The great claim was that Marxism, as put forth in the Communist Manifesto, was scientific. Marx and Marxists spoke much of the "false consciousness" of people whose arguments are only superficially intellectual, being (though they themselves are unaware of it) mere projections of class prejudice, and who thus believe themselves to be acting from religious or other motives while really driven by economic interests. Since Marxists took their theory to be the science of society, including history, sociology, and economics, when this became the official view of the state it implied, and in fact resulted in, the substitution of Marxism for the supposed pre-scientific gropings that had hitherto prevailed. In all the Marxist states, alternative views were suppressed, in academe as well as in society as a whole. And this led, as we saw, to a mental enslavement and degeneration of thought.

Author Biography

Karl Marx was a philosopher, socialist, sociologist, and journalist. He's often been called one of the most influential figures in history and is the father of Marxism. His work was and is widely read, the most well-known being The Communist Manifesto. Regardless of whether it is praised or harshly criticized, Marx's work changed the course of history. Friedrich Engels was a German philosopher and social scientist. He was partner to Marx in founding Marxism and co-penning The Manifesto. Additionally, he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, among many other notable works. Andrew Austin is associate professor and chair of democracy and justice studies and sociology at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. He has published numerous articles, essays, and reviews in books and journals. Most recently, in 2014, he published a series of articles in Sage's Encyclopedia of Social Deviance.