Capitalism, whether one is for it or against it, is the thriving social structure of the modern world. In the beginnings it was not well received by the working class who were, indeed, exploited by this new concept. Capitalism does get some credit that is not due it though. For example, Karl Marx gave capitalism credit for creating gross differences of social class.
Social classes, as best anyone can tell, have been in existence since the beginning of time. One doesn't need to be an authority on history to make this observation. Marxism in its purest, truest form would inevitably have social classes even though this is exactly what Marx was all about: a classless society.
Marxism was propagated by Karl Marx as the ideal global structure of a society that would happen after the natural failure of capitalism. Marx, however, was a bit ill-informed on capitalism. He established his ideas based on the history of early industrialization.
A portrait of Karl Marx.
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
A portrait of Karl Marx.Probably this was his first mistake. The second was that he did not foresee the flexibility of capitalism. To Karl Marx it was a static social structure that would eventually be overthrown by the working class. After this fall, Marx envisioned a classless society where individual interests were replaced by the interest of the community (the good of humanity).
One point worth making is that Marxism should not be confused with communism. Marx believed that change was natural and that the fall of capitalism would eventually and quite naturally happen. Communism on the other hand took Marxist theory and put it on a social steroid, speaking metaphorically. Communism was all about making Marxism happen ASAP. Marxism, in the idea of Karl Marx, has yet to be and probably never will be. Marx only saw capitalism in its beginnings, and from this limited...