Karl Marx was a social scientist, a key architect of modern social science, whose work profoundly shaped the development of Communist theory. His writings, particularly "Das Kapital," offered a critical examination of society and economic systems, influencing generations of thinkers. Marx's analytical approach and his theories on class struggle and historical development have left an indelible mark on global intellectual history. He remains one of the most influential figures in human history, continually sparking debate on power, economics, and social change.
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'.
This paper highlights two notable characteristics of Marx: his patient effort to clarify his ideas for even the simplest student and the remarkable clarity of those ideas. The volume serves as a concise summary of the first volume of Capital, which many have attempted to analyze and simplify, often with limited success. A humorous commentator has suggested that Marx should explain our interpretations of his work. Students frequently ask for the best sequence of books to grasp the fundamental principles of Socialism, a challenging question to answer. A possible recommendation includes Engels' Socialism, Utopian and Scientific, followed by this work, the first volume of Capital, and the Student's Manual. My contribution to this work involved reading the manuscript, suggesting English expressions, organizing the chapters, and revising proofs for publication. The majority of the work, however, was accomplished by the individual credited on the title page. This edition is a reproduction of an important historical work, published by Forgotten Books, which employs advanced technology to digitally reconstruct texts while preserving their original format and repairing imperfections. While some flaws from the original may remain, most have been successfully addressed to maintain the integrity of these historical works.
Translated From The Second German Edition By N. I. Stone With An Appendix
158 pages
6 hours of reading
Focusing on the foundations of political economy, this work critiques classical economic theories and explores the relationship between labor, value, and capital. It delves into the dynamics of capitalist society and the impact of economic structures on social relations. The translation includes an appendix featuring Marx's introduction to the critique, providing additional insights into his revolutionary ideas. This edition is significant for those studying Marx's contributions to economic thought and its implications for political theory.
Exploring the economic theories of Karl Marx, this edition features two pivotal essays that delve into the dynamics between labor, value, and profit. "Wage Labour and Capital" lays the groundwork for concepts later expanded in "Das Kapital," while "Value, Price, and Profit" articulates Marx's belief that workers, who generate value, deserve a share in the profits through fair wages. Marx's insights into class struggle and economic inequality continue to resonate, making his work essential for understanding contemporary economic issues.
Manifesto of the Communist Party; Wage Labour & Capital; and Value, Price & Profit
154 pages
6 hours of reading
Exploring the foundations of Marxist economic theory, this collection includes three pivotal works that delve into the critique of political economy, the nature of capitalism, and the dynamics of labor and value. Each treatise offers profound insights into the workings of capitalist societies, addressing issues such as exploitation, class struggle, and the relationship between labor and production. Together, they provide a comprehensive understanding of Marx's revolutionary ideas and their enduring impact on economic thought and social theory.
Since their first appearance as separate brochures Wage-Labour and Capital and Value, Price and Profit have served as popular introductions to the study of political economy, each complementing the other. The first is based on lectures delivered by Marx before the German Workingmen's Club of Brussels in 1847, the second is an address by Marx before two sessions of the General Council of the First International in London in 1865. Both classics are included in this volume.
The book explores the Paris Commune of 1871, highlighting its brief but impactful experiment in democracy and workers' governance. It includes Marx's address on the Commune, Lenin's reflections on its significance for building socialism, and Bertolt Brecht's poetic tribute. Additionally, it features the Manifesto of the Paris Commune's Federation of Artists, showcasing the cultural and political aspirations of the time. Together, these texts provide insights into revolutionary thought and the enduring legacy of the Commune in shaping socialist ideals.
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.
Written during the winter of 1857-8, the Grundrisse was considered by Marx to be the first scientific elaboration of communist theory. A collection of seven notebooks on capital and money, it both develops the arguments outlined in the Communist Manifesto (1848) and explores the themes and theses that were to dominate his great later work Capital. Here, for the first time, Marx set out his own version of Hegel's dialectics and developed his mature views on labour, surplus value and profit, offering many fresh insights into alienation, automation and the dangers of capitalist society. Yet while the theories in Grundrisse make it a vital precursor to Capital, it also provides invaluable descriptions of Marx's wider-ranging philosophy, making it a unique insight into his beliefs and hopes for the foundation of a communist state. 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.
