Books

Paris: Librairie du Progrès - Directeur Maurice Lachatre & Cie, 1875. Fine. Librairie du Progrès - Directeur Maurice Lachatre & Cie, Paris s.d (1875), 19,5x28cm, 351 pp, relié. - Edition originale française en premier tirage, traduite par Joseph Roy, en partie inédite car entièrement révisée et enrichie par Karl Marx. Bien complet des deux pages de titre à l'adresse de Lachatre, du portrait de Karl Marx en frontispice, du fac-similé de sa lettre à l'éditeur, et de la réponse de celui-ci au verso, qui sera supprimée des tirages suivants. Modeste reliure de l'époque en demi percaline bronze, dos lisse, titre et filets dorés, reliure signée d'une vignette en pied du contreplat, ""Buchbinderei Schey & Co, Zürich"". *** Cette première version française parue en livraisons entre 1872 et 1875, mais ne rencontra aucun succès, comme en témoigne l'éditeur dans une lettre à Marx le 24 décembre 1873 : « La vente est nulle sur votre livre…

"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.