Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818.The ongoing global turmoil compels us to revisit the ideas of Karl Marx, whose critique of capitalism remains strikingly relevant.

The recent aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran once again exposes the extreme greed that drives contemporary imperialism. The underlying motive is widely understood: control over the vast natural resources of West Asia-a region that accounts for over half of the world’s conventional oil reserves, concentrated largely in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait.

At a time when the world is increasingly turning toward renewable energy to address climate change, powerful corporations continue to pursue fossil fuels with little regard for environmental consequences. This contradiction highlights the inherent logic of capitalism: profit maximization overrides ecological sustainability and human welfare.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza further illustrates this reality. Disproportionate military actions have resulted in massive civilian casualties, including over 20000 children by Israel. Such violence reflects a broader pattern of dehumanization and impunity in global politics, where international laws and institutions often fail to restrain powerful states. The persistence of conflict in the region, including attacks extending beyond Gaza, disregarding all international laws underscores the instability generated by the ambitions. The International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court have held Netanyahu responsible for genocide in Gaza.

These developments reveal the harshest face of capitalism-one that places profit above human life, undermines ecological balance, and fuels endless conflict. Marx had warned that capitalism, driven by accumulation and competition, would generate crises that threaten both society and nature. Today, this warning appears more urgent than ever.

The global arms race, a byproduct of geopolitical rivalry and economic interests, contributes significantly to environmental degradation. Resources that could be used for human development are instead diverted toward militarization. The result is a world marked by inequality, insecurity, and ecological distress.

At this juncture, the challenge before humanity is about ensuring the survival of life itself in addition to securing the rights of the citizens, workers, farmers, women and other vulnerable sections. This requires a shift toward a system based on justice, equality, and sustainable development rather than unrestrained profit.

Marxism offers a framework to understand these contradictions. It emphasizes that social inequalities arise from the exploitation inherent in class relations, but also asserts that such inequalities can be overcome through conscious collective action. As a dynamic and evolving theory, Marxism views social systems as historically contingent-just as slavery and feudalism gave way to capitalism, the latter too will be transcended and replaced by socialism and communism.

Today, wealth continues to concentrate in the hands of a small global elite, while large sections of the population struggle for basic rights and dignity. Even advanced capitalist societies have failed to resolve the fundamental problems of inequality and social justice. Developing countries, meanwhile, remain vulnerable to economic and political pressures from more powerful nations, often manifested through conflicts over resources. Even in the most serious situation of health crisis like the COVID pandemic the big pharma corporations blackmailed small countries when supplying them with vaccines.