Karl Marx's Capital is the classic text of Marxism for economists, social scientists, philosophers, students and political activists alike. But the sheer extent of Marx's great work of political economy has often daunted readers, and hampered their understanding of his ideas. Chris Arthur has substantially edited and abridged Marx's monumental work, eliminating the more arcane polemics, the scholarly footnotes, statistical data and mathematical formulae. He leaves intact and clarified Marx's main theoretical arguments and the historical information which supports them. 'Chris Arthur has solved the problem of slimming down Capital with exceptional success' EJ Hobsbawm 'A skilful abridgement...approachable and readable' Sean Sayers, Political Studies
"A new beautiful edition of The Communist Manifesto, combined with Lenin’s key revolutionary tract. It was the 1917 Russian Revolution that transformed the scale of the Communist Manifesto, making it the key text for socialists everywhere. On the centenary of this upheaval, this volume pairs Marx and Engels’s most famous work with Lenin’s own revolutionary manifesto, The April Theses, which lifts politics from the level of everyday banalities to become an art-form."-- versobooks.com
In Critique of the Gotha Programme, Karl Marx delivers a sharp analysis and critique of the socio-economic proposals of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 1875. This influential work is essential for grasping the flaws and contradictions inherent in capitalist societies. Marx examines the fundamental principles and practical implications of the Gotha Programme, challenging its vision of socialism and exposing its internal contradictions. He meticulously dissects the program's views on labor, distribution, and the state's role, highlighting their inadequacy in addressing the oppressive nature of capitalism. Throughout the text, Marx confronts the flawed notions of equality and fairness claimed by the Gotha Programme, identifying the remnants of bourgeois thought that persist in the party's proposals, which continue to perpetuate class divisions and exploitative labor relations. His critique combines rigorous analysis with passionate prose, serving as a powerful indictment of capitalist ideology and a call for revolutionary societal transformation. This work showcases Marx's intellectual brilliance and commitment to the working class's emancipation, advocating for a true socialist revolution and a classless society. It remains a vital resource for those seeking to understand Marxist theory and its relevance to the struggle against exploitation and inequality.
Unfinished at the time of Marx's death in 1883 and first published with a preface by Frederick Engels in 1894, the third volume of Das Kapital strove to combine the theories and concepts of the two previous volumes in order to prove conclusively that capitalism is inherently unworkable as a permanent system for society. Here, Marx asserts controversially that - regardless of the efforts of individual capitalists, public authorities or even generous philanthropists - any market economy is inevitably doomed to endure a series of worsening, explosive crises leading finally to complete collapse. But healso offers an inspirational and compelling prediction: that the end of capitalism will culminate, ultimately, in the birth of a far greater form of society.
The present work was written while the events analyzed were still in progress. It is, as Frederick Engels says, "Marx's first attempt, with the aid of his materialist conception, to explain a section of contemporary history from the given economic situation." The work has long been considered a class in historical materialism as applied to current events, having withstood the test of later and fuller analyses. This edition includes in full Engels' famous Preface of 1895, in which he assessed Socialist strategy and tactics for the previous fifty years.Cover: From a lithograph by H. Daumier symbolizing the reactionaries of the period.
The "forgotten" second volume of Capital, Marx's world-shaking analysis of economics, politics, and history, contains the vital discussion of commodity, the cornerstone to Marx's theories.
Nearly two years before his powerful Communist Manifesto, Marx (1818—1883) co-wrote The German Ideology in 1845 with friend and collaborator Friedrich Engels expounding a new political worldview, including positions on materialism, labor, production, alienation, the expansion of capitalism, class conflict, revolution, and eventually communism. They chart the course of "true" socialism based on G. W.F. Hegel's dialectic, while criticizing the ideas of Bruno Bauer, Max Stirner and Ludwig Feuerbach. Marx expanded his criticism of the latter in his now famous Theses on Feuerbach, found after Marx's death and published by Engels in 1888. Introduction to the Critique of Political Economy, also found among the posthumous papers of Marx, is a fragment of an introduction to his main works. Combining these three works, this volume is essential for an understanding of Marxism.
