Existentialism and Marxism: A Comparative Philosophical Study of Freedom, Alienation, and Human Emancipation

Existentialism and Marxism are two of the most influential philosophical movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, each offering a distinct diagnosis of the human condition and a contrasting vision of emancipation. Existentialism emphasizes individual freedom, subjectivity, and personal responsibility, while Marxism foregrounds material conditions, class relations, and collective social transformation. Although they differ fundamentally in methodology, ontology, and ethical orientation, both philosophies respond to the experience of alienation in modern society. This paper undertakes a comparative study of Existentialism and Marxism by examining their views on human nature, freedom, alienation, society, and the possibility of liberation. It also evaluates their points of conflict and convergence, particularly in the works of thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Karl Marx, and later Marxist humanists. The study argues that while Marxism provides a powerful structural critique of capitalism, Existentialism offers an indispensable account of individual agency, and that a dialogue between the two enriches contemporary philosophical and social thought.