Friedrich Engels was a German thinker and social reformer whose early experiences with industrial poverty in England spurred him to analyze social injustice. Upon meeting Karl Marx, they became lifelong collaborators, co-authoring seminal works that shaped socialist thought. Engels delved into the origins of the state and family, earning a reputation for his devout atheism. His writings continue to provoke reflection on power structures and inequality.
A reprint of the 1934 'enlarged edition', a volume that added newly translated material to the title essay. It includes an introduction by Engels ["Do you want to know that this dictatorship of the proletariat looks like? Then look at the Paris Commune. That was the dictatorship of the proletariat"], Marx's first and second 'Manifesto On The Franco-Prussian War', the correspondence of Marx & Engels on the Commune, and Engels' 'The Program of the Blanquist Fugitives from the Paris Commune'.
The book presents a critical examination of Eugen Dühring's philosophical and scientific ideas, challenging his views on various subjects. It serves as a significant historical text, reflecting the intellectual debates of the late 19th century. The reprint maintains the original content and quality, allowing readers to engage with the arguments and counterarguments that shaped Marxist thought. This edition preserves the essence of the original work while making it accessible to contemporary audiences.
Synopsis, Reviews, and Supplementary Material
Das Kapital, Karl Marx's seminal work, is the book that above all others formed the twentieth century. From Kapital sprung the economic and political systems that at one time dominated half the earth and for nearly a century kept the world on the brink of war. Even today, more than one billion Chinese citizens live under a regime that proclaims fealty to Marxist ideology. Yet this important tome has been passed over by many readers frustrated by Marx’s difficult style and his preoccupation with nineteenth-century events of little relevance to today's reader. Here Serge Levitsky presents a revised version of Kapital, abridged to emphasize the political and philosophical core of Marx’s work while trimming away much that is now unimportant. Pointing out Marx’s many erroneous predictions about the development of capitalism, Levitsky's introduction nevertheless argues for Kapital's relevance as a prime example of a philosophy of economic determinism that "subordinates the problems of human freedom and human dignity to the issues of who should own the means of production and how wealth should be distributed." Here then is a fresh and highly readable version of a work whose ideas provided inspiration for communist regimes' ideological war against capitalism, a struggle that helped to shape the world today.
This collection features influential writings by Friedrich Engels, exploring key concepts in socialism and communism. It includes critiques of utopian socialism and discussions on the role of labor in human evolution. Engels also examines the philosophical contributions of Ludwig Feuerbach and investigates the origins of family, private property, and the state. These essays provide a foundational understanding of Engels' thoughts on societal structures and the development of political theory.
The first volume of a political treatise that changed the world One of the most notorious works of modern times, as well as one of the most influential, Capital is an incisive critique of private property and the social relations it generates. Living in exile in England, where this work was largely written, Marx drew on a wide-ranging knowledge of its society to support his analysis and create fresh insights. Arguing that capitalism would cause an ever-increasing division in wealth and welfare, he predicted its abolition and replacement by a system with common ownership of the means of production. Capital rapidly acquired readership among the leaders of social democratic parties, particularly in Russia in Germany, and ultimately throughout the world, to become a work described by Marx friend and collaborator Friedrich Engels as “the Bible of the working class.” For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Exploring the dynamics of social and political upheaval, this work delves into the interplay between revolutionary movements and the counter-reactions they provoke. Marx analyzes historical events, emphasizing the class struggles that drive revolutions and the subsequent efforts by ruling powers to maintain control. Through a critical lens, the text examines the implications of these conflicts for society, offering insights into the nature of power, resistance, and the potential for change.
Exploring the foundational ideas of communism, this work delves into the economic and social conditions that give rise to class struggles. It outlines key principles that underpin the communist ideology, emphasizing the importance of collective ownership and the critique of capitalism. The text serves as a precursor to the more comprehensive Communist Manifesto, offering insights into the historical context and philosophical underpinnings of communist thought. It is a significant contribution to political philosophy and the study of ideologies.