--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For us the issue cannot be the alteration…" description: "\"“For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private property but only its annihilation, not the smoothing over of class antagonisms but the abolition..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg" --- # For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private… ![“For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private property but only its annihilation, not the smoothing over of class antagonisms but the abolition of classes not the improvement of the existing society but the foundation of a new one.” quote by Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg) > ““For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private property but only its annihilation, not the smoothing over of class antagonisms but the abolition of classes not the improvement of the existing society but the foundation of a new one.”” [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The goal is not to modify private ownership but to abolish it and eliminate class divisions, creating a new societal foundation. **In simple terms:** Abolish private property to end class conflict. Key Takeaway Pursue systemic change over superficial reforms. Themes class struggle property revolution Mood critical analytical Type theoretical political When to use this quote - policy reform - activism - education - community organizing Key Concepts political theory economics Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to property exist? - How can class abolition be practically implemented? A Different Perspective Abolition may face resistance and unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition/) [Private property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-property/) ## Related quotes > [You are horrified at our intending to do away with private property. But in your existing society, private property is already done away with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/you-are-horrified-at-our-intending-to-do-away-with-private-property/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [In this sense, the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property. - Manifesto of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/in-this-sense-the-theory-of-the-communists-may-be-summed-up-in-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guildmaster and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-history-of-all-hitherto-existing-society-is-the-history-of-class-2/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“Socialism is not a competition; it is not a monopoly, either. Socialism is not a private property; it is not a state one, either.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todor-bombov/socialism-is-not-a-competition-it-is-not-a-monopoly-either-socialism/) [Todor Bombov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todor-bombov/) > [I have no concern with any economic criticisms of the communist system; I cannot inquire into whether the abolition of private property is expedient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-have-no-concern-with-any-economic-criticisms-of-the-communist/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [ The difference between \[socialism and fascism\] is superficial and purely formal, but it is significant psychologically: it brings the authoritarian nature of a planned… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-difference-between-socialism-and-fascism-is-superficial-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“My great worry is the problem of poverty…Instead of prisons, I would have schools, art and vocational academies, free trade, free love, the abolition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luisa-capetillo/my-great-worry-is-the-problem-of-poverty-instead-of-prisons-i-would/) Luisa Capetillo > [As a long-termist, I acknowledge there are more pressing causes than the abolition of private property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/as-a-long-termist-i-acknowledge-there-are-more-pressing-causes-than/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Private property is a means, and neither its abolition nor its unrestricted right should be an end in itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/private-property-is-a-means-and-neither-its-abolition-nor-its/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Anarchism is the abolition of exploitation and oppression of man by man, that is, the abolition of private property and government; Anarchism is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchism-is-the-abolition-of-exploitation-and-oppression-of-man-by/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [They weren't immigrating to some existing society; indeed, they often did whatever they could do to destroy whatever existed here in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/they-weren-t-immigrating-to-some-existing-society-indeed-they-often/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [Nowadays - and I don't want to make some dopey cultural statement here - everyone can be, just by existing in society, because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/nowadays-and-i-don-t-want-to-make-some-dopey-cultural-statement-here/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [“Hatsuyo ridiculed the movements of people like the socialists, or at best viewed them coolly. "I can't," she said, "hold a fixed philosophy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumiko-kaneko/hatsuyo-ridiculed-the-movements-of-people-like-the-socialists-or-at/) Fumiko Kaneko > [“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-history-of-all-hitherto-existing-society-is-the-history-of-class/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Altered social conditions may remove certain ailments and deformities in existing society. But the new and more beautiful society will not be formed exclusively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/altered-social-conditions-may-remove-certain-ailments-and-deformities/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) ## More by Karl Marx > [“Economists have a singular method of procedure. There are only two kinds of institutions for them, artificial and natural. The institutions of feudalism are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/economists-have-a-singular-method-of-procedure-there-are-only-two/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [As the variable capital always stays in the hands of the capitalist in some form or other, it cannot be claimed in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-the-variable-capital-always-stays-in-the-hands-of-the-capitalist/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Money degrades all the gods of man and converts them into commodities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/money-degrades-all-the-gods-of-man-and-converts-them-into-commodities/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Communism... is the genuine resolution of the antagonism between man and nature and between man and man; it is the true