In the case of The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx shines a light on the glaring issues and potential downsides of capitalism and the existing bourgeois class of his time, providing a call-to-arms for an alternative ideology meant to eliminate class antagonisms and decrease the likelihood of exploitation of the many by the few.

Having grown up with American Capitalism™ being shoved down my throat at every junction, it is refreshing to read and ponder alternative ideas about how to build and maintain a good society. I believe it is foolish to dismiss entire philosophies or modes of thinking based on the poor applications of a select, brutal few throughout history. It is a shame that entire ideologies can develop solely negative connotations, because often there exists interesting ideas that can be gleaned from them.