Was Karl Marx a racist

Answer 1

Note: this question calls for opinions, and here are some from our contributors. It should be noted that the term "racist" was not in common use when Marx lived. Some sources do acknowledge that he displayed certain prejudices, and those prejudices can be seen in some of his writings.

what our contributors said:

Yes, in at least one way. He despised the Jewish race, even though he himself was

born to Jewish parents (but baptized as a youth, when his family converted to Christianity). Marx would refer people who held theories and philosophies that were contrary to his as "dirty Jews." Marx also saw in Jews a love of religion that he himself thought was simply a tool for the upper class to use to oppress and suppress the lower classes. Marx despised virtually every religious denomination and the people who belonged to them.

* The person above me does not realize that Marx was basing his opinions on his own untested theory of Communism/socialism. The modern era of capitalism and neo-imperialist America has dawned upon us, a vast majority of Western Europe is atheist and the conclusive answer is that Marx was wrong in suggesting that Religion helped the upper class control the working class. Therefore modern day 'neo-marxism' can let go of the religious theories that Karl Marx enthused, Capitalism has proved much stronger and independent from other forms of authoritarianism. All the masses need for complete blind co-operation with the Imperialist world is a mass amount of commodities.

I conclude in suggesting that Karl Marx was not racist only hateful to capitalists, and to express this discontent he used typical and acceptable insults of his time. Neo-Marxism is not racist nor should it be anti religion unless it is deemed necessary.*

A Rejoinder:

Respectfully, speaking, the above answer in asterisks, fails to distinguish between the FACT of Marx's anti-Semitism and the partial REASON for his anti-Semitism. Take for example this quote from an article by James B. Whisker in the Journal of Historical Review entitled "Karl Marx Anti-Semite," and can be accessed via Related Links, below.

"Marx made specific charges against the Jews in his polemic. Jews worship Mammon, not God. Jews practice usury. Their true religion is predicated upon the acquisition of money through any and all means. The emancipation of all Europeans means the emancipation from Jewry: "emancipation from usury and money, that is, from practical, real Judaism, would constitute the emancipation of our time." Jews seek to control the world through the control of money: "What is the object of the Jew's worship in this world? Usury. What is his worldly god? Money. . . . What is the foundation of the Jew in this world? Practical necessity, private advantage. . . . The bill of exchange is the Jew's real God. His God is the illusory bill of exchange." Marx further alleges: "Money is the one zealous god of Israel, beside which no other god may stand. Money degrades all the gods of mankind and turns them into commodities. Money is the universal and self-constituted value set upon all things. It has therefore robbed the whole world, of both nature and man, of its original value. Money is the essence of man's life and work which have become alienated from him: this alien monster rules him and he worships it."

The author of the article describes Marx's views toward Jews in particular not just capitalists. Marx does not say Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, Muslim, Calvinist or any other specific religious capitalists, worship Mammon, practice usury or have a religion based on the acquisition of wealth. He states that "Jews" are guilty of these. He states that this is the Jew. The worship of Mammon (material wealth), practice of usury and preoccupation with wealth are charges that have been made all throughout history against Jews.

If Marx were simply commenting on capitalists in general, he would not have singled out Jews for particularly harsh treatment. In addition, if he were making comments on the nature of capitalists by likening them to Jews, there would be no doubt about his anti Semitism, since he would have had the anti Semitic opinion first and then apply it to capitalists to denigrate capitalists.

Marx also had anti-Semitic views wholly unrelated to capitalism. He disrespected them because of their devotion to religion as well, a commodity for which Marx had no use whatsoever.

Lastly, I would tale issue with the above statement that Marx should not be viewed as a racist because he simply used "typical and acceptable insults of his time." The use of typical and acceptable insults in vogue at the time does not absolve Marx of anti-Semite charges. It indicts the society as a whole for its ingrained racism.

Whatever his REASON for being anti-Semitic, the FACT is he WAS anti-Semitic. That makes him a racist.

Addenda:

He was also known to use the epithet, "Stupid Jew of negro blood." Any attack he could levy on the opponent was valid in his mind. Ad hominem was one of his preferred methods of "debate."

Answer 2

Karl Marx did make derogatory comments about certain ethnic groups in his writings, which today would be considered racist. However, it's important to note that his views on race evolved over time, and his overall focus was more on economic inequality and class struggle.

Answer 3

Marx was born an ethnic Jew, but received no training in the religion. At age 6, his father converted the family to Lutheranism to avoid losing his work as a lawyer in anti-Semitic Prussia.

Eventually he became convinced there was no God and that religion was just a tool to oppress the workers, so he became an atheist. Much evidence indicates that he rejected the Jewish religion more than any other. His home was only Christian in name and largely non-religious.

Answer 4

1. Marx came from a Jewish background, but his father converted to Lutheranism to avoid losing his work as a lawyer in anti-Semitic Prussia. His home was only Christian in name and largely non-religious. Marx later became an atheist.