Born 5 May 1818 – Karl Marx

Born Karl Heinrich Marx on May 5, 1818, in Trier, Prussia (now Germany), Karl Marx became a revolutionary thinker who profoundly impacted history. Raised in a middle-class family, he studied philosophy and law before turning his focus to economics and social theory. Marx’s critique of capitalism, particularly the exploitation of workers, is central to his ideology. His most famous works, co-written with Friedrich Engels, include “The Communist Manifesto” (1848) and the multi-volume treatise “Das Kapital” (1867-1894). Despite facing censorship and exile throughout his life, Marx’s ideas inspired socialist and communist movements around the world. He died on March 14, 1883, in London, England, from complications of bronchitis and pneumonia.