Books

First edition of the second volume of Das Kapital. Only the first volume of Das Kapital was published in Marx's lifetime, in 1867. Following Marx's death in 1883, the second and third volumes were edited from Marx's manuscripts and seen through the press by Friedrich Engels, with the present second volume published in 1885, and the third volume in 1894. Together they form the most significant and influential critique of capitalism ever published, with Das Kapital becoming the bible of Marxist movements and governments in the following century. "The history of the twentieth century is Marx's legacy. Stalin, Mao, Che, Castro - the icons and monsters of the modern age have all presented themselves as his heirs. Whether he would recognise them as such is quite another matter... Nevertheless, within one hundred years of his death half the world's population was ruled by governments that professed Marxism to be their guiding faith. His ideas have transformed the study of economics, history, geography, sociology, and literature. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion - or been so calamitously misinterpreted" (Francis Wheen, in his introduction to Karl Marx, 1999). Octavo (219 x 139 mm). Twentieth-century blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt, red speckled edges. Binding rubbed, stamp of "The Adam Smith Class Library" on p. iii and 25, some leaves unopened, a stain at fore-edge encroaching into margin but not into text, 4 cm closed tear to pp. 301/2 just impinging on text and at the head of 409-12 not affecting text, terminal imprint leaf chipped around extremities. A good copy. Einaudi 3772; Mattioli 2284; Rubel 635; Sraffa 3867.

"Das Kapital," written by Karl Marx, is a seminal work critiquing the capitalist system's foundations and mechanisms. Published in 1867, this extensive analysis of capitalism delves into its economic processes, the exploitation inherent within, and its eventual contradictions which Marx believed would lead to its downfall. Marx introduces key concepts such as commodity, value, surplus value, and the labor theory of value, arguing that the value of a commodity is determined by the labor required for its production. He criticizes how capitalists profit by exploiting workers, paying them less than the value of their labor while selling the products for their full value. Marx's critique extends to the dynamics of capital accumulation, technological advancements, and their effects on the proletariat, predicting increasing capital centralization and crises stemming from capitalism's internal contradictions. "Das Kapital" covers the circulation and distribution of capital, explaining how surplus value is divided among different classes and sectors, leading to cycles of boom and bust. Despite its influence, "Das Kapital" has faced criticism for its total failure in economic predictions, such as the underestimation of capitalism's adaptability and the overemphasis on the labor theory of value. Critics argue Marx's predictions of escalating class struggle and the proletariat revolution have not materialized as expected, questioning his views on human nature and the efficiency of market mechanisms. Nonetheless, "Das Kapital" remains a pivotal work in economic and political thought, offering a deep, if wrong, critique of capitalism and its socio-economic impacts.