Focusing on the political upheaval of 1851, this essay offers a deep analysis of the French coup led by Louis Bonaparte, examining its implications for the working class. Marx critiques the events surrounding the overthrow of the 1848 constitution, providing insights into the dynamics of power and revolution. This work is recognized for its historical significance and profound commentary on the struggles of the proletariat, positioning it as a key text in Marxist literature.
Focusing on the revolutionary government that briefly ruled Paris in 1871, this historical account by Karl Marx delves into the events leading to the Paris Commune, its policies, and its eventual defeat. Marx analyzes the socio-political conditions that birthed the Commune, viewing it as a pioneering effort by the working class to create a socialist government and a new democracy. He critiques its initiatives aimed at worker control, social welfare, and education, while also discussing its military strategies. This work is crucial for understanding early socialist movements and workers' rights struggles.
Includes the complete Communist Manifesto and substantial extracts from On the Jewish Question, the German Ideology, Grundrisse, and Capital, a broad representation of his letters, and lesser-known works, especially his long-unavailable, early works.
In The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, now available together in this
highly designed jacketed hardcover, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels discuss
class struggles and the problems of a capitalist society.
Marx's critique of the capitalist system is rife with big themes: his theory of 'surplus value', his discussion of the exploitation of the working class, and his forecast of class conflict on a grand scale.
Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautifully bound pocket-sized gift editions of much loved classic titles. Bound in real cloth, printed on high quality paper, and featuring ribbon markers and gilt edges, Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure. Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto, first printed just before the French revolution of 1848, is his most accessible and famous work. In his powerful call to arms, Marx expounds his famous theory that class struggle is the real determinant of historical change. Next in this volume comes his treatise, Wages, Price and Profit, written in 1865, which serves as an accessible introduction to the ideas which Marx went on to develop in Capital, his masterful, multi volume analysis of how the world was irreversibly changed by the industrial revolution. This Macmillan Collector’s Library edition contains the most salient extracts from his great work, selected and introduced by Hugh Griffith. Whilst old-style Marxism is now dead and buried, today's conflicts within capitalism are as sharp as ever and Marx’s brilliant, painstaking writings remain disturbingly relevant.
Provides the theoretical basis of political systems in Russia, China, Cuba and
Eastern Europe, affecting the lives of millions. This book continues to
influence and provoke debate on capitalism and class.
The book explores the relevance of Karl Marx's ideas in today's context of increasing economic disparity. It delves into Marx's critique of the global economic system, emphasizing how wealth generation exploits workers through mechanisms like "surplus value," unpaid labor, and the pressures of credit. By reflecting on these insights, the new generation seeks to understand the complexities of wealth accumulation and the systemic issues that perpetuate inequality.
A 1848 political pamphlet by the German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
40 pages
2 hours of reading
Focusing on the class struggle and the conflicts inherent in capitalism, this influential 1848 pamphlet by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels was commissioned by the Communist League. Published in London amidst the Revolutions of 1848, it analyzes historical and contemporary societal dynamics rather than forecasting the future of communism. The work has since become a cornerstone in political thought, sparking discussions on class conflict and the capitalist system.
This comprehensive collection showcases the extensive writings of Karl Marx, highlighting his profound impact on political theory, economics, and social philosophy. It includes his key texts, offering insights into his critiques of capitalism, class struggle, and historical materialism. The compilation serves as an essential resource for understanding Marx's ideas and their relevance in contemporary discussions on society and economics.
Focusing on class struggle and capitalism, this influential political manuscript offers a critical analysis of the capitalist system and its inherent issues. It delves into the dynamics between different social classes, providing insight into the socio-economic challenges of the time and laying the groundwork for communist theory.
