To celebrate May Day is to remember Marx, who showed us what capitalism is | Gavin McCrea

To speak about money, work, class or government is to use the tools that Karl Marx gave us - despite his lifestyle conflicting with his ideas

Every year, on May Day, a spectre comes to haunt us. The spectre of Karl Marx. He's been coming since 1889, when the Second International first chose 1 May as the date for International Workers' Day. And although we understand that he's the brains behind the show, we don't like him hanging around. His presence makes us uncomfortable. He reminds us of difficult things.

Over the years, we've done our best to exorcise him. Hitler buried him under the Day of National Work. Khrushchev engulfed him in elaborate parades. The Catholic church disguised him as Joseph, the patron saint of workers. Franco outlawed him altogether. Some countries appeased him with a public holiday; others, like Britain and Ireland, preferred to confuse him with the first Monday of the month. It's time we faced up to the ghost: May Day is Marx Day, whether we like it or not.

Marx - and I'm not saying anything radical here - was a capitalist

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