Critique of the Gotha Programme
Quick Summary
The Critique of the Gotha Programme was a significant work by Karl Marx in 1875. It was a sharp criticism of the Gotha Program, which was adopted by the Socialist Labour Party of Germany at a congress in Gotha. Marx argued that the program contained several concessions to the bourgeoisie and failed to fully embrace the principles of communism.12
Marx believed that the program's approach to distribution and its transitional phase were flawed. He advocated for a more radical transformation of society, moving towards a communist system where goods would be distributed based on the principle of "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". The critique highlighted Marx's vision for a classless society and his concerns about compromising revolutionary ideals.23
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
populationMarx, Lenin, and their followers…wrote in 1875 in his Critique of the Gotha Programme (published by Engels in 1891), “then I cannot abolish this [iron law of wages] even if I abolish wage-labor a hundred times, because this law is not only paramount over the system of wage-labor but also over every social system.”
Read More…wrote in 1875 in his Critique of the Gotha Programme (published by Engels in 1891), “then I cannot abolish this [iron law of wages] even if I abolish wage-labor a hundred times, because this law is not only paramount over the system of wage-labor but also over every social system.”
Read More
socialismSocialism after MarxAccording to Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Programme (1891), Lassalle had “conceived the workers’ movement from the narrowest national standpoint”; that is, Lassalle had concentrated on converting Germany to socialism, whereas Marx thought that socialism had to be an international movement. Even worse, Lassalle and his followers had…
Read MoreAccording to Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Programme (1891), Lassalle had “conceived the workers’ movement from the narrowest national standpoint”; that is, Lassalle had concentrated on converting Germany to socialism, whereas Marx thought that socialism had to be an international movement. Even worse, Lassalle and his followers had…
Read More