Communist Manifesto
The Communist Manifesto (originally Manifesto of the Communist Party) is a 1848 political pamphlet by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Although Engels is credited as co-writer, the final draft was penned exclusively by Marx. Engels himself wrote in 1883: "The basic thought running through the Manifesto [...] belongs solely and exclusively to Marx". Regardless, Engels is argued to have influenced the writing.
The pamphlet was commissioned by the Communist League, regarded as the first Marxist party.
The text included several incorrect predictions, such that capitalism would cause the middle class to disappear and would cause the remaining proletariat class to live in abject poverty. The Communist revolution was predicted to first occur in Germany and this to occur in the near future.
Near the end, the authors stated that "The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. The openly declare that their ends can be attained only by forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution." This served as one inspiration for Communist revolutions and violence around the world.
