t necessarily mean violence. However, in this case violence will be difficult to avoid, and Marx states that violence may be necessary. Marx wrote several passages regarding this. What is being described here is clearly nothing less than a revolution, a complete reversal in thought and society. Marx describes the first step in this revolution. "We have seen above, that the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle of democracy" (Marx 64). So it is clear that the first step is to raise the proletariat to the ruling class, but how is this done? Marx writes that "we traced the more or less veiled civil war, raging within existing society, up to the point where that war breaks out into open revolution, and where the violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie lays the foundation for the sway of the proletariat" (Marx 56). He speaks directly of violence when he says that, "If the proletariat during its contest with the bourgeoisie is compelled, by the force of circumstances, to organize itself as a class, if, by means of a revolution, it makes itself the ruling class, and, as such, sweeps away by force the old condition of production" (Marx 75). If the proletariat is forced to violence, then violence should be taken, because it is for the greater good. Marx puts it all together in one final statement. "In short, the Communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things." (Marx 86). Putting things back into perspective again, it is vital to realize that this violence should be short lived, and only continue until the proletariat is in position to make some changes to society. Marx uses terms like despotic inroads,' necessitate,' and unavoidable' to describe the necessary violence. Violent acts are terrible things in and of themselves, but must be used at times for a greater good. However, in his ideal...
