Karl Marx

Karl Marx died in 1883, yet his ideas remain as relevant as ever. In mainstream academia and media, he is often dismissed as an outdated Victorian thinker—a mere "Dead White Man"—or vilified as the inspiration behind oppressive Communist regimes. But these portrayals are misleading. Marx dedicated his life to understanding and critiquing capitalism. He viewed it as both liberating—unleashing human productive potential—and destructive as it thrives on the exploitation of labor and drives societies toward economic crises and environmental catastrophe.

We live in a world marked by economic instability, geopolitical conflict, and escalating climate chaos. In this talk, Alex Callinicos will explore how Marx’s attempts to uncover the inner logic of these crises make him a profoundly contemporary thinker. His critique of capitalism was rooted in the idea of freedom—that true human liberation means being free from all forms of exploitation and oppression, with control over our own lives. As we examine his ideas, we’ll consider how well Marx’s thinking holds up in the world today.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Alex Callinicos was born in Zimbabwe and studied at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. He is an Emeritus Professor of European Studies at King’s College London and previously taught for many years at the University of York.

Presented by Seed Talks

This is an 18+ event