Reading Capital: The Complete EditionA classic work of Marxist analysis, available unabridged for the first time Originally published in 1965, Reading Capital is a landmark of French thought and radical theory, reconstructing Western Marxism from its foundations. Louis Althusser, the French Marxist philosopher, maintained that Marx’s project could only be revived if its scientific and revolutionary novelty was thoroughly divested of all traces of humanism, idealism, Hegelianism and historicism. In order to complete this critical rereading, Althusser and his students at the École normale supérieure ran a seminar on Capital, re-examining its arguments, strengths and weaknesses in detail, and it was out of those discussions that this book was born. Previously only available in English in highly abridged form, this edition, appearing fifty years after its original publication in France, restores chapters by Roger Establet, Pierre Macherey and Jacques Rancière. It includes a major new introduction by Étienne Balibar. |
Contents
PART | |
Critique and Science in Capital | |
Remarks by Way of Conclusion | |
PART THREE | |
The StartingPoint and the Analysis of Wealth | |
The Analysis of the Commodity and the Appearance | |
Marxism Is Not a Historicism | |
The Epistemological Propositions of Capital Marx Engels | |
The Object of Political Economy | |
Marxs Immense Theoretical Revolution | |
On the Ideal Average and the Forms of Transition | |
PART FIVE On the Basic Concepts of Historical Materialism Étienne | |
PART | |
Notes | |
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Common terms and phrases
1844 Manuscripts 1857 Introduction abstraction alienation Althusser analysis anthropological appears articulation basis Capital capitalist mode capitalist production classical economics commodity completely concrete connection constitutes contradiction critical critique defined definition determination dialectic discourse distinction economists effects elements empirical empiricism empiricist Engels essence essential existence exposition expression fact formulation function Hegel Hegelian historicism human individual labour process labourpower law of value Louis Althusser Marx’s Marxist philosophy material means of production MECW mode of production movement nature peculiar phenomena political economy posed possible precisely present problem problematic production process productive forces question rate of profit reading real object reality relations of production relationship reproduction Ricardo scientific simple social formation social relations society specific startingpoint structure Subarticulation surplus labour surplusvalue theoretical practice theory of history thing thought transformation transition unity usevalue Volume Three whole words worker young Marx