The "Communist Manifesto" was co-authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, first published in 1848. This political pamphlet argued for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalist societies, advocating for a classless society and social ownership of the means of production. It provides a critique of capitalism and discusses the struggles between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). The manifesto has been influential in labor movements and is often regarded as a foundational text for socialist and communist ideologies.