The Basics of Marxism #1: Karl Marx and Capitalism (Pamphlet)
Welcome
The Basics of Marxism is a series of pamphlets intended as introductory study guides to fundamental aspects of Marxist theory. Each volume is intended to highlight the most fundamental conceptions of Marxist theory in relation to a given topic. To be clear: these pamphlets are intended to act as aids, not replacements, to other texts.
This edition focuses on the most fundamental conceptions of Marx’s critique of political economy and analysis of capitalism: capital, the commodity, exploitation, money, profit, the irrationality of capitalist production and class under capitalism. Recommended texts for building on this understanding have been posted below. I’m happy to answer questions if you have any — just drop me a line on Twitter!
This and the other materials I produce are entirely self-funded. If you enjoy this work and would like to support it, you can donate here. Any donation, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated.
Pamphlet
Recommended reading
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto: The Communist Manifesto provides a clear introduction to Marx’s view of class antagonism and the historical development of class society. This is recommended for new readers or those who feel they need to recap some of the basics.
Karl Marx, Preface to a Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy: Marx’s Preface is infamous, providing insights into his views on political economy, the social and economic construction of society, and the Marxist method. It is a dense text and can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the language it contains. It is recommended that readers take their time with the text, reading it word for word.
Karl Marx, Capital, Vol. 1, Ch. 1: The first chapter of Capital is a tour de force, containing the fundamental contradictions that Marx expands upon throughout the rest of his most famous work. In order to understand Capital, it is essential to understand this chapter thoroughly, over multiple readings.
Pamphlet in images
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