On 28 November 1820, Friedrich Engels, one of the most influential philosophers and social scientists of the 19th century, was born in Barmen, Prussia (modern-day Wuppertal, Germany). Best known as the collaborator and close friend of Karl Marx, Engels co-authored The Communist Manifesto (1848) and made profound contributions to socialist and communist theory, shaping the ideological framework of revolutionary movements around the world.
Early Life and Intellectual Formation
Born into a wealthy industrialist family, Engels was exposed to the stark contrasts between the lives of factory owners and the working class from a young age. Although his family expected him to follow a career in business, Engels’ interests lay in philosophy, literature, and social reform. While working in his father’s textile business in Manchester, England, Engels witnessed first-hand the harsh realities of industrial capitalism, which he later documented in his groundbreaking study, The Condition of the Working Class in England (1845). This work provided a searing indictment of the exploitation and misery endured by workers, laying the foundation for Engels’ lifelong commitment to socialist ideals.
Collaboration with Karl Marx
Engels met Karl Marx in Paris in 1844, forming one of the most important intellectual partnerships in history. Together, they developed the theoretical basis for modern communism, synthesising Engels’ keen observations of industrial society with Marx’s economic theories. Their most famous collaboration, The Communist Manifesto, was published in 1848 as a rallying cry for the proletariat to rise against capitalist oppression. Its declaration that “workers of the world, unite!” became a defining slogan for labour movements worldwide.
Engels also played a vital role in supporting Marx’s work financially, enabling the completion of Das Kapital. After Marx’s death in 1883, Engels edited and published the second and third volumes of Das Kapital, ensuring the continuation and dissemination of their shared vision.
Legacy and Influence
Beyond his collaboration with Marx, Engels made significant contributions to philosophy, political theory, and sociology. His writings on historical materialism and the role of class struggle in shaping history remain central to Marxist thought. Engels also examined the oppression of women and family structures in works such as The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State (1884), highlighting the interconnection of economic systems and social inequality.
