PC/WI: A Marxist Rockfeller

[Brazilianguy]

I was reading the Rockfeller J.R page on Wikipedia (don’t ask me why) and there says that In 1897, he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, after taking nearly a dozen courses in the social sciences, including a study of Karl Marx's Das Kapital. He joined the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
what if he were convinced of Marx ideas and become an Marxist? how the only male son of perhaps the richest man in history became an marxist would influence in the ideology?

 

[overoceans]

It would be noted as a man-bites-dog oddity, but it would not have much effect on the overall history of marxism. Starting with Engels, the movement has a long history of absorbing the scions of monied families into its ranks, and apart from providing extra fodder for conservatives' "champagne socialist" cracks, the ideological impact has always been minimal.

CAVEAT...

If JDR2 was somehow allowed to join a marxist group without making at least a token effort at renouncing his wealth and privilege, it would probably draw a lot of unwanted mockery to that group. So, at the very least, he'd probably have to donate whatever wealth he had at his disposal to the group. Would likely also have to give up any dwellings he had which were substantially better than what the average member could afford. With that out of the way, though, it's mostly just gonna be business-as-usual for the group.

 

[overoceans]

And of course, if he donates his fortune to the group, they're gonna be able to afford nicer things for a while, eg. slicker looking pamphlets, more international travel to visit overseas comrades, maybe a palatial building for their headquarters. But that's not going to increase their overall saleability to the average American.