Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

Recent polling indicates that young people are more inclined to have skeptical attitudes toward capitalism, and more sympathy for socialism, than previous generations. Do Marx’s arguments speak to a contemporary audience, especially younger people just entering the labor force?

Marx argues that communism requires atheism to keep people focused on the here and now rather than the afterlife. Do you agree or disagree? Is it possible to wed socialism, or even communism, with religion? Would that help to broaden the attraction of communism beyond the ranks of nonbelievers?

How much does Marx’s argument depend upon the particular conditions of industrial capitalism in mid-19th-century Europe? Most work has become safer for the vast majority, at least in the developed world. Does the much safer work still constitute a form of oppression? Or should today’s Marxist shift their focus to developing countries that more closely resemble Marx’s description of a desperate industrial proletariat?