Russia

Russia, from the late nineteenth century onward, has been a nation of many unsuccessful experiments in government. Probably the most famous, however, was the Communist revolution of 1917, set in motion by the visionary Karl Marx. Marx planted the seed of revolution into a world where he thought it was desperately needed. Although he never lived to see the fruits of his labor, the impact he made on the world is too significant to ignore. Karl Marx was influenced by many experiences throughout his life. These influences shaped him into the man who would be the driving force behind one of the most unforgettable moments in history. Much of Marxs character came from his experiences as a child. When he was young, he displayed a lofty Christian idealism, paving his way into philosophical study. His father, since he was a lawyer, a constitutionalist, a democrat, and a Jew, drew much of the Prussian authorities unwarranted suspicion. This probably led young Karl to consider the structure of the government and possibly even instill a healthy discontent with it. Karl Marx was also an educated man; in 1836, he enrolled at the University of Berlin. There he learned about Georg Wilhelm Hegel and his Law of Thought, called the dialectic. He was very intrigued by the dialectic the most relevant part of which was the Universal World Theory. Just one of the ideas proposed within Hegels theory was that every thesis produces an antithesis, which balance out and thus produce a new thesis. This cycle continues indefinitely. The problem with Hegels theory is that God powered it, and Marxs generation was drifting more and more toward atheism, especially in the realm of politics. Feuerbachs The Essence of Christianity brought Hegels theory into the real world. It contained the necessary ideas to convert Hegels God-powered universe into the real world, as it was perceived by Marxs gen...