Karl Marx one applied for a migration document in his home town to move to Texas. I am wondering how would this change the development of America and far left Ideologies?
What if Karl Marx had Moved to Texas in 1843?
- Thread starter VaultJumper
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Marx's proletarian ideas would find little traction in rural Texas. He would likely live out his life and die in total obscurity.
As for the fate of Europe, radical leftism was already in existence and would have developed similar to OTL, except it would have been called something other than Marxism. I personally believe that the political, socioeconomic, religious, and industrial trends in Europe would have resulted in the crystalization of some sort of leftist ideology similar to Communism with or without Marx.
As for the fate of Europe, radical leftism was already in existence and would have developed similar to OTL, except it would have been called something other than Marxism. I personally believe that the political, socioeconomic, religious, and industrial trends in Europe would have resulted in the crystalization of some sort of leftist ideology similar to Communism with or without Marx.
are you sure that Texas wouldn't change or that he would become a prominent abolitionist?
Marx preferred living in large cities and urban areas. He needs a proletariat to speak with and form workers organizations from. If he moves to Texas he'll only be there for a short time before packing his bags again. No doubt while living there he'll write on the ills of slavery and mistreatment by land owners to hard working cowboys, the degradation of Latino Texans by the Anglo elite. Ultimately though he'll want to go to a place like New York City or maybe back to Europe so he can spread his message to the industrial working poor. Finding company of other exiled German intellectuals.
I have a feeling that if Marx doesn't get out of Texas by the time of the ACW, he may come to a bad end: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nueces_massacre
But probably by that time he would long since have moved again--if not back to Europe, then to some US city offering more opportunities to German-American radical journalists than rural Texas (St. Louis, Chicago, and New York are all possibilities).
But probably by that time he would long since have moved again--if not back to Europe, then to some US city offering more opportunities to German-American radical journalists than rural Texas (St. Louis, Chicago, and New York are all possibilities).
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He would have joined the Rangers and fought against the Comanche? He might have ended up with Hood in Virginia? Settled in New Braunfels along with all the other Germans and opened a restaurant? Maybe married into the Eisenhower clan?
Bear in mind that Marx was a smelly (only changed his underwear about once a month apparently) barfly who was consistently sponging on anyone wealthier who would let him. Some of those charming customs of the Wild West like tar and feathers and "run out of town on a rail" could quite possibly have featured!
Clearly, he collects a posse of cowboy students, who are all sharpshooters. They are known as Marxmen.
I'd delete this thread if I could. Oh the agony, the agony.
Marx in the Civil War is an interesting concept whether it be Texas or any other place. If somehow he hasn't moved out, been expelled, or killed by Texans by that time he'll likely in my opinion find Texan abolitionist in the Hispanic, Irish and German communities already existing in Texas. It's possible with his talent for organizing and experience with European revolutionaries he'll try and take over a city by the old European tactic of erecting barricades and fight in the streets and house to house. Other options would be raids on plantations to free or arm slaves. Or just a traveling speaker trying to rile up slaves and sew the seeds of revolution. If the Union gets wind of the guy they'll fund him to drain resources from the Confederacy. They will then try and deport him immediately after the war for those same radical beliefs. That or he meets Mark Twain and he bases a character on him for a new smash hit book. I would read that book lol.
Howard Waldrop made a more convincing case for Nietzsche heading West. Try "The Last Ride of German Freddie"
He'd be bored of small town America. Would head over to st Louis. Marvel at that big arch thing. Would probably end up in San Fran, touring the hills on those marvelous trams. Welcoming the new Chinese migrants and working them into a frenzy setting them up in a union. Probably will die penniless, unpublished and unloved. Socialism will live on through the works of Engels.
Well the Free Labor movements and Abolitionism are still a thing and the Eisenhower thing would be hilarious.
gald you don't have the power
that would be awesome and it would be cool to see how he affects the Republican party if becomes prominent enough and Lincoln doesn't get assassinated