Utopian socialism and Marxism

Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, sociologist, economic historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist who developed the socio-political theory of Marxism. His ideas have since played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement. He published various books during his lifetime, with the most notable being The Communist Manifesto (1848). 

Marx's theories about society, economics and politics, which are collectively known as Marxism, hold that all societies progress through resolving the disagreement of class struggle. He was heavily critical of the current socio-economic form of society capitalism believing the state was run by the wealthy middle and upper classes purely for their own benefit, which in turn would lead to tension and self destruction. Marx envisaged a new system for society to run, called socialism. This was where society was run by the working class. He believed that socialism would eventually be replaced by a stateless, classless society called pure communism. 

Marx's thoughts on a perfect society were based on a movement in the 1820s and 1840s called Utopian Socialism. Between this period of time individuals who believed in the perfectibility of the social and political order founded hundreds of utopian communities. These experimental communal societies were called utopian communities because they provided because they provided blueprints for an ideal society.

Karl Marx