DISCOVER THE WORK THAT LAUNCHED REVOLUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD Although it was published in 1848, The Communist Manifesto is as controversial and provocative as ever. Its stirring and poetic language helped spread Marx and Engels' socialist message far and wide, unleashing a century of political revolution. In an age of great inequality, the Manifesto's message of an exploited and suffering working class that must rise up and claim the means of production and wealth continues to resonate. This deluxe edition features an insightful introduction from Tom Butler-Bowdon which explains how the text came to be written, and why it remains popular.
Karl Marx was born in Germany but spent most of his life as a stateless exile
in Paris, Brussels and London, where he died in 1883. As a student, he had
dreamed of following a literary career and worked on poems, a novel and a
play, before realising that his future lay elsewhere.
The three texts this book, all written in vastly different eras —The Communist Manifesto (1848) by Marx and Engels, Reform or Revolution (1899) by Rosa Luxemburg and Socialism and Man in Cuba (1965) by Ernesto Che Guevara—illuminate socialist ideas of the 19th and 20th centuries. For a new generation of activists, these are classic revolutionary writings by four famous rebels, including The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemburg; and Che Guevara’s Socialism and Man in Cuba. Includes an introduction by Cuban Marxist intellectual Armando Hart and a preface by US radical poet Adrienne Rich. The essays in this book, Manifesto, were written by three relatively young people—Karl Marx when he was 30, Rosa Luxemburg at 27, Che Guevara at the age of 37. Born into different historical moments and different generations, they shared an energy of hope, an engagement with history, a belief that critical thinking must inform action, and a passion for the world and its human possibilities. Here are urgent conversations from the past that are still being carried on, among new voices, throughout the world.
„Alle paar Jahre wird gefragt, ob Karl Marx denn nun ein toter Hund oder aber doch höchst lebendig sei. Allein diese Tatsache nährt den Verdacht, dass einer wie er heute fehlt.“ Der Tagesspiegel In einer BBC-Umfrage nach dem größten Philosophen aller Zeiten landete Karl Marx 2005 mit 28 Prozent auf Platz eins der Liste. „Marx is back. Nach der Finanzkrise hat Karl Marx wieder Konjunktur. Doch können wir überhaupt etwas vom alten Marx lernen?“ Cicero online In diesem Band sind wesentliche Texte von Karl Marx zusammengestellt: – Die deutsche Ideologie – Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei – Lohnarbeit und Kapital – Zur Kritik der politischen Ökonomie – Inauguraladresse der Internationalen Arbeiter-Assoziation – Das Kapital, Erster Band
Die beiden in diesem Band enthaltenen ökonomischen Arbeiten von Marx sind Ausdruck der engen Verbindung des theoretischen Erkenntnisprozesses mit dem praktischen Kampf der Arbeiter. In ihrer ursprünglichen Fassung waren sie Vorträge, die Marx vor Arbeitern gehalten hatte - über 'Lohnarbeit und Kapital' sprach er 1847 vor den Mitgliedern des Brüsseler Deutschen Arbeitervereins, und das Verhältnis von 'Lohn, Preis und Profit' legte er 1865 im Generalrat der I. Internationale dar. Anschaulich erklärte er den Arbeitern das Wesen der kapitalistischen Ausbeutung sowie die ökonomischen Grundlagen der Herrschaft der Bourgeoisie und der Lohnsklaverei; daraus leitete er die Bedeutung des ökonomischen Kampfes ab und erläuterte Aufgaben und Nutzen der Gewerkschaften. Beide Schriften sind von Marx selbst verfaßte Einführungen in seine politische Ökonomie und helfen, das 'Kapital', sein theoretisches Hauptwerk, zu erschließen.
Schriften zu Philosophie, Ökonomie, Politik und Soziologie
666 pages
24 hours of reading
Die Ideen und Thesen von Karl Marx haben in den letzten Jahren sowohl in der öffentlichen Debatte als auch in der Wissenschaft eine Renaissance erfahren – weil der Kapitalismus sich global entfaltet hat, sein Versprechen sozialer Stabilität jedoch kaum noch einzulösen vermag. Einflussreich, kontrovers und wortmächtig wie vor und nach ihm nur wenige, schrieb Marx zugleich über Philosophie, Ökonomie, Politik und Soziologie. Die vorliegende Anthologie führt seine wichtigsten Texte zusammen, kommentiert sie einleitend und zeigt so, wie wichtig Marx für die Analyse auch des gegenwärtigen Kapitalismus ist.
