The author of "The Communist Manifesto," published in 1848, was Karl Marx, co-written with Friedrich Engels. This pamphlet outlined Marx and Engels' theories on society, economics, and politics, primarily focusing on class struggles and the problems of capitalism. The manifesto presents the idea that history is driven by conflicts between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). Marx argued for the revolutionary potential of the working class to overthrow capitalist systems and establish a classless society. Its publication sparked significant political movements and was pivotal in the development of socialist and communist ideologies throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.