The Last Years of Karl Marx

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The book presents an insightful analysis of the final and less explored years of Karl Marx's life. Combining rigorous academic approach with accessible writing, Marcello Musto debunks the legend that from the mid-1870s, due to health issues and personal difficulties, the German philosopher had almost entirely suspended his research. On the contrary, he not only continued his work but also expanded it into new disciplines and other areas of the world. Through the study of manuscripts that have recently come to light and have not yet been translated or published, Musto demonstrates that Marx became interested in anthropology, non-Western societies, and criticism of European colonialism. Behind this, there was not merely intellectual curiosity, but a theoretical-political purpose to broaden and refine the understanding of capitalism. In addition to deconstructing the image of a Eurocentric, economic-focused Marx solely absorbed by the theme of class struggle, this intellectual biography, based on those of other family members, offers a broader and more human portrait of the author in his final phase. It also allows for an innovative reassessment of some of his key ideas.