Karl Marx's book, 'Capital: A Critique of Political Economy' (also known as Das Kapital), is a foundational work in which he provides a detailed analysis of political economy. The book is a lengthy and extensive text covering a wide variety of subjects. An influential English edition was published by Random House in New York in 1906.

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Karl Marx (1818–1883), a prominent critic of capitalism, was born in Prussia (modern-day Germany) and received an education in an environment of enlightened liberalism. While most known for his economic critiques, Marx also developed influential views in the fields of history, politics, and sociology. His career included work as a writer and editor for a liberal newspaper, the Rheinische Zeitung, before he was exiled. He later moved to Paris, where he met Friedrich Engels, and then to London in 1849. His critical theories on capitalism were informed by his observations of the system's mature form in England's industrial towns. In London, he and his wife Jenny initially faced significant poverty.

Karl Marx (1818–1883)

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In 1842, Karl Marx began his career in journalism as a writer and editor for the liberal newspaper Rheinische Zeitung. His work there was short-lived, as the Prussian government soon closed the newspaper, forcing Marx into exile and prompting his move to Paris.

Karl Marx's Early Journalism and Exile

While in Paris, Karl Marx met Friedrich Engels, which marked the beginning of a significant partnership. Together, they collaborated on writing 'The Communist Manifesto,' which was subsequently published in 1848.

Collaboration of Marx and Engels on The Communist Manifesto

Following his move to London in 1849, Karl Marx and his family endured a period of poverty. To earn an income, he worked as a journalist for the New York Daily Tribune, reporting on political events occurring in Europe.

Marx's Life and Work in London

Karl Marx positioned capitalism as the most recent phase in a long historical sequence of economic systems, which included prior arrangements like slavery and feudalism. He noted that while inequality was a common trait shared by most of these systems, capitalism was uniquely characterized by its capacity for generating continuous change and growth in output.

Marx's Historical Analysis of Capitalism

Karl Marx proposed a theory of history, often called historical materialism, which posits that the course of history is fundamentally driven by the interplay between three factors: the scarcity of resources, the level of technological development, and the nature of the economic institutions within a society.

Marx's Materialist Conception of History

Karl Marx argued that a key social consequence of capitalism is the creation of 'atomized individuals.' He posited a causal link where the system's reliance on organizing production and allocation through anonymous markets leads to the breakdown of integrated communities, leaving individuals socially isolated from one another.

Marx's Theory on Capitalism and Social Atomization

In contemporary economics, there has been a resurgence of interest in Karl Marx's theories as a framework for understanding economic crises. Modern economists are particularly focusing on three key themes from his work: the firm as a domain of conflict and power dynamics, the significant role of technological advancement, and the various problems stemming from economic inequality.

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