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43: Much of this section can be summarized by simply saying that the Communistsallied themselves with whatever groups they thought were moving in the rightdirection (\"progressive\").
44: As Marx predicted, Germany developed one of the largest and most powerfulsocialist movements in the world; but the international socialist movementalmost collapsed when Germany launched World War I and the socialist partysupported the government. However, socialism remained popular enough so thatAdolph Hitler thought he had to call his movement \"National Socialism\" to gain widespread acceptance, even though once in power he vigorouslyexterminated socialists. What does Marx say are the special aims worked for bythe communists within the various reform movements? Most people misquote theending of the Manifesto with the slightly more catchy\"Workingmen of all countries, unite! You have nothing to lose but yourchains!\" What weaknesses can you find in this call to revolution?
Do you think communism as Marx describes it is a desirable ideal, a foolishdream, a undesirable ideal, or something else? Why? Some people argue thattrue Marxism has never been attempted, and that if his original ideas werefollowed it might be more successful. Marxism, they say, has been discreditedby people who betrayed Marx. What do you think of this argument?
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