Home > Karl Kautsky

Born in Prague, Karl Kaustky was studying history and philosophy at the University of Vienna in 1874, and became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) in 1875. From 1885 to 1890, he spent time in London, where he became a close friend of Friedrich Engels; in 1891, he co-authored the Social Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands is the second oldest political party of Germany still in existence and also one of the oldest and largest in the world, celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2003. Rooted i (SPD)'s Erfurt Program together with August BebelAugust Ferdinand Bebel ( February 22 1840 March 18 1913) was a German social democrat and one of the founders of the SPD. Bebel was born on February 22 1840 in Deutz, near Cologne; he founded the Sachsische Volkspartei ("Saxon People's Party") in 1867 tog and Eduard BernsteinEduard Bernstein ( January 6 1850 December 18 1932) was a German social democratic theoretician and politician, member of the SPD; and founder of evolutionary socialism or reformism. Bernstein was born in Berlin on January 6 1850; his political career beg.

Following the death of Friedrich Engels in 1895Events January events January 5 Dreyfus Affair: French officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. February events February 14 First showing of Oscar Wilde's last play The Importance of Being Earnes, Kautsky became one of the most important and influential theoreticians of socialism, forming the Marxist centre of the party together with August BebelAugust Ferdinand Bebel ( February 22 1840 March 18 1913) was a German social democrat and one of the founders of the SPD. Bebel was born on February 22 1840 in Deutz, near Cologne; he founded the Sachsische Volkspartei ("Saxon People's Party") in 1867 tog. He broke with Rosa LuxemburgRosa Luxemburg ( March 5, 1870 or 1871 January 15, 1919) was a Polish and German Jewish Marxist politician, socialist philosopher, and revolutionary. She was a social democratic theorist of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and later the Independent and the party's left wing in 1914Events January 4 77 seal hunters freeze to death on ice near Labrador January 5 Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a day's labor February 13 Copyright: In New York City the ASCAP (for American Society of Compos politically, and in 1922 re-joined the SPD after being a member of the Independent Social Democratic Party USPD from 1917 to 1919.

In 1882, Kautsky founded the magazine "Neue Zeit" ("New Time"), which he continued to publish until 1917; he also wrote a book titled "Der Weg zur Macht" ("The Road to Power") in 1909.

Karl Kautsky lived in Berlin-Friedenau for many years; his wife, Luise Kautsky, was a close friend of Rosa Luxemburg, who also lived in Friedenau, and today there is a commemorative plaque where Kautsky lived at Saarstraße 14. He died in exile in Amsterdam at age 84.