his death. Some of the most powerful and populous countries in the world still follow his ideas today. Many of the most eventful moments in history have been convinced by his thoughts. Karl Marx was one of the most influential people in world history, and a brief history of his life will show how he was able to achieve many of his attitudes. Karl Heinrich Marx was born in 1818 into a Jewish family in Prussia. His father later converted to Christianity when authorities did not allow him to practice his Jewish customs. Marx was one of seven children. He was educated at home until age 13, then went to school. He went to the University of Bonn at seventeen to study law. It was at university that he first discovered his love for philosophy and literature, but his father wouldn't let him pursue the subject. He wrote many poems during this time in which he referred to his father as a "deity". Marx earned a doctorate in 1841 with a thesis titled The Difference Between Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature. As we can see, this is perhaps the basis of his most famous works. Marx had joined a group called the Young Hegelians. They were made up of a group of philosophers and journalists. Together, they often criticized both the professors at their institutions and the country's leaders. This had instilled... middle of paper point for Lenin. In China, Mao Zedong also claimed to be an heir to Marx, but asserted that peasants, not just workers, could play a leading role in a communist revolution. Under Stalin, the Soviet suppression of individual rights became a fight in the name of the fight against capitalism. So many lives have been influenced by Marx that he was named number 27 in Michael Hart's The 100 – A List of the Most Influential People in History. After carefully examining his life, it is easy to understand how such an important person could have been shaped by the events around him. Works Cited • Jonathan, Wolff. “Karl Marx.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2003. Stanford University. November 27, 2007.• “Biography of Karl (Heinrich) Marx.” Biography. November 27, 2007.• Kreis, Steven. “Karl Marx, 1818-1883.” The History Guide. February 28, 2006. November 27. 2007 .