Workers Unite: Marx and the Communist Manifesto
A 23-page pamphlet from 1848 that inspired revolutions, trade unions, the weekend — and fierce opposition.
How one event spilled into the next
A spectre is haunting Europe
The Manifesto appears as revolutions sweep across the continent.
Revolution in Russia
Lenin's Bolsheviks build the first state in Marx's name.
The Soviet Union falls
The Cold War ends; capitalism spreads east.
Labour rights everywhere
Minimum wages, unions and the 8-hour day carry the movement's mark.
Did you know?
The Communist Manifesto was written by Marx and Friedrich Engels in a few weeks and first printed in London in 1848.
Marx spent years researching in the British Museum reading room while his family lived in poverty.
Engels, his co-author, was the son of a wealthy factory owner — and funded Marx for decades.
After independence, leaders such as Nkrumah and Nyerere debated 'African socialism' as an alternative to both Marx and the market.
Key figures
- Karl MarxCo-author of the Manifesto, Capital (1867)
- Friedrich EngelsCo-author and patron
- Julius NyerereTanzania's Ujamaa socialism
Where this comes from
- Marx & Engels, The Communist Manifesto (1848)
- Gareth Stedman Jones, Karl Marx: Greatness and Illusion (2016)
- Julius Nyerere, Ujamaa: Essays on Socialism (1968)
Dates marked by tradition or legend are given as approximate.
Other sides of the story
Gathering perspectives…
What do you remember?
Preparing your quiz…
Every border, every spillover
All 240+ lectures, new seasons monthly, and the full event-cascade timelines. Watch on any device.
Cancel anytime · No card to browse previews