The immediate connotations of the name Karl Marx are the infamous actions of Josef Stalin and Mao

Zedong, who were both influenced by Marxs philosophy. However, Karl Marxs original philosophy was different from the ways it was embodied by more modern communist regimes. Marx had a powerful vision of transforming the oppressed proletariat into a part of society that was equal to the upper-class (bourgeois). Despite coming from an upper-class family, he saw the needs of the lower class and tried to meet them in his own form of government. He saw the flaws and shortcomings in the authorities of his time and he worked to eliminate those in his own way. Also, He persevered despite adversity from those who opposed his ideology and through unfortunate personal circumstances. His theory of government also is one of the most ideal forms of government that has been created, though in this deeply flawed world it can never truly work. His vision was passionate and he stuck with it through all circumstances. It is these above reasons that form the basis for why Karl Marx should be considered a heroic figure. Central to the idea of Marxism was the concept of the lower classes being equalized with the higher classes, preventing the failures of a Capitalist system. Marx himself came from a family that was part of the middle class; his father was a lawyer, and Marx went to school to become an attorney. Despite this obvious separation from the members of the proletariat, he saw their obvious oppression and manipulation all around him in Europe. As a result of his extensive studies in philosophy and history, Marx began to see the problems with capitalistic governments and how they were forcing their means of survival (the proletariat) to revolt. He began to see how people were objectified in capitalism, which is obviously quite a wrong outlook. Marxism eliminated the struggle between the classes, and created an idealistic, socialistic society where equality was the precedent. He did not say that everyone would make the same amount of

money, but merely theorized that everyone should be paid properly according to the amount of work he had done. Marx was persecuted for his revolutionary ideas by those who saw him as a threat to their power. His initial published newspaper, the Rheinische Zeitung, was censored many times and eventually shut down by the Prussian government officials. Marx was expelled from France after publishing more works that either undermined the government or promoted his own ideas. He was expelled from Belgium and again from France before finally making his home in London. Marx lived much of his life without a large personal income, and when he died he was effectively penniless. At his death it was apparent that he had sacrificed his own potentially profitable career to better the lives of others. His personal life was also filled with tragedy: only three of his seven children survived to adulthood, and his wife Jenny died less than two years before Marxs own death. He persevered and continued to write and teach his philosophy in an attempt to better the world despite his many struggles and sacrifices. Karl Marx is a great example of a man who has a powerful vision and used that vision to better society. He dedicated much of his life to developing and spreading his theory of government, which was focused on the people and not on personal power. Karl Marx switched schools, moved his family and risked imprisonment to further his idea. He had his tombstone inscribed with the final words of his Communist Manifesto; Workers of the world, unite! That proved a final sign of his dedication to the Marxist philosophy. His unique vision has proved to be one of the most influential of the past two centuries, affecting millions of people either directly or indirectly. However, Marx did not aspire to be a leader or government official, but merely laid down a system for others to follow. This shows that he had a measure of humility despite his grand ideas.

In summary, Karl Marx was a champion of the lower classes, strove to right social wrongs, persevered through adversity, and developed a powerful individual vision. Marx refused to submit to the social and political norms of his time and challenged them to the best of his ability. Was his government perfect? Of course not, but there are bound to be flaws in any system of government as long as this world remains. Marx embodied the philosophy of Acts 4:32-35, which says they shared everything they had. His religious views may not have matched perfectly with the Christian ideals, but that should be no barrier to recognizing the achievements of this great man. Despite the connotations of his philosophy, Marx should be recognized as a man who was a hero.