Editing Karl Marx

{{Era|Individuals}}{{WP-REAL}}
{{Quote|The struggle for such a policy is embraced in the universal struggle for the emancipation of the working class. And so I say to you, proletarians of all lands, unite!|Karl Marx delivering a speech on unions, 1868.|Assassin's Creed: Syndicate|Vox Populi}}
{{Character Infobox
| image = Karl Marx.png
| birth = 5 May 1818<br>{{Wiki|Trier}}, [[Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]], {{Wiki|German Confederation}}
| death = 14 March 1883 (aged 64)<br>[[London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| species = [[Human]]
| affiliates = {{Wiki|Communist League}}<br>{{Wiki|International Workingmen's Association|First International}}
| voice = [[Matthew Marsh]]
| database = [[Database: Karl Marx|Karl Marx]]}}
'''Karl Heinrich Marx''' (1818 – 1883) was a [[Germany|German]] philosopher, economist, journalist and sociologist of [[Israel|Hebrew]] descent who is considered the founder of the ideology of {{Wiki|Marxism}}. He was also an associate of twin [[Master Assassin]]s [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye]] during his time in [[London]].

Throughout his life, Marx published several books, the most famous of which are arguably ''{{Wiki|The Communist Manifesto}}'' and ''{{Wiki|Das Kapital}}''. His work in economics laid the basis for much of the current understanding of labour and its relation to [[Capitalism|capital]], as well as subsequent economic thought. 

Although many revolutionaries, such as [[Vladimir Lenin]], [[Josef Stalin]], [[Mao Zedong]], and {{wiki|Fidel Castro}} would later cite Marx as an influence, their fidelity to Marx's ideas is highly contested.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Born in {{Wiki|Trier}}, Marx studied at the universities of {{Wiki|Bonn}} and [[Berlin]]. He went on to write for the radical newspaper ''{{Wiki|Rheinische Zeitung}}'' in [[Cologne]] and began work on his theory of {{Wiki|historical materialism}}. In 1843, he moved to [[Paris]], where he wrote for several other radical newspapers and met {{Wiki|Friedrich Engels}}, his lifelong friend and collaborator.<ref name="Database">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' – [[Database: Karl Marx]]</ref>

However, Marx's revolutionary views brought him into trouble with the police, and he was eventually forced to flee to [[Brussels]], where he and Engels wrote one of their most influential works, ''The Communist Manifesto''. After spending a period of time in Cologne, Marx and his family were exiled to [[London]] in 1849. There, he continued writing and developing his theories about social and economic activity.<ref name="Database" />

===Working with the Frye twins===
{{Dialogue|Marx|Indeed, you've done more for London's citizens lately than any endeavor has accomplished in a decade. But those citizens were already well provided for. I challenge you both to help those who REALLY need your assistance. The working people.|Evie|An interesting challenge. We accept.|Marx meeting the Frye twins, 1868.|Assassin's Creed: Syndicate|Cat and Mouse}}
[[File:ACS Cat and Mouse 2.jpg|thumb|240px|Karl Marx meeting the Frye twins.]]
A passionate activist, Marx was known to organize meetings with like-minded individuals during his time in London, which earned him the ire of the local [[Metropolitan Police Service|police force]]. In 1868, he met the [[Assassins|Assassin]] siblings, Jacob and Evie Frye, whom he congratulated on their efforts to aid the people of London. However, he also noted that they had not focused enough on the working class, whom he felt really needed their help.<ref name="Cat and Mouse">''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' – [[Cat and Mouse]]</ref>

In response, the Frye twins, particularly Evie, offered to assist Marx so that he could make it to one of his gatherings. They subsequently took out spies of the London police, allowing Marx to successfully contact his allies and give them the time and place of the meeting. While on his way there, he discovered one of his allies, Simon, had betrayed him and asked one of the twins to deliver the traitor to him.<ref name="Cat and Mouse" />

The Assassin thus removed Simon from his companions and brought him to Marx, who scolded Simon before giving him leave to go. Marx then thanked one of the Frye twins and expressed his hopes that they would continue to aid the working people.<ref name="Cat and Mouse" />

[[File:ACS Where there's smoke 5.jpg|thumb|left|240px|Karl meeting with the twins again.]]
Sometime after, Marx requested further assistance from the siblings; he believed a local factory was abusing its workforce, but lacked substantial proof. He then suggested to his friend that they could set fire to a few cotton bales inside and steal the factory's reports in the ensuing confusion. The Assassin subsequently acquired the documents and delivered them to Marx.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' – [[Where There is Smoke]]</ref>

Marx would contact one of the Frye twins again, this time to ask them to prevent a friend of his, [[Frank Morris]], from blowing up the [[Palace of Westminster]] with [[Templars|Templar]] explosives. Marx was later informed that, despite the Assassin's best efforts, Morris had died in an explosion due to his own reckless revenge-driven behavior. Saddened, he nonetheless thanked them for having prevented a greater tragedy.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' – [[Anarchist Intervention]]</ref>

Later, Marx was to give a speech on reforms, but feared saboteurs would incite violence during the meeting. He requested one of the Frye twins to keep an eye out for any troublemakers and remove them from the crowds if necessary. The event nonetheless descended into violence when a group of [[Blighters]] appeared and attempted to kill Marx, though they were foiled by one of the Frye twins.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' – [[An Explosive End]]</ref>

Grateful to their services, Marx subsequently asked them to join the Worker's Party. Both siblings declined, Jacob claiming he was not interested in politics and Evie referencing other responsibilities. The philosopher then suggested he give them honorary memberships instead, but the pair again refused, with Jacob pointing out that Marx did not give up easily. To this, Marx good-naturedly replied that they appeared to have that in common, following which he bid the twins goodbye.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' – [[Vox Populi]]</ref>

==Personality and traits==
{{Quote|Killing people and destroying property solves nothing. Democracy is the only road to socialism.|Karl Marx rejecting violence as a method to achieve the emancipation of the working class, 1868.|Assassin's Creed: Syndicate|Anarchist Intervention}}
During the mid-19th century, Marx was a staunch defender of the working class and an idealist, believing that reforms could be achieved if the proletariat stood together in solidarity. Still, he was aware that this was not an easy task, remarking that people would often act in their own self-interest rather than unite against injustice and corruption.<ref name="Database" />

Despite his passion for the cause, Marx refused to resort to violent methods to effect change.{{Cite|15 July 2024. Dubious, compare IRL writings in Manifesto, etc}} Due to this, he did not agree with Morris' plan to take revenge on the government for enabling the abuse of the working class. Rather, Marx believed that the workers needed to attain political power so they themselves could introduce change and break free from the capitalist system that exploited them.<ref name="Database" />

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
ACS DB Karl Marx.jpg|Database image
ACS Promotional Screenshot 31.jpg|Marx with Jacob
</gallery>

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Echoes of History]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACS}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marx, Karl}}
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