This May marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx. For many, this was an occasion for celebration, not sombre reflection on a set of ideas that, when put into action, have claimed the lives of millions.

John McDonnell gave a speech on the enduring relevance of Marx. Jean Claude Juncker played his part in the fortification of the German thinker’s reputation by unveiling a Chinese funded statue of Marx in Trier. The headline of one New York Times piece simply said: "Happy Birthday Karl Marx. You were right!"

For this week's episode of Free Exchange, I spoke to the IEA's Kristian Niemietz. author of a forthcoming book on Marxist regimes and their fellow travellers, about why a man whose ideas have been found not just to be wrong, but dangerously so, is still so revered by so many.

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