According to Karl Max, socialism developed as a consequence of the evils of ________

Analyze the question: The question asks which system's evils, according to Karl Marx, led to the development of socialism.

Explain the concept: Karl Marx (author of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital) explained history through stages of society, driven by class struggle:

1. Primitive communalism
2. Slavery
3. Feudalism
4. Capitalism
5. Socialism (and eventually communism)

Marx argued that under capitalism, society is split into two classes:

• The bourgeoisie, who own the factories, land, and capital.
• The proletariat, the workers, who sell their labour for low wages.

He said the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat by taking the surplus value of their labour. This leads to poverty, inequality, and alienation of workers. Marx believed these evils would push the workers to rise up in revolution, overthrow the capitalists, and establish socialism, where the means of production are owned collectively.

Solution:

• A. Monarchy: a form of government, not the economic system Marx blamed.
• B. Communalism: this is the earliest stage, with shared ownership and no exploitation, so it did not produce socialism.
• C. Feudalism: it was replaced by capitalism, not directly by socialism.
• D. Capitalism: the system whose exploitation of workers, in Marx's view, gave rise to socialism.

Answer: D. capitalism

Exam tip: Remember the order of Marx's stages: C-S-F-C-S, meaning Communalism → Slavery → Feudalism → Capitalism → Socialism. Socialism always comes right after capitalism, so "the evils of capitalism" is the cause.