In 'The Communist Manifesto', Karl Marx and Frederick Engels argued that in the modern, industrial world, the most significant classes are the bourgeoisie—who own land, resources, factories and means of production—and the proletariat, people who work for wages. The Manifesto declares the intention of communism to overthrow the bourgeoisie and place all political power with the proletariat. Books on such alternative political movements stirred the interest of idealistic young students in the 1950s. Disillusioned with British rule, these students were eager to embrace the communist vision of a society where the working class would command power.
