Karl Marx is the father of Marxism; the political and economic theory where a society has no classes. The main purpose is for society to work towards the common good, and class struggle will be eliminated.  In the Communist Manifesto, written by Marx, Marx writes, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles”(The Communist Manifesto, Chapter 1).  All throughout history humans have developed forms of hierarchy that gradually created the opposition of social classes and division among the people.  Marx believes that the “modern bourgeois society that has sprouted from the ruins of feudal society has not done away with class antagonisms. It has established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones”(The Communist Manifest, Chapter 1).  According to his beliefs’, social classes have not improved, rather developed into more divided and harsh forms of struggle.  Specifically, the bourgeoisie class dominated the middle class. The social class was politically progressive who control the means of production in a capitalist society.

Marx believes that the bourgeoisie class is the oppressive class, which would be destroyed in the workers’ revolution.  The bourgeoisie class controlled almost all the wealth available for society. Marx believes the oppression that society experiences and lives through is a result of the bourgeoisie class.  The working class, also known as the proletariat class, were being limited in opportunities by the bourgeoisie class and their desire to maintain their influence, regardless of being the minority in society.  Marx points out that the difference between the two classes is that the bourgeoisie class reaps the benefits of the hard and cruel labor of the working class, varying from money, power, and influence throughout the industry.  Marx argues that a consequence of capitalism and social hierarchy are always ending with the rich abusing the poor.

Marx believes that the bourgeoisie plays an important role in revolutionizing industry and modern society; However, within those main goals, the class seeks to profit off of the benefits of this modernization by exploiting the working class.  The bourgeoisie’s material interests are the literal interests in material.  They identify reality with physical matter, making all aspects of reality, including the spiritual, a property of matter.  “Free Trade” (The Communist Manifesto, 14) is a big focus for the bourgeoisie class.  Free trade is essentially capitalism and leads to the ability to increasing one’s wealth, one of the most appealing desires for someone in the bourgeoisie class.

The political interests of the bourgeoisie class according to Marx, are extremely imperialistic.  They were progressively philosophic.  The bourgeoisie are big supporters of expanding a country’s power and wealth, and imperialism creates the opportunity for more power and wealth.  The simple phrase that has become even more prevalent in today’s politics is ‘money equals power.’  The more money one has the more influence they have over a person, or multiple people, or even an entire social class.  The bourgeoisie were even more hostile when it seemed like their influence and wealth was being threatened in any way whatsoever.  Furthermore, the bourgeoisie were extremely supportive of capitalism due to the governments limited ability to intervene and regulate their businesses.  The main source of the bourgeoisie’s wealth during the Industrial revolution was due to being factory owners, and providing poor working condition and cheap wages to the proletariat class, who was doing the heavy lifting in the factories.  During the Industrial Revolution, for a time, the bourgeoisie class became the leaders of the country because they had all the wealth, monopolizing the industry to benefit their class alone.  Marx claims that the proletariat class are slaves to the bourgeoisie because even though the working conditions and wages are so poor, without them, they would not survive.  With their wealth, the bourgeoisie were able to influence politicians to have the laws and regulations benefit them, the minority, rather than the working class.

Although Marx doesn’t like the bourgeoisie class, he does mention certain positive changes to come out of the class and what they have done.  Specifically, industrialization, and the removal of feudalism.  These acts have greatly helped the economy in proportion to the expansion of industry and the world becoming more connected through trade.  Ultimately, Marx desires for the working class to overthrow the bourgeoisie class due to the main oppression and restrictions brought upon the proletariat class.  The proletariat class needs to rise up and reinstate social order for all people and not just a minority.  Industrialization and Urbanization are direct influences that lead back society back to class structures which continues the circle of oppression.