resolution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/communism-is-the-genuine-resolution-of-the-antagonism-between-man-and/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/it-is-not-the-consciousness-of-men-that-determines-their-being-but-on/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Philosophy is to the real world as masturbation is to sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/philosophy-is-to-the-real-world-as-masturbation-is-to-sex/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/go-on-get-out-last-words-are-for-fools-who-haven-t-said-enough/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“If you love without evoking love in return - if through the vital expression of yourself as a loving person you fail to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-you-love-without-evoking-love-in-return-if-through-the-vital/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Do not be deluded by the abstract word Freedom. Whose freedom? Not the freedom of one individual in relation to another, but freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/do-not-be-deluded-by-the-abstract-word-freedom-whose-freedom-not-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The burgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all nations into civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-burgeoisie-by-the-rapid-improvement-of-all-instruments-of/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Ideas do not exist separately from language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/ideas-do-not-exist-separately-from-language/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [So in Jewry we recognise a contemporary universal anti-social phenomenon, which has reached its present pitch through a process of, historical development in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/so-in-jewry-we-recognise-a-contemporary-universal-anti-social/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The class struggle necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-class-struggle-necessarily-leads-to-the-dictatorship-of-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [If this labourer were in possession of his own means of production, and was satisfied to live as a labourer, he need not work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-this-labourer-were-in-possession-of-his-own-means-of-production/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) [Explore all 571 Karl Marx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## More Abolition quotes > [Unpleasant questions are being raised about Mother's Day. Is this day necessary? . . . Isn't it bad public policy? . . . No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/unpleasant-questions-are-being-raised-about-mother-s-day-is-this-day/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Anarchism as a political philosophy seeks to dissolve all forms of authority and power, and if possible, wishes their complete abolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marshall/anarchism-as-a-political-philosophy-seeks-to-dissolve-all-forms-of/) [Peter Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marshall/) > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [It seems like cloud cuckoo land. If anyone is suggesting that I would go to Parliament and suggest the abolition of the Pound Sterling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-seems-like-cloud-cuckoo-land-if-anyone-is-suggesting-that-i-would/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We invite people working for peace to span generations and national boundaries, and gather together to communicate. Let us firmly join hands and foster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iccho-itoh/we-invite-people-working-for-peace-to-span-generations-and-national/) [Iccho Itoh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iccho-itoh/) > [Insofar as we may at all claim that slavery has been abolished today, we owe its abolition to the practical consequences of science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/insofar-as-we-may-at-all-claim-that-slavery-has-been-abolished-today/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. Of my dispos\[i\]tion to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/you-have-not-been-mistaken-in-supposing-my-views-and-feeling-to-be-in/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/on-this-international-day-for-the-abolition-of-slavery-let-us/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Capitalism as a social order and as a creed is the expression of the belief in economic progress as leading toward the freedom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/capitalism-as-a-social-order-and-as-a-creed-is-the-expression-of-the/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“What is, so to speak, the object of abolition? Not so much the abolition of prisons but the abolition of a society that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-moten-and-stefano-harney/what-is-so-to-speak-the-object-of-abolition-not-so-much-the-abolition/) Fred Moten and Stefano Harney > [I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-can-only-say-that-there-is-not-a-man-living-who-wishes-more/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [As a long-termist, I acknowledge there are more pressing causes than the abolition of private property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/as-a-long-termist-i-acknowledge-there-are-more-pressing-causes-than/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [Colonization was the idea that once slavery ended African-Americans should be encouraged - or required, in some people's view - required to leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/colonization-was-the-idea-that-once-slavery-ended-african-americans/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [I am for socialism, disarmament, and, ultimately, for abolishing the state itself... I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-nash-baldwin/i-am-for-socialism-disarmament-and-ultimately-for-abolishing-the/) [Roger Nash Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-nash-baldwin/) [Browse all 229 Abolition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private property but only its annihilation, not the smoothing over of class antagonisms but the abolition of classes not the improvement of the existing society but the foundation of a new one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karl Marx" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteration-of-private-property-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abolition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteration-of-private-property-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/karl-marx-399_private-property_for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteratio_920450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For us the issue cannot be the alteration of private property but only its annihilation, not the smoothing…” — Karl Marx", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Karl Marx", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For us the issue cannot be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteration-of-private-property-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/for-us-the-issue-cannot-be-the-alteration-of-private-property-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```