Manifesto

The communist manifesto works in a very clear way- it’s concise, economical paragraph facilitate the understanding of the document, which is key to its success as a persuasive text.
Rooting their claims in history, the manifesto starts not by finger pointing and condemning, but by exploring the source of the problem, which sets the ground for them to present a solution. It’s insistence in drawing parallels through their examples is systematic and effective-

In the earlier epochs of history, we find almost everywhere a complicated arrangement of society into various orders, a manifold gradation of social rank. In ancient Rome we have patricians, knights, plebians, slaves; in the Middle Ages, feudal lords, vassals, guild-masters, journeymen, apprentices, serfs; in almost all of these classes, again, subordinate gradations.

This paragraph begs the reader to ask “well, what about now?” and then the manifesto says “well, let me tell you”.

Our epoch, the epoch of the bourgeoisie, possesses, however, this distinct feature: it has simplified class antagonisms. Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other -- bourgeoisie and proletariat.

From the serfs of the Middle Ages sprang the chartered burghers of the earliest towns. From these burgesses the first elements of the bourgeoisie were developed.

The constant use of suspension in the sentences force the reader to remain alert. The pattern of explaining through evidence make it an easy read. Difficult things are explained in the document, but this introduction serves as a well-written high school text book- it simplifies but does so with the intent of making the reader leave the text with a clear understanding of what’s happening. The manifesto earns our trust and our attention and thus effectively sets the stage for it to start manifest