Karl Marx vs Adam Smith
Who? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- Karl Marx Germany · 1818–1883 62% · #11 in the world
- Adam Smith United Kingdom · 1723–1790 38% · #59 in the world
What the votes say
The world picks Karl Marx over Adam Smith, 62% to 38%. Karl Marx is #11 of the 185 thinkers in the world ranking, and #2 of the 23 from Germany. Adam Smith is #59, and #6 of the 27 from the United Kingdom.
The case for each
Karl Marx: The German philosopher of The Communist Manifesto (1848, with Friedrich Engels) and Das Kapital, whose theory of class struggle shaped the politics of the 20th century.
Adam Smith: The Scottish thinker whose 1776 The Wealth of Nations explained markets, the division of labour and the invisible hand. Often called the father of economics.
Side by side
| Karl Marx | Adam Smith | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #11 | #59 |
| Country | Germany | United Kingdom |
| Lived | 1818–1883 | 1723–1790 |