Marxism is an ideological system within *socialism that developed out of, and drew inspiration from, the writings of Karl Marx (1818-83). However, Marxism as a codified body of thought came into existence only after Marx’s death. It was the product of the attempt, notably by Friedrich Engels (1820-95), Karl Kautsky (1854-1938) and Georigie Plekhanov (1856-1918), to condense Marx’s ideas and theories into a systematic and comprehensive world view that suited the needs of the growing socialist movement. The core of Marxism is a philosophy of history that outline why * capitalism is doomed and why *socialism and eventually *communism are destined to replace it. This philosophy is based upon *historical materialism the belief that economic factors are the ultimately determining force in human history, developed into what Marx and Engels classified as ‘scientific socialism’. In Marx’s view, history is driven forward through a dialectical process in which internal contradictions within each mode of production, or economic system, are reflected in class antagonism. Capitalism, then, is only the most technologically advanced of class societies, and is itself destined to be overthrown in a proletarian *revolution which will culminate in the establishment of a classless, communist society.