The Communist Manifesto — Marx & Engels (1848)

The 23-page *Communist Manifesto*, penned by Marx and Engels in 1848, became the ideological bedrock for communist movements that, by 1985, governed approximately 1.7 billion people, roughly two-fifths of the world's population. Its powerful call to action, "Workers of the world, unite!," encapsulated a critical analysis of capitalism as a class system driven by labor exploitation. This framework continues to shape academic discourse in sociology, economics, and political science. Despite its prescriptive failures in governance, the *Manifesto*'s profound influence on 20th-century political thought and movements is undeniable. The text's enduring relevance is often highlighted by its perceived foresight regarding aspects of globalized capitalism.