Discuss briefly, Karl Marx’s contributions in Sociology.

Karl Marx’s contributions in Sociology :

1. Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a great social thinker of the twentieth century. Some of his thoughts acquired the character of an ideology which is generally known as ‘Marxism’.

2. Marxist ideas have found place in almost all disciplines of Social Sciences.

3. In Sociology there is a distinct school of Marxism. On the request of the Communist League, he along with his friend Friedrich Engles wrote The Communist Manifesto which continues to be the most quoted document. In this propaganda pamphlet, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles developed the theme of class struggle, which is central to Marxist thoughts.

4. Karl Marx’s writings can be Classified in to two periods :

(a) Youthful period (1841-1848) and

(b) Mature Period (1848 onwards)

(a) During first period, Marx wrote number of short articles or essays and books like The Introduction to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law and the essay on The Jewish Questions. More significant writings of this period (1841-1848) are The Holy Family and The Philosophy of Poverty. The otherworks of this periods were published after his death.

The writings which got considerable attention are Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844.

The German Ideology and The Communist Manifesto.

5. Karl Marx’s other significant contributions which are often associated with mature period after 1848 are:

(i) The Class Struggle in France, (1820).

(ii) The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bona Parte (1852) and

(iii) Karl Marx’s other major vital contribution is a three volume classic Das Kapital. The first volume of this work was published in 1857.