Inside the Marxian matrix?

As we've just passed the 200th birthday of Karl Marx, who is widely considered the father of socialism, it seems a good moment to consider what his legacy is. Obviously you will not find the answer to this question below, just a few slightly connected thoughts.

The first thing to note is that Marx will be remembered in so many countries. He was born in Germany, spent part of his twenties in France and Belgium, and the rest of his life in Great Britain. His work was ultimately most welcomed, however, in Russia. Of course the story doesn't end at the borders of Europe, either. The phrase 'Marxist hellhole' might be a prejudicial term used by libertarian right-wing journalists of third world…