The Communist Party was founded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848, with the publication of the Communist Manifesto. They were both prominent German philosophers and economists who believed that the capitalist system was inherently flawed and that a socialist revolution was necessary to create a more just and equal society. Marx and Engels' ideas laid the foundation for the communist movement, which has had a significant impact on world history over the past century and a half. However, it should be noted that many different people and groups have been involved in the formation and development of communist parties around the world.