Wage-Labor and Capital
Encyclopedia
Wage Labour and Capital is an essay on economics by Karl Marx
, written in 1847 and first published in articles in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung
in April 1849. This book has been widely acclaimed as the precursor to Marx’s important treatise
Das Kapital
. The ideas that are expressed in the book have a very thorough economic contemplation about them as he put aside some of his materialist conceptions of history for the time being. This book did, however, start to show an increased scientific rationale on his ideas of "alienated labor," which in Marx’s perspective would eventually lead to the proletarian revolution
.
Wage-Labor and Capital is considered by Marxists as an "in-depth economic and scientific observation on how capitalist economy works, why it was exploitative, and ultimately why it would eventually implode from within".
Some of the main topics that the book examines are about labour power and labour, and how labour power becomes a commodity. It also presents the Labour Theory of Value that further develops the distinct differences between labour and labour power. The book also examines the commodity
and how the economic principles of supply and demand
affect the pricing of certain commodities. Beyond that the book explores how capital and capitalism
do not service any purpose other than to gain more of it, which Marx presents as an illogical method of living one’s life.
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, written in 1847 and first published in articles in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung
Neue Rheinische Zeitung
The Neue Rheinische Zeitung - Organ der Demokratie was a German daily newspaper, published by Karl Marx in Cologne between June 1, 1848 and May 19, 1849. Its name refers to a paper earlier edited by Marx, the Rheinische Zeitung...
in April 1849. This book has been widely acclaimed as the precursor to Marx’s important treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
Das Kapital
Das Kapital
Das Kapital, Kritik der politischen Ökonomie , by Karl Marx, is a critical analysis of capitalism as political economy, meant to reveal the economic laws of the capