Karl Marx: A Short Biography Book Review

“To observe such a mind letting conditions act upon it and penetrating deeper
and deeper into the nature of society is in itself a profound mental enjoyment.” 1
~Wilhelm Liebknecht, German Socialist & Marx’s fellow fighter

“Karl Marx: A Short Biography” is a much-acclaimed biography of one of the greatest scholars and
public leaders of all time, written by Nikolai Ivanov, who is a Russian Political Figure and member of
the Russian State Duma Since 2011. The Biography was published in 1982 by Novosti Press Publishing
House. The Biography briefly summarizes the life experiences of Karl Marx, from being a man
struggling with poverty to becoming a revolutionary scholar and it also provides a deeper dive into
the ideas of Marx which reshaped the world and the journey behind their formation. The main
objectives of the review of “Karl Marx: A Short Biography” are to provide an inclusive understanding
of the biography to the reader and critically analyze the text which offers an informative collection of
not only the legacy of Marx and his ideologies but also how they are still relevant in International-
politics decades after Marx’s death.

Marx was born in the town of Trier in the Rhine Province of Prussia on 5th May 1818. Social contrasts
surrounded Marx from a young age as the town of Trier, founded by Romans was the area where
Germany’s first factories sprung up and created two new social classes, the industrial Bourgeoisie
and the Proletariat. Marx pursued Law in his early years of education, Inspired by his father, Henrich
Marx. Marx’s father was a Liberal-Minded Lawyer, whom he felt a deep respect for and whose
influence shaped the man he became. Marx threw himself into studies of Law and society and his
ideological searches drew him to social movements due to their Radicalism, Criticism of religion, and
aims of social development. Marx wrote a great deal criticizing Bourgeoise political economy and his
published letters and articles in Paris established an ideological transition from Idealism to
Materialism, and from revolutionary democratism to Communism. 2

1
Nikolai Ivanov, Karl Marx- A short biography, (Novosti Press Publishing House, 1978) 192.
2
Nikolai Ivanov, Karl Marx- A short biography, (Novosti Press Publishing House, 1978) 26.
The author has emphasized on the ideology of Marxism and its criticism of the Bourgeoisie political
economy, which resulted in the Alienation of the working class from the means of production and
the class struggle faced by the working class. The relationship between the two primary classes in
the 19th century, The Bourgeoisie and The Proletariat was marked by exploitation of the working class
in a world derived by Capitalism. However, the concept of ‘capitalism’ is not a Marxist invention. The
term ‘capital’ applied to a stock of wealth goes back at least to the sixteenth century.3 Classical
Political Economists like Adam Smith consider Capitalism as the last stage of Human Development.
The main elements of a Capitalist society are Private Ownership of Capital, Profit maximization, and
accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few. A generation after the rise of Capitalism and the defeat
of Marxism in the Cold War, problems within the capitalist ideology emerged. Taking into
consideration the similarities in technological, socio-economic, and political turmoil and
transformation during our time and his, the fundamentals of Marxism and criticism of capitalism
have been improved upon. 4 Marxist theories argue that the effects of global capitalism are to ensure
that the powerful and wealthy prosper at the expense of the powerless and the poor. Several texts
like “The German Ideology” and “Communist Manifesto” which explain Marxism were co-authored
by another revolutionary scholar, Fendrick Engles alongside Karl Marx.

While Marx was fighting for a greater cause, he had a close friend and comrade, Fendrick Engles,
who turned out to play a crucial role in Marx’s life. When Karl Marx was spreading his ideas around
Europe, sparking uprisings among the working class, he was expelled from different countries like
Germany and Belgium which resulted in Economic Hardships for him and his family. In 1849, Marx
moved to London where he would stay till the last of his days in 1883. While financial hardships
caused great difficulty to Marx and his family, his health wasn’t at its best either. Marx took up some
jobs to support his family but it was quite troublesome due to his deteriorating health and as it
interrupted his work. In the time of crisis, Fendrick Engles also moved to London and supported Marx
and his family as both of them worked on their ideas and thesis. Lenin wrote about the two scholars,
“The European Proletariat may say that its science was created by two scholars and fighters, whose
relationship to each other surpasses the most moving stories of the ancients about Human
Friendship”. Marx’s and Engles’s research enabled them to prove the inevitability of the replacement
of Capitalism, through socialist revolution, by a socialist and then communist society. 5 The author
has outlined the major events in the life of Karl Marx and Fendrick Engles which resulted in the rise
of Communism and made them an intellectual force to be reckoned with. The ideas proposed by the
3
Ellen Meiksins Wood, Capitalism, Pg 34.
4
Stephen Hobden and Richard Jones, Marxist theories of International Relations, Pg. 117.
5
Nikolai Ivanov, Karl Marx- A short biography, (Novosti Press Publishing House, 1978) 129.
two scholars are still debated in international politics to discuss which road to take for the
development of Humanity. However, the Biography does not provide much knowledge about
Fendrick Engles and his life experiences considering the fact that he played a major role in Marx’s life
and further became a well-known Scholar.

Karl Marx died on 14th March 1883, at the age of 64. He died due to acute bronchitis and was buried
in the Highgate Cemetery in London. The book also highlights the history of Marx’s works after his
death and how they laid down the foundation of ideas for scholars around the world. After his death,
Engles continued to elaborate on the ideas of scientific communism and started guiding socialists in
different nations throughout Europe.6 The 20th century witnessed the transition of Marxist ideas into
reality which underwent changes in the works of Vladimir Lenin, the first leader of the Soviet Union
and leader of the Bolshevik Party during the Russian Revolution. Lenin provided solutions to the
problems pertaining to the ideas of Marxism showing that Marxism must develop on its own basis.
The October Socialist Revolution was a great victory for the ideas of Marxism and Leninism
confirming their beliefs in the real world.

I Highly recommend this biography for people who are interested in Political and Economic theories
and the History of ideas behind Marxism as Nikolai Ivanov’s Biography is a well-researched, well-
cited, and a commendable source, providing a deep dive into Marx’s revolutionary ideas and the
conditions under which they were forged.

In “Karl Marx: A Short Biography”, the author presents a well-written biography that not only sheds
light on Marx’s personal struggle as a young lawyer but also his Legacy as a world-renowned
revolutionist, which makes it worthwhile for any reader who wishes to understand the story of the
man who sparked revolutions and is still considered one of the greatest scholars in History.

“His name will endure through the ages, and so also will his work”.7
~F. Engles

6
Nikolai Ivanov, Karl Marx- A short biography, (Novosti Press Publishing House, 1978) 198.
7
Nikolai Ivanov, Karl Marx- A short biography, (Novosti Press Publishing House, 1978) 5.