Nothing to Lose But Their Chains

Running head: NOTHING TO LOSE BUT THEIR CHAINS
NOTHING TO LOSE BUT THEIR CHAINS
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1NOTHING TO LOSE BUT THEIR CHAINS
The two German philosophers Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx are the creators of what is
known today as the Marxist theory. The theory is about a method of socioeconomic analysis.
According to socioeconomic analysis, society’s classes are the primary cause of struggle and
society should not have any kind of classes (Bloch, 2013). It is important to understand that the
two philosophers living in the 19th century, were strictly opposed to the abuses of their industrial
society. Marx and Engels deeply felt the exploitation, and in order to end the conflict, the only
way was through the abolishment of private property and social-class revolution. While doing so,
Marx and Engels stated ‘have nothing to lose their chains’. The paper aims to discuss the
statement and the concepts revolving around it that made Marx and Engels say this specific
statement.
Before the statement is discussed it is important to understand the time of the
philosophers. Marx and Engels did not favour the oppressions that were conducted due to the
industrialized society. According to Marx and Engels, the only reason for the oppression was the
industrial revolution (Marcuse, 2013). The oppression of the working class who lived in slums
was only due to society becoming industrialised. The working condition of the working class
was dangerous, the poor people suffered while the wealthy thrived. The situation was felt by
Marx and Engels, and as per them the exploitation of the poor was on the basis of social and
political conflict. The only way to end and bring change was by a social class revolution and a
private property abolishment. The strong feeling and belief came to be recognised as Marxism.
More importantly, it became the foundation while studying the 1848 Communist manifesto
(Fischer, 2017). Communists Manifesto is the political ideology based on Marx’s teachings that
call for the collective ownership of property with wages only on the skills and need, not the
accumulation of personal wealth.

2NOTHING TO LOSE BUT THEIR CHAINS
In order to understand the statement ‘you have nothing to lose but your chains’, it is
important to know the full statement which was ‘workers of the world, Unite. You have nothing
to lose but your chains’ (Toch, 2013). The political slogan is one of the most famous rallying
cries that has been mentioned in the communist manifesto. Originally the communist manifest,
manifesto of the communist party is a pamphlet that was created by Marx and Engels concerning
the issues of the society and the political system. The statement calls for the proletariats or
workers across all the countries and asks them to unite. The statement widely popular even and
the statement’s variation is also engraved on Marx’s tombstone (Sandmo, 2015).
Five years earlier to the communist manifesto, the phase was found in the 1843 book
‘The Workers’ Union’ by Flora Tristan’. According to Engels, the international workingmen’s
association was the first movement of the working class. The movement was persuaded by
Engels in order to bring alteration in its motto. The aim was to change the motto from ‘all men
are brothers’ to ‘working men of all countries, unite’. It was the reflection of Engels’ and Marx’s
perspective of proletarian internationalism. The phrase can be found having more than one
meaning that overlaps with one another. First, in order to push and emphasize their demands
including workplace conditions and pay, the workers across all the countries should unite.
Second, the other meaning is to unite against the capitalist system and see beyond their various
craft unions. Third, there are many common things between workers from different countries.
The phrase was widely utilized by the industrial workers of the world in various songs and
propaganda (Merriman, 2018).
The phrase was penned by Marx and Engels for strong reasons. Proletariats are wage
labourers, and member of the two wide social classes identified in the capitalists' mode of
production. Among the two classes, one class, the capitalist dominates the other, the working