The Marxian theory of the individual (sometimes called the Philosophy of Man) has three fundamental assumptions.

•  Individual is a part of nature and not apart from it
•  Individual exists as a function of social relations
•  Individual is a product of self-creation-of his or her own labor within social relations

According to Marx there is no permanent persistence of human nature. Human nature is neither originally evil nor originally good; it is, in origin, potential. If human nature is what human beings make history with, then at the same time it is human nature, which they make. And human nature is potentially revolutionary. Human will is not a passive reflection of events, but contains the power to rebel against circumstances in the prevailing limitations of ‘human nature’. It is not that people produce out of material greed or the greed to accumulate wealth. But the act of producing the essentials of life engages people into social relationships that may be independent of their will. In most of human history, according to Marx, these relationships are class relationships that crate class struggle. He stresses that there are social relations, which impinge upon individuals irrespective of their preferences. He further elaborates that an understanding of the historical process depends on our awareness of these objective social relations.

Marx has made a distinction between social reality and consciousness. For Marx, reality is not determined by human consciousness. According to him, social reality determines human consciousness. This results in an overall conception in which ways of human thinking must be explained in terms of the social relations of which they are a part.

Marx’ assumption was that the class controlling the means of production controlled the production of ideas. The ruling class produces ideas, which justify its own existence. Being powerless, the subjected class readily embraces this set of false ideas about what is and what must be. Thus, they embrace as true and necessary their own subjugation.

Six of the ten principle "measures" of The Communist Manifesto affirm how completely Marxism sees the individual as a tool in the hands of the state: abolition of property in land, all rights of inheritance, centralized credit in the hands of the State; centralization of the means of transport, establishment of industrial armies, especially in agriculture. State totalitarianism could not be more complete.

The individual in a Marxian society surrenders his personal rights in favor of the group after long indoctrination, convinced that part of the contribution toward a classless commonwealth is complete sacrifice of his own personality.