Die wichtigsten Texte von Karl Marx für das 21. Jahrhundert
432 pages
16 hours of reading
Robert Kurz, Autor des "Schwarzbuch Kapitalismus" präsentiert in diesem kommentierten Marx-Reader die wichtigsten Texte des wohl meistgelesenen Klassikers der Ökonomie. Seine Auswahl zeigt, dass Marx' Analyse der Marktwirtschaft auch im 21. Jahrhundert noch aktuell ist. Kurz verzichtet auf zeitgebundene, heute überholte Texte. Er befreit die Marxsche Theorie von zahlreichen Fehlinterpretationen und schafft so die Grundlage für eine neue Lektüre. Ein unverzichtbares Werk für alle, die unsere Wirtschaft verstehen wollen.
Die Relevanz von Karl Marx' Werk zeigt sich in seiner tiefgreifenden Analyse der gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Strukturen. Durch die kritische Auseinandersetzung mit Kapitalismus und Klassenkampf bietet es wertvolle Einsichten in moderne soziale Ungleichheiten und wirtschaftliche Herausforderungen. Marx' Theorien sind nicht nur historisch bedeutsam, sondern regen auch heute zu Diskussionen über Gerechtigkeit, Machtverhältnisse und die Zukunft der Arbeit an. Seine Ideen inspirieren weiterhin politische Bewegungen und wissenschaftliche Debatten weltweit.
»Keine Schrift hat im selben Maße Geschichte geschrieben« NDR
80 pages
3 hours of reading
Das "Kommunistische Manifest" von Karl Marx und Friedrich Engels ist eine kraftvolle Analyse der sozialen Gerechtigkeit und der Rolle des Proletariats in der Geschichte. Es gilt als zentraler Text der Moderne und hat bis heute großen Einfluss. Die klare Sprache und die prägnante Darstellung machen es zu einer anregenden Lektüre.
Im Herbst 1867, also vor bald 150 Jahren, verfasste Karl Marx die Bibel der
Arbeiterklasse, wie Friedrich Engels Das Kapital im Vorwort zur englischen
Ausgabe bezeichnete. Rechtzeitig zum 150. Jubiläum der Erstausgabe des ersten
Bandes des Kapitals wird im Sommer 2017 Band 44 der Marx-Engels-Werke
erscheinen. Damit steht nun innerhalb der MEW das 23 Hefte umfassende
ökonomische Manuskript von 1861 bis 1863, häufig als der zweite Entwurf des
Kapitals bezeichnet, vollständig (in den Bänden 26.1-3, 43 und 44) zur
Verfügung. Zusammen mit dem im Band 42 bereits auf Grundlage der MEGA neu
bearbeiteten Manuskripts von 1857/58 (Grundrisse der Kritik der politischen
Ökonomie) liegen somit die wichtigsten Manuskripte im Vorfeld des ersten
Bandes des Kapitals in der Studienausgabe vor.
In questo scritto del 1845-46, che fa parte dell' Ideologia tedesca , Marx ed Engels riassumono le loro critiche all'idealismo, espongono per la prima volta, in forma definitiva, la loro concezione della storia come lotta di classe e annunciano il programma rivoluzionario che sarà alla base del Manifesto del Partito comunista : da queste pagine è nato il Materialismo Storico.
"Klassenkampf, Arbeiterbewegung und Geldmangel" bietet einen tiefen Einblick in die Freundschaft zwischen Marx und Engels durch ihre Korrespondenz im 19. Jahrhundert. Die Auswahl von rund 1600 erhaltenen Briefen beleuchtet ihre politischen Diskussionen, persönlichen Erlebnisse und die Unterstützung während der Arbeit an "Das Kapital".
»Ist Marx obsolet? Mitnichten.« Hans-Werner Sinn Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) hat ein gewaltiges Werk hinterlassen und damit einen außergewöhnlichen Einfluss ausgeübt. Die Rolle als Heilsbote der Weltgeschichte erhielt er erst posthum und verlor sie 100 Jahre nach seinem Tod auch wieder. Doch die Lektüre lohnt sich nach wie vor. Das Lesebuch zeigt in ausgewählten Texten einschließlich des ›Kommunistischen Manifests‹ chronologisch die Entwicklung des Marx’schen Denkens. Eine ausführliche Einleitung liefert die historische Einordnung, erläutert die spezifische Begrifflichkeit von Marx und zeigt die Ansatzpunkte der Kritik.
In der Reihe »Zum Vergnügen« zeigen sich berühmte Dichter und Denker in Aphorismen, Briefen und Werkausschnitten von einer neuen Seite: unterhaltsam, pointiert, brillant.
Le Manifeste communiste, Réforme ou révolution, Le Socialisme et l'homme
156 pages
6 hours of reading
En 1847, la Ligue communiste, nouvellement formée, demande à Karl Marx et Friedrich Engels de rédiger un manifeste exposant ses orientations et ses buts. Le Manifeste communiste est publié à Londres en février 1848, en langue allemande. Il connaît une diffusion massive à partir de 1871. Critiquant le révisionnisme d'Eduard Bernstein, Réforme ou révolution est initialement publié sous la forme d'une série d'articles, en septembre 1898 et avril 1899. Bernstein, personnalité de premier plan du mouvement socialiste allemand, rejetait un grand nombre de concepts marxistes, en se basant sur la montée de la social-démocratie et d'une supposée stabilité du capitalisme. Che Guevara rédige en 1965 une lettre, Le socialisme et l'homme, adressée à Carlos Quijano, journaliste à l'hebdomadaire Marcha, à Montevideo. Ces textes sont un acte d'accusation contre l'aliénation, née de l'exploitation de l'homme par l'homme. Ils ont en commun l'idée que le système capitaliste mène, par son propre développement, à la nécessité de socialiser la richesse.
Dieses eBook ist mit einem detaillierten Inhaltsverzeichnis versehen und sorgfältig korrekturgelesen. Es handelt sich um eine Analyse und Kritik der kapitalistischen Gesellschaft, die weitreichende Auswirkungen auf die Arbeiterbewegung und die Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts hatte. Nach Jahrzehnten ökonomischer Studien erschien 1867 der erste Band, gefolgt von zwei weiteren Bänden, die Friedrich Engels nach Marx' Tod aus dessen Manuskripten zusammenstellte. Die Bände behandeln den Produktionsprozess, den Zirkulationsprozess und den Gesamtprozess der kapitalistischen Produktion. Marx' Kritik zeigt, dass kapitalistische Gesellschaften Klassengesellschaften sind, in denen das Privateigentum an Produktionsmitteln durch Lohnarbeit vermehrt wird. Dies führt dazu, dass Reichtum in Form von Kapital akkumuliert wird, während die Produzenten dauerhaft von diesem Reichtum ausgeschlossen sind. Laut Marx sind die Arbeiter nur insoweit am Reichtum beteiligt, wie ihre Arbeitskraft für ihre Entlohnung notwendig ist. Karl Marx war ein deutscher Philosoph, Ökonom und Gesellschaftstheoretiker, der zusammen mit Friedrich Engels als einflussreicher Theoretiker des Sozialismus und Kommunismus gilt. Seine Theorien werden bis heute kontrovers diskutiert.
Karl Marx wollte verstanden werden und schuf einprägsame Sätze wie 'Proletarier aller Länder, vereinigt euch!'. Dennoch war er kein Populist und ging den Fragen, die ihn bewegten, in sehr gründlichen und scharfsinnigen Analysen nach. Kaum ein Denker prägte sein eigenes und das ihm folgende Jahrhundert so nachhaltig wie Marx in gemeinschaftlicher Arbeit mit Friedrich Engels. Der beste Weg zum Verständnis ihres Wirkens führt über die Lektüre der hier versammelten Originaltexte: