Famous Karl Marx Quotes

[vulcanlogician]

***-- If you have an interesting Karl Marx quote, share it here. Feel free to analyze your quote or discuss whether you agree/disagree with it. --***

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"Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it."

-- Karl Marx (from Theses on Feuerbach)

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I'm sure most everybody has heard this quote before. It has been a very influential quote, especially to Marxists (obviously). I like the notion... the importance of putting one's analysis into action so to speak. But I also have problems with it.

One could argue that the first clause is inaccurate. Philosophers had inspired plenty of change in the world before Marx came along. It could be seen as a jibe against the Hegelian method which is very focused on interpretation, but Marx didn't specify Hegel. Plenty of arguments that philosophy and philosophers throughout history did plenty to inspire change (going all the way back to Socrates).

Also, I tend to see interpretation and changing the world like a left foot and right foot of progress. Interpretation and change aid one another. Marx seems to suggest that we stop interpreting and focus everything on changing the world. That's dangerous. But maybe Marx didn't really mean that.

Anyway, I have more analysis, but I would like to hear others' opinions on the quote. Do you like the quote? What's your analysis of it?

[The Architect Of Fate]

Too anyone who thinks Marx was against guns

[vulcanlogician]

I totally wouldn't mind if this thread turned into people sharing different Marx quotes and discussing them.

[DLJ]

OK then. Marx quotes coming up.



To anyone who thinks Marx was all about equality.



And the reason why I, an extreme introvert, am a Marxist:

[The Architect Of Fate]

To people who insist Marx was a utopian. He always believe there would be struggle and misery. He had ideals but always accepted that those were just that ideals.

[Angrboda]

[vulcanlogician]

OK then. Marx quotes coming up.

A few years back I read Acts of the Apostles and was surprised to find a similar quote in there. I thought it was strictly associated with Marxism but...

Some scholars trace the phrase to the New Testament.[14][15] In Acts of the Apostles the lifestyle of the community of believers in Jerusalem is described as communal (without individual possession), and uses the phrase "distribution was made unto every man according as he had need" (διεδίδετο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν):

[my bold]
Acts 4:32–35: ³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. ³³ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, ³⁵ And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_..._his_needs

[DLJ]

A few years back I read Acts of the Apostles and was surprised to find a similar quote in there. I thought it was strictly associated with Marxism but...

Similarly in an early passage of The Apostles' Manifesto...  
Acts 2:45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

And then there's that bit where Ananias and Sapphira were sent to the great gulag in the sky.  More Stalin than Marx.