There can be no doubt about the wide-ranging influence of Karl Marx's theories on sociology and political thought. His concept of communism overcoming the socioeconomic trappings of capitalism was not a theory that saw the light of day in the way he might have assumed. There have been many throughout history who have misrepresented Marx's writings, which begs the question of whether pure communism in the original Marxist sense is possible, given that humanity appears to have an innate "need" for hierarchy and a thirst of power. Capitalism appears. to satisfy the “need” for power and acquisition above all else, and the proof is seen in the growth of global wealth, which certainly does not equate to equal wealth. The gap between rich and poor is constantly widening, leading to inequalities in life opportunities and participation in mainstream society. However, hard evidence does not appear to change or transform capitalism, so Marx's concept of economic class struggle remains a controversial issue. This essay will explain and explore the concept of capitalism and how Marx believed the origins and dynamics of capitalism were intricately woven into the fabric of class struggles throughout history. Indeed, this notion opens the first part of the Communist Manifesto with the now famous quote: “The history of every hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (Marx and Engels, p 79). Capitalism is essential as Marx based his work on the concept of historical materialism, originally derived from the development of Feuerbach's “Hegelian inversion”. Historical materialism is a concept that explains the vital function of human production…… half of the document…… gence of The Economy in Hall and Gieben (eds.) 2001 Formations of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity PressBythell, D., 1983. The Industrial Revolution: Cottage Industry and the Factory System, 33 pp. 17-23. Held, D., 2001. The Development of the Modern State in Hall and Gieben (eds.) 2001 Formations of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press Giddens, A.,1971. Capitalism and modern social theory: an analysis of the writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressGiddens, A., 1986. Sociology: a brief but critical introduction. 2nd ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Lee, D., Newby, H., 2000. The problem of sociology. Abingdon: RoutledgeMarx, K., Engels, F., “Manifesto of the Communist Party.” vol. One, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1969. Web. 9 April 2015. https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/