
Karl Marx's letter to Abraham Lincoln (1864) - soneca
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/iwma/documents/1864/lincoln-letter.htm
======
jboynyc
The relationship between Marx and Lincoln is also the subject of a book by
Robin Blackburn: <http://www.versobooks.com/books/954-an-unfinished-
revolution>

------
jivatmanx
Left unmentioned is Lincoln and Thaddeus Steven's extraordinary achievement of
issuing United States Notes, called Greenbacks.

Unfortunately, after Lincoln's assassination, this battle was lost in the
years after.

~~~
jamesaguilar
Why would that be mentioned? I'm not too familiar with his ideas but I'm not
aware that Marx is known for his ideas about monetary policy.

~~~
jivatmanx
Unfortunately, he wasn't. Thaddeus Stevens on the other hand was well aware of
how debt-based and private monetary systems create inequality, something that
seemingly should have been of interest to Marx.

Disclaimer: I'm no fan of Marx.

------
dreamdu5t
What is the point of posting this? This letter doesn't seem to be of any
significance.

~~~
soneca
In my point of view a man with a deep understanding of its time is
congratulating another one for successfully hacking a vicious system. Don't
let the 20th century marxists (or the cold war propaganda) ruins your
perception of Marx's genius. Lincoln's importance is more obvious. Both men
changed the world for better (IMO Marx is not to be blamed for any
dictatorship atrocities). A Nelson Mandela quote resume pretty much for me
both of their ideoligical legacies: "Money won't create success, the freedom
to make it, will."

That said, I think its counterproducent for people who love to claim that are
trying to change the world, underestimate the significance of history. And
this letter is, at least for me, a unique, yet not well known, piece for
understanding history.

------
rweba
I haven't seen anyone note that the person who replied to Marx's letter in his
role as US Ambassador to the United Kingdom (Charles Francis Adams) was the
son of America's 6th president (John Quincy Adams) and grandson of the 2nd
president and Founding Father (John Adams).

I highly recommend David McCullough's biography "John Adams." Even if you're
not really into history (I'm not) it's actually a pretty good read and
entertainingly covers most of US History from 1750 to 1830.

------
keithwarren
Can you say noise? How is this remotely startup related?

~~~
lifeisstillgood
HN has a good FAQ - link at the bottom - the guiding principle for posting is
satisfying intellectual curiosity.

This does it for the history buff in me - startup or not. Anyway Lincoln was a
serial entrepreneur.

