1. The whole of Germany shall be declared a united, indivisible republic.

  2. Every German who is 21 years old shall be a voter and be eligible for election, assuming he has not been sentenced for a criminal offence.

  3. Representatives of the people shall be paid so that workers may also sit in the parliament of the German people.

  4. Universal arming of the people. In future armies shall at the same time be workers’ armies so that the armed forces will not only consume, as in the past, but produce even more than it costs to maintain them.

  5. Maintenance of justice shall be free of charge.

  6. All feudal burdens, all fees, labour services, tithes etc. which have previously oppressed the peasantry shall be abolished without any compensation.

  7. All baronial and other feudal estates, all mines, pits etc. shall be converted into state property. On these estates agriculture shall be practised on a large scale and with the most modern scientific tools for the benefit of all.

  8. The mortgages on peasant farms shall be declared state property. The interest for these mortgages shall be paid by the peasants to the state.

  9. In the areas where leasing has developed the ground rent or lease payment shall be paid to the state as a tax.

  10. All private banks will be replaced by a state bank whose bonds will have the character of legal tender.

  11. All means of transport: railways, canals, steamships, roads, posts etc. shall be taken in hand by the state. They shall be converted into state property and made available free of charge to the class without financial resources.

  12. In the remuneration of all civil servants there shall be no difference except that those with a family, i.e. with greater needs, shall also receive a larger salary than the others.

  13. Complete separation of church and state. The clergy of all denominations shall only be paid by their own voluntary congregations.

  14. Limitation of inheritance.

  15. Introduction of strongly progressive taxes and abolition of taxes on consumption.

  16. Establishment of national workshops. The state shall guarantee the livelihood of all workers and provide for those unable to work.

  17. Universal free education of the people.

These are the 1848 Demands of the Communist Party in Germany, Marx and Engels.

  • Call me Lenny/Leni
    English
    71·
    3 months ago

    1. It depends on what is meant by a republic. There are different styles of that. I agree more with some than others. If this is a Marxist-inspired list, I doubt it’s a republic that provides many choices.

    2. This is good and all, but why exclude former criminals? If you did your time, that should be the whole of your punishment.

    3. Why not?

    4. People should arm themselves, but it should not be up to the government to arm people. The government should be indifferent.

    5. In what sense?

    6. If one believes in the idea that entitlements should be proportionate to obligations, a tax should be equally distributed across all individuals who wish to be more than simply vogelfrei.

    7. I don’t know what the first sentence there means, so I won’t rule on it. As for the second one, see the sixth response.

    8. Again, not sure what that means.

    9. Again, not sure what that means.

    10. Banks, ideally, I would imagine, should neither be strictly private or public. I have trouble fathoming the idea of something as staple as trade having the officiation process we envision. When I run thought experiments, I don’t even include banks. Ever.

    11. If for railways it makes sense, otherwise it doesn’t.

    12. I like the gist of the idea, but I wouldn’t use money to solve the issue it mentions. I’d use something else.

    13. Completely agree with this one.

    14. Here is one I completely disagree with. If you truly, rightfully own something, its fate should not be limited by outsiders who do not truly own it, except via rightful contract with the state.

    15. Why progressive taxes? I can get down with the second part though.

    16. See twelve.

    17. I can get down with that, but do you think we can reform the school system first?