Section 1
Preamble — A Spectre Is Haunting Europe explained simply
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Original excerpt
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A is haunting Europe—the spectre of Communism. All the Powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Pope and Czar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and German police-spies. Where is the party in opposition that has not been decried as Communistic by its opponents in power? Where...
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A is haunting Europe—the spectre of Communism. All the Powers
of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this
spectre: Pope and Czar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and
German police-spies.
Where is the party in opposition that has not been decried as
Communistic by its opponents in power? Where is the Opposition that has
not hurled back the branding reproach of Communism, against the more
advanced opposition parties, as well as against its reactionary
adversaries?
Two things result from this fact.
I. Communism is already acknowledged by all European Powers to be
itself a Power.
II. It is high time that Communists should openly, in the face of the
whole world, publish their views, their aims, their tendencies, and
meet this nursery tale of the Spectre of Communism with a Manifesto of
the party itself.
To this end, Communists of various nationalities have assembled in
London, and sketched the following Manifesto, to be published in the
English, French, German, Italian, Flemish and Danish languages.
Public-domain original text shown for study context. Underlined terms can be tapped for simple reader notes.
Simple English explanation
Marx and Engels announce that communism is already feared across Europe and explain why they are publishing the manifesto.
1-minute summary
The preamble frames communism as a public political force rather than a hidden rumor.
Key takeaways
- The text explains politics through class conflict.
- Its claims are historical and ideological, not neutral description.
- Reading it well requires separating summary from agreement.
Modern example
The authors say Europe’s rulers already fear communism. They publish the manifesto to state communist aims openly.