Study (and Discussion) Questions for Communist Manifesto

Introduction

1. How was Marx a “Romantic” by 19^th century standards?
2. In 1848, when the Communist Manifesto was published, what did European rulers fear most?
3. Marx and Engels wrote that “National differences and antagonisms” were vanishing because of the actions of bourgeoisie and their pursuit of the creation of a world market.”  According to Frances Randall (the editor who wrote the intro to our edition), were Marx and Engels right?
4. What was one of Marx’s most famous incorrect predictions regarding the peasants and the petty bourgeoisie?
5. Explain “dialectical materialism” as described by Marx.
6. Generally, how well did Marx do in his predictions?

Preface

1. How does Engels (drawing on Marx’s writings) characterize the history of mankind?

Chapter 1 – Bourgeois and Proletarians

1. Explain the process of struggle from the period of guilds to manufacturers to modern industry.
2. What is the purpose of the “modern state,” according to Marx?
3. How does Marx characterize feudalism and what did the bourgeoisie replace it with?
4. What is the goal of “free trade” according to Marx and what has it allowed for?
5. How were the bourgeoisie integral in creating a centralized nation state? 
6. What are the domestic and international implications of these centralized nation states?
7. How are the proletariat developed?
8. What will eventually happen to the lower strata of the middle class (i.e., shopkeepers, pawnbrokers, etc.)?
9. Why in the end will the proletariat have the advantage over their bourgeois masters?  How have the bourgeoisie given the proletariat the political and general education necessary to overthrown them?
10. Why are the proletariat revolutionary and the lower middle class conservative?

Chapter 2 – Proletarians and Communists

1. Marx writes, “The Communists do not form a separate party opposed to other working-class parties.”  How, according to Marx, are the Communists distinguished from other working-class parties?
2. What is the goal of the Communist Party?
3. Marx seeks to make a distinction between bourgeois property (i.e., private property) and “property generally.”  What is the distinction, and what do you believe is his purpose in mentioning this?  Why is he unsympathetic to bourgeoisie criticisms that Communists seek to abolish property?
4. “Capital,” Marx writes, is not a “personal” power, but rather “a social power.”  What does he mean?
5. What will happen to the family under communism?  What are the crimes of the bourgeoisie against proletariat families?
6. Marx writes, “The workingmen have no country.”  Explain what he means by this. 
7. In what way will nations vanish under communism?
8. What is the plan of action Marx details to move a society after revolution towards communism?