Karl Marx was possibly one of the most influential thinkers of his time. Marx was born in Trier, Germany on April , 15 1818. His father, a Jewish lawyer, provided a comfortable life for Marx and his siblings. His mother, Henrietta, was of Dutch decent. His parents goal was to provide a family life that would foster an environment conducive to the development of their children. His father hoped Karl would make a profound impact on the world. If he had only known how profound that impact would be. Marx's radical political ideas can be traced back to his high school years (1830-35). Several of his teachers and fellow students were engaged in quite liberal thinking. Marx wrote a report in high school in which he was to choose a profession. His paper focused on the belief that,a profession chooses you, not the other way around. Life's circumstances dictate the career pathyou will follow. As you can see, liberal ideas were present in Marx at a very young age. After his graduation from high school, Marx began his collegiate career at the Universityof Bonn. There he studied liberal arts such as , art history and Greek mythology. Bonn's studentpopulation was even more politically than were Marx's high school classmates. Marx jumped right into the mix. He joined a poets society on campus which had several radical members. Within his first year he had gotten in trouble for public drunkenness. His father, who wanted Karl to study law, was dissatisfied with his rebellious nature and course of study. As a result, Marx transferred to the University of Berlin after only one year at Bonn. There he was to study law and philosophy as his father had wished. Marx's radical ways would not be tolerated at the more conservative University of Berlin. This was to be a major turning point for young Marx. While at Berlin, he was exposed to the doctrines of Hegal. This exposure would have profound impact on the development ...
