Karl Marx was a 19th-century sociologist, economist, and philosopher. He studied human history and came to the conclusion that history moves through different phases. He defined the phases in ascending order as follows :
a) primitive communism
b) Slavery
c) Feudalism
d) Capitalism
e) Socialism
f) Communism
Karl Marx was himself an eyewitness to the decline of feudalism and the emergence of capitalism in Europe. He predicted that because of internal contradictions within capitalism, capitalism would decline, and it would be replaced by socialism and, later on, by communism. The generations after Karl Marx were enticed by the prophecy of Karl Marx.
Vladimir Lenin of Russia and Mao Zedong of China were two people of the generation after Karl Marx, who were influenced by socialism and communism. Lenin was responsible for overthrowing the czar of Russia and establishing socialism in Russia through the Russian Revolution of 1917. Similarly, Mao Zedong established socialism through the Chinese Revolution of 1949.
In socialism, the forces of production, for example, land, machinery, and capital are owned or controlled by the state. The profit earned by the state is used by it for the welfare of the people. So, according to socialism and communism, every individual would get according to their needs. Unlike capitalism, Karl Marx predicted that there would be no exploitation of man by man.
Man would be free, and he would explore new avenues in life to enjoy the full life. This utopian idea could not become a reality in China or Russia as both had embraced socialism.
So, the question is raised, where did Karl Marx make a mistake? Yes, Karl Marx had made a mistake. He had given the highly sophisticated theory of socialism and communism. But he failed to explain how to implement the theory so that the objectives of socialism or communism would be achieved.
So, Vladimir Lenin and Stalin of Russia, and Mao Zedong of China implemented socialism according to their own understanding. The understanding of Stalin and Mao might have been different from Karl Marx’s. So, what Karl Marx had imagined in his utopian socialism could not become a reality in socialist Russia and China.
To conclude, Karl Marx was himself responsible for his failures. We cannot blame others for Karl Marx’s failures.
