Karl Marx was a nineteenth century thinker whose ideas had a profound influence in the twentieth century. His analysis of class conflict in society and the oppressive nature of the capitalist economy have had an enduring influence on later generations. Marx's challenge to the rule of the capitalist ruling class and his call for the equal distribution of wealth have inspired many a bloody revolution. Revolutions of less violent nature but just as profound in their effects have also occurred intellectually. It would be difficult today to present any serious analysis of human affairs without some attention to economic factors. Marx insisted on the material and historical nature of the structure of society and showed how "ideas need to be read in terms of who is producing them, whose interests they are supporting (economic, political, cultural and sexual) and what they reveal and conceal (Simms, 2003, pp.31-32)" Much...