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2008-2010s, Global Financial Crisis and radical left movements 

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2008-2010s, Global Financial Crisis and radical left movements 

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The 2008 financial crisis renewed interest in Marx’s analysis of capitalism’s cyclical crises and inherent instability. Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain drew on Marxist critiques of neoliberalism while adapting to 21st-century democratic politics, demonstrating Marx’s continued relevance for understanding economic inequality and political transformation.

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Became one of the world's most influential political documents. Highlighted the ideas that capitalism is marked by the exploitation of the proletariat by the ruling bourgeoisie and does not offer to humanity the possibility of self-realisation. Therefore, a revolution that will lead to communism is necessary, creating a classless society.

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A federation of workers' groups that, despite ideological divisions within its ranks, had a considerable influence as unifying force for labour in Europe. They supported strikes in various countries and in general had international goals.

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Served as the economic foundation of Marxist theory, it meant to reveal the economic patterns underpinning the capitalist mode of production (exploitation of labour, whose unpaid work is the ultimate source of surplus value and profit).

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The municipal elections resulted in victory for the revolutionaries, who formed the Commune government: Jacobins (French Revolution tradition) wanted the Paris Commune to control the Revolution; Proudhonists, socialist who supported a federation of communes throughout the country; and the Blanquistes, socialists who demanded violent action. They held power for a couple of months, then Versailles government repressed it with violence (semaine sanglante).

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Discontent was intensified by strikes, protests, and calls for democratic changes, social instability, with widespread hunger, mass casualties, and military collapse.

Bolshevik rule led to the creation of a one-party communist state, a Marxist one, headed by Lenin and later Stalin. The Revolution ended centuries of monarchy, created the Union of Soviet Socialist republics (USSR) in 1922, and inspired communist movements globally.

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1945-8, The Soviet Bloc, foundation for the Cold War

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1945-8, The Soviet Bloc, foundation for the Cold War

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The Eastern Bloc represented the full implementation of Marxist-Leninist ideology as state doctrine, with the Soviet Union using Marx’s principle that “material bases shaped social and political relations” to justify socioeconomic transformation. Stalin’s approach emphasised that transformation must appear “democratic” while maintaining communist control, reflecting tactical adaptation of Marxist principles. The elimination of bourgeois power (kulaks) through expropriation of property was given “absolute priority”, following Marx’s analysis of class struggle. This period demonstrated both the global reach of Marxist ideology and its transformation into authoritarian state control, in opposition to the American capitalistic model.

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1970s, Italian and Spanish "Eurocommunism"

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1970s, Italian and Spanish "Eurocommunism"

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Eurocommunism represented an attempt to develop “Marxism with a human face”, rejecting Soviet models while maintaining commitment to Marx’s anti-capitalist analysis. Italian and Spanish communist parties argued for democratic paths to socialism, adapting Marxist theory to Western European conditions and democratic institutions.

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1989-91, Fall of Berlin Wall and Dissolution of the Soviet Union 

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1989-91, Fall of Berlin Wall and Dissolution of the Soviet Union 

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The collapse of “actual existing socialism” seemed to refute Marx’s predictions about communist society, leading to debates about whether “true communism” had ever been attempted. However, Marx’s analysis of capitalism’s contradictions remained relevant, with many arguing that the welfare state had only temporarily “meliorated” capitalism’s worst excesses.

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Its main aim was to achieve socialism through cooperation with bourgeois governments. On colonialism, the international deemed that it was never progressive force. The international’s position on war was to prevent it, and if it broke out to exploit it to bring about the collapse of capitalism. However, the outbreak of WWI in 1914 saw the international split into pro-Allied, pro-Central Powers and antimilitarist factions and cease to function by 1916.

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1903, Split: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, Russia

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1903, Split: Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, Russia

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The Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party was split into two groups, the Bolsheviks (majority) and the Mensheviks (minority). Both groups were enthusiasts for the destruction of capitalism and the overthrow of the Tsarist regime, but the Mensheviks, led by Martov, favoured a large, loosely organised democratic party whose members could agree to differ on many points. They were prepared to work with the liberals in Russia and they had scruples about the use of violence. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, were hardline revolutionaries who would not have known a scruple. No time for democracy and no confidence in the masses.

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The Comintern, created to unite communist parties under Soviet control, evolved through shifting policies: from Lenin’s revolutionary internationalism to Stalin’s rigid “extreme leftism” and later antifascist pragmatism. Dissolved in 1943 to reassure wartime allies, it was replaced by the Cominform (1947–1956). The international communist movement later fractured, especially after the Soviet–Chinese split post-1956.

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1930s, Western Marxism and Frankfurt School 

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1930s, Western Marxism and Frankfurt School 

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The Frankfurt School is an intellectual tradition of critical theory focused on combining philosophy and social science to analyze and challenge domination in society. Its origins lie in interdisciplinary work examining topics like authoritarianism, mass culture, and the impact of capitalism on social psychological and cultural life. Later generations expanded themes and influences, including feminist and post-structuralist thought.

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Spain’s rapid modernization before 1936 created a strong middle class alongside a militant working class, setting the stage for deep Marxist divisions during the Spanish Civil War. The conflict exposed rifts between Stalinist and anti-Stalinist factions like POUM, as competing interpretations of Marxism led to internal clashes over revolutionary strategy and Soviet influence.

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1956, Hungarian Uprising & Khrushchev's "Secret Speech"

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1956, Hungarian Uprising & Khrushchev's "Secret Speech"

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These events marked the beginning of de-Stanilization while maintaining Marxism-Leninism as official ideology, revealing the gap between Marxist theory and Soviet practice. The crisis forced European communist parties to reconsider their relationship with Moscow and develop more independent interpretations of Marx’s ideas.

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1960s, Rise of new left in Western Europe

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1960s, Rise of new left in Western Europe

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The New Left movement represented a return to Marx’s original humanistic writings, rejecting both Soviet orthodoxy and social democratic reformism. This revival emphasized Marx’s critique of alienation and his vision of human emancipation, influencing student movements, feminism, and environmental activism across western Europe.

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Modern ecological Marxism applies Marx’s analysis to environmental destruction under capitalism, while academic Marxism continues to influence sociology, history, and cultural studies. Contemporary scholars emphasize Marx’s method of historical materialism rather than specific predictions, using his framework to analyze globalization, technology and climate change.