"The human being is in the most literal sense a political animal, not merely a gregarious animal, but an animal which can individuate itself only in the midst of society"

Marx’s observation that the human being is a political animal underscores the inherently social nature of human existence. Unlike creatures that simply flock together for survival, humans have a distinct capacity to shape, question, and define the terms of communal life. “Political” here goes beyond participation in government or formal politics; it encompasses the complex interplay of power, relationships, and mutual recognition that constitutes society itself. For Marx, humans develop their individuality only by actively participating in a collective context. It’s not enough to be nearby others, what matters is the creation, maintenance, and transformation of the common world through interaction, cooperation, and struggle.

Individuality, then, is not an innate, isolated property. The self is sculpted through practices of social engagement, negotiation, and sometimes conflict. As members of society, people share not only material resources but also languages, ideas, and values, the very tools with which to interpret and reinvent themselves. In isolation, a person cannot realize their full human potential, because the conditions necessary for self-understanding and self-expression are missing. Even the notion of personal freedom is meaningful only when articulated among others, because it is through contrast and collaboration that desires and identities are formed.

Marx’s assertion also critiques theories of the “rugged individual” or the supposedly self-made person. Genuine selfhood is achieved through society: economic production, political institutions, cultural traditions, and social movements all contribute to the formation of character and consciousness. To ignore this is to misunderstand the nature of both society and the individuals within it. In effect, Marx sees the quest for autonomy not as an escape from collective bonds, but as a process of deep engagement with them. The political dimension of human life is, therefore, essential, not accidental: to be human is to be implicated in and transformed by the relationships, conflicts, and collaborations that make up society.