"On a level plain, simple mounds look like hills; and the insipid flatness of our present bourgeoisie is to be measured by the altitude of its great intellects"

Karl Marx's quote is a criticism of the bourgeoisie, or the middle class, of his time. He is stating that the bourgeoisie is so insipid, or dull and boring, that even the great intelligences among them are insufficient to make them stand apart. He compares them to basic mounds on a level plain, which look like hills from a range, but are not really impressive when seen up close. Marx is suggesting that the bourgeoisie is not as outstanding as it appears to be, and that its members lack the aspiration and imagination to make a real impact. He is suggesting that the bourgeoisie is content to remain in its comfy, however ultimately uninspiring, position.