31 pages 1 hour read

Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

The Communist Manifesto

Nonfiction | Reference/Text Book | Adult | Published in 1848

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Important Quotes

Quotation Mark Icon

“A spectre is haunting Europe—the spectre of Communism.” 


(Part 1, Page 8)

Marx employs the metaphor of a “spectre” to describe communism and its impact on the ruling powers of Europe. This metaphor communicates to the reader that communism’s ghostly presence is frightening to these powers though it is not yet clearly defined.

Quotation Mark Icon

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” 


(Part 1, Page 10)

The core innovation of Marx’s sociopolitical theory is revealed in this statement: people are divided by their economic class. To Marx, all of human history is characterized by the tension that exists between the more powerful classes and the weaker ones.

Quotation Mark Icon

“Each step in the development of the bourgeoisie was accompanied by a corresponding political advance of that class. […] The executive of the modern State is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie.” 


(Part 1, Pages 11-12)

To Marx, political power is tied to class power. The most powerful economic class—in the epoch of capitalism, the bourgeoisie—has the power of the state at its disposal to protect its interests. This phenomenon is one of the reasons behind Marx’s insistence on violent reform; change cannot be affected within a system that is stacked against the working class. 

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 31 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,500+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools