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Did Karl Marx party in 1891? The effect of SPD's Erfurt program on Karl Marx's citations

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  • Phillip W. Magness
  • Michael Makovi

Abstract

The Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) is often proposed as a pre‐Soviet popularizer of Marxist economic theories due to its electoral successes in Germany in the decades before World War I. Using the synthetic control method, we examine whether German‐language print references to Karl Marx responded to the SPD's adoption of the Marx‐inspired Erfurt Program of 1891. In doing so, we account for the near‐simultaneous repeal of anti‐socialist censorship laws in Germany. Evidence of a boost to Marx's citations from the Erfurt Program is modest, and cannot be distinguished from the effect of the censorship repeal on all socialist writers. These results suggest that the SPD's role in popularizing Marx was minor compared to later events such as the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Suggested Citation

  • Phillip W. Magness & Michael Makovi, 2025. "Did Karl Marx party in 1891? The effect of SPD's Erfurt program on Karl Marx's citations," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 92(2), pages 313-337, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:92:y:2025:i:2:p:313-337
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12747
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Solomon F. Bloom, 1943. "Man of His Century: A Reconsideration of the Historical Significance of Karl Marx," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(6), pages 494-494.
    2. Phillip W. Magness & Michael Makovi, 2023. "The Mainstreaming of Marx: Measuring the Effect of the Russian Revolution on Karl Marx’s Influence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(6), pages 1507-1545.
    3. Alberto Abadie, 2021. "Using Synthetic Controls: Feasibility, Data Requirements, and Methodological Aspects," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 391-425, June.
    4. Tom Coupé, 2022. "Who is the most sought‐after economist? Ranking economists using Google Trends," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 89(2), pages 611-642, October.
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