"Of course, Marxism is an example of what Carl Popper would have called a 'World Three' structure, in that it's got immense power as an idea, but you couldn't actually hold up anything in the world and say: 'this is Marxism'"

Alan Moore draws upon Karl Popper’s philosophical concept of “World Three,” which refers to the realm of human-created ideas, theories, and conceptual frameworks, distinct from the physical (World One) or the subjective (World Two). Marxism, in this context, is not a tangible object nor a purely individual psychological state, but an abstraction, an intellectual structure with massive influence on societies and cultures. Although its principles and analyses have shaped the course of nations and inspired revolutions, Marxism exists as a set of evolving interpretations, writings, and movements, rather than a specific item or artifact that could be physically displayed or possessed.

The statement highlights how Marxism’s real potency lies in its role as a conceptual force: it shapes discourses, informs policy, and drives historical change. Like other powerful ideologies or theoretical frameworks, such as democracy, psychoanalysis, or structuralism, it permeates actions and institutions via its adoption by thinkers, politicians, and movements. Yet, unlike a physical tool or a technological device, Marxism’s “presence” is diffuse. It is embodied in texts, slogans, art, and memories, but never fully grasped in concrete form. One may point to documents like “Das Kapital” or “The Communist Manifesto,” to monuments, or to historical events, but none single-handedly encapsulate the whole of Marxism. Every attempt at putting it into practice, each revolutionary movement, academic enterprise, or governmental policy, becomes an interpretation or partial actualization, not the definitive essence.

Moore’s observation suggests that ideas like Marxism gain their “immense power” precisely from this ontological ambiguity. Their influence relies on their capacity to be reinterpreted, debated, and remade in response to changing times and needs. This intangible, world-shaping energy reveals the unique status ideas occupy in human life: ultimately, they matter not for their physical properties, but for the ways they direct attention, structure debates, and inspire collective action.