The demand to give up the illusions about its condition is the demand to give up a condition that needs illusions.

A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: Introduction

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.

Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right

Marx and Engel’s Collected Works Volume 3: Karl Marx, March 1843-August 1844 (PDF)

Foreign Policy of Russian Tsardom

Foreign Policy of Russian Tsardom

It is true, that whoever reads Russian newspapers, might suppose that all Russia enthusiastically applauds the Tsar’s policy of conquest; in them there is nothing but Jingoism, Panslavism, the deliverance of Christians from the Turkish, of Slavs from the German and Magyar, yoke. But, firstly, every one knows in what chains the Russian press lies bound; secondly, the Government itself has for years fostered this Jingoism and Panslavism in all schools; and thirdly, these newspapers express — so far as they express any sort of independent opinion, only the opinion of the town population, i.e. of the newly-created Bourgeoisie, naturally interested in new conquests as extensions of the Russian home market.