A FEW FACTS ABOUT KARL MARX AS THE LEFT TRIES TO GLORIFY HIM

Marx was born into a Jewish family who had a rich Jewish history with many of his uncles being Rabbis.

Marx’s mother came from a wealthy family.

Marx’s father practiced law; was successful and purchased a small vineyard.

Marx had few friends as a kid.  He was a good student.

Marx was supported by his parents when he went of to Cologne and then Berlin to go to school.  Marx spent beyond his allowance, but his father would always give him the extra that Marx requested.  When Marx’s father died, his mother said no more and cut back drastically on the allowance Marx received.

Marx married Jenny von Westphalen who was four years older than Marx and broke her engagement to a Prussian officer in order to date Marx who married her several years later.

Marx was never a good provider and was never employed other than as a news editor for left wing newspapers that were quickly closed or failed.  Marx did write for the New York Daily News and received small amounts for articles he submitted, many of which were written by Friedrich Engels.

Marx and his family lived in poverty.  They had seven children, only three of whom survived to adulthood.  Of the three, the oldest died as an adult from illness and the other two girls committed suicide.  All three girls were loyal to Marx.  The two girls who committed suicide received money from Engels and lived rather up scale lives in their last years.

Friedrich Engels, the only real friend Marx had, was a devoted follower of the Marx philosophy.  Engels was a part of owner of a textile mill in Manchester England and was able to sustain the Marx family because of his earnings.  When Engels retired and sold his part of the business, he gave Marx a substantial annuity.

It was Engels that actually wrote Das Kapital Volumes II and III from notes left behind by Marx after he died.  

Marx said many things but lived his life by completely different standards.  He advocated for the worker and condemned the bourgeoisie even though Marx and Jenny strived to live like the bourgeoisie.  Marx did not like to be around workers and would verbally attack them when they were in his presence.  Marx was caustic and would verbally and legally attack anybody who would question him in any way. 

Marx said that all estates should be taxed at the rate of 100% because the assets belonged to the collective or the state.  Yet at the death of Jenny’s mother and the death of Marx’s mother, not one cent of the benefits they received, which were substantial, were shared with anyone. 

Marx understood that to bring about his classless society would require despotic actions and he supported such actions.  He also stated that there would be a time that society would be ruled by the Dictatorship of the Proletariat with all dictatorship implies. 

The picture the left tries to paint of Karl Marx the man is often a false picture.  He was a very selfish person who placed the needs of himself above the needs of his family or anybody else.  He allowed his family to live in abject poverty, at times being deeply in debt and begging for food.  When Engels wrote to Marx to tell him that Engels long time live in girl friend had died, Marx replied with a quick “that is to bad” but I have not received the money you usually send, please send as soon as possible. 

Marx is not an individual to admire unless you believe narcissistic individuals deserve admiration.  His philosophy, where practiced, has brought about tremendous poverty and suffering and has resulted in the death of millions by starvation, by murder, and extreme living conditions while imprisoned or otherwise.   Marx lived a life of double standards and lies.  Those who would honor the Marxist or Communist philosophy and hold up Karl Marx as a great philosopher and humanitarian are in a pretend world.