Marxism

American  

[mahrk-siz-uhm] / ˈmɑrk sɪz əm /

noun

1. the system of economic and political thought developed by Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, especially the doctrine that the state throughout history has been a device for the exploitation of the masses by a dominant class, that class struggle has been the main agency of historical change, and that the capitalist system, containing from the first the seeds of its own decay, will inevitably, after the period of the dictatorship of the proletariat, be superseded by a socialist order and a classless society.

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Marxism British  

/ ˈmɑːksɪzəm /

noun

1. the economic and political theory and practice originated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that holds that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism

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Marxism ¹ Cultural  

1. The doctrines of Karl Marx (see also Marx) and his associate Friedrich Engels on economics, politics, and society. They include the notion of economic determinism — that political and social structures are determined by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society in which all means of production are commonly owned (communism), a system to be reached as an inevitable result of the struggle between the leaders of capitalism and the workers.

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Marxism ² Cultural  

1. The doctrines of Karl Marx (see also Marx) and his associate Friedrich Engels on economics, politics, and society. They include the notion of economic determinism — that political and social structures are determined by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society (see class), where all means of production are commonly owned, a system to be reached as an inevitable result of the struggle between capitalists and workers. (See communism.)

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Usage

What does Marxism mean?​ Marxism is the collective term for the economic, social, and political philosophy of Karl Marx. In particular, the philosophy states that capitalism is a self-destructive system that eventually leads to a revolution of the working class so that they can establish a classless society.Karl Marx was a German radical socialist thinker who lived from 1818 until 1883. He worked with his friend, Friedrich Engels, to develop his ideas, which are very complex. Because of this and the various political ideologies Marxism inspired, Marxism is an extremely controversial topic today.Marx was extremely critical of capitalism, seeing it as an oppressive, flawed system that would inevitably collapse. According to Marxism, capitalism is a system in which an elite, wealthy upper class, known as the bourgeoisie, exploits the labor of the working class, known as the proletariat.Marx argued that because the wealthy desired only to make money, it was inevitable that they would try to get workers to work as hard as possible for as little money as possible. The inevitable result of this, according to Marx, was that the workers would grow to hate the wealthy and would unite to revolt against their oppressors.Marxism states that the workers’ (often violent) revolution would destroy the upper class and establish a socialist or communist society, in which there would be no more economic classes dividing people.Marxism is based on the theories of socialism, and Marx himself was a radical socialist. Marxism is also very closely related to the political ideology of communism. Many communist thinkers and leaders such as Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, and Mao Zedong were inspired by Marx’s ideas and based their own political ideas off his work.

Etymology

Origin of Marxism

First recorded in 1895–1900; Marx + -ism

Compare meaning

How does marxism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Leninism vs. Marxism
• Maoism vs. Marxism
• Stalinism vs. Marxism

Example Sentences

Unlike Marxism or reform liberalism, it has no systematic ideological program; rather, it is a set of dispositions and attitudes.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025

To be doubly certain, I consulted a leading historian of American Marxism, Paul Buhle, a retired lecturer at Brown University.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2024

A hedgehog views the world through a single lens, whether that’s Marxism or religion.

From Slate • May 8, 2024

Growing up, she was surrounded by philosophy books owned by her father, who used to study Marxism.

From BBC • Oct. 5, 2023

A heady mix of Eastern Marxism and orthodox Hinduism, spiked with a shot of democracy.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• socialism