Karl Marx and Fredrich Engel’s The Communist Manifesto (1848) is one of the most historically and politically significant texts of modern history. The manifesto expertly gives context to the rise of the newly emergent economic system of capitalism, as well as exposes many of its current flaws, and even makes predictions about the progression and fall of capitalism. Marx and Engels accurately predicted the economic class struggle and income inequality even 40 years before the gilded age. The foresight of the text is largely based on its precise critique of the capitalist economic system. While Marx’s justifiably condemns various elements of capitalism, his critique falls short in four areas: capitalism’ empowerment of historically marginalized groups, the benefit of globalization, its natural foundation, and its practicality. Marx’s shortcomings in these areas lend insight into why the class revolution Marx predicted has yet to occur.
