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Francis Wheen's
1999 biography of Marx, from which
this is extracted, painted a warts-and-all
portrait which shatters all the
romantic and orthodox-Marxist idealisations
of the founder of modern communism,
while leaving intact and perhaps
clearer than ever, Marx’s
essential humanist and critical
insights into the trajectory of
modernity. Francis would not agree
with Terrell Carver on the question
of the alleged illegitimate son,
but even the most devoted follower
of Karl Marx will recognise the
merit of Francis’s study.
We have selected a short piece from
the biography which deals with the
myth that Marx had contempt for
ordinary workers and self-educated
socialists.
Critiques & Rejoinders for
"Marx and the Working Class"
-Dominic Tweedie
Submit
a rejoinder
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Source: “Karl
Marx,” © Francis Wheen 1999, pp
276-292. Used with permission of
the author.
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Biographical information
Francis Wheen
is not a “Marxologist”
or academic but rather, an active
writer and journalist, named “Columnist
of the Year” for his contributions
to The Guardian. He is also author
of a highly acclaimed biography
Karl Marx which has been
translated into twenty languages.
His collected journalism, Hoo-Hahs
and Passing Frenzies, won the
George Orwell Prize in 2003, and
his most recent book, How Mumbo-Jumbo
Conquered the World: A Short History
of Modern Delusions, tackles
the top-10 myths of modernity from
neo-liberal and US Republican demonology
to new age and postmodern fantasies.
In June 2005, Das Kapital
will be published, in which Francis
sketches the story of the writing
and the impact of Marx’s history-making
book.
See also: Francis
Wheen's top 10 modern delusions
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