In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx hypothesized that capitalism would fail if workers:

• A. accepted lower wages without protest
• B. invested in private property
• C. competed against each other for jobs
• D. united to overthrow the bourgeoisie

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of the question: Karl Marx's hypothesis in the Communist Manifesto centers on the idea that capitalism's failure depends on the behavior and unity of the working class (proletariat).
2. Identify the key concept: Marx argued that capitalism would fail if workers united to overthrow the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class that owns the means of production). This unity is crucial because it challenges the power structure.
3. Analyze the incorrect options: accepting lower wages without protest, investing in private property, and competing against each other for jobs all serve to maintain or reinforce the capitalist system rather than overthrow it.
4. Recognize that the correct answer involves collective action and solidarity among workers, which Marx believed would lead to the collapse of capitalism.
5. Summarize the reasoning: the failure of capitalism, according to Marx, hinges on the proletariat's ability to unite and challenge the ruling class, not on individual behaviors that perpetuate the system.