Karl Kautsky

Born in Prague on October 16, 1854, Karl Kautsky became one of the best-known socialist theorists in Europe. He was closely connected with the German Social Democratic movement and, for many years, was regarded as a major interpreter of Marxist ideas for a broad readership.

Kautsky edited the influential journal Die Neue Zeit and wrote widely on politics, economics, religion, and history. Among his best-known works are The Class Struggle, a commentary on the Erfurt Program, and The Road to Power. His writing often tried to explain how socialism might grow through mass politics, party organization, and historical development rather than through sudden upheaval alone.

Later, he became a sharp critic of the Bolsheviks and of Lenin's model of revolution, which made him a deeply controversial figure on the left. He died in Amsterdam on October 17, 1938, after a life spent at the center of some of modern Europe's biggest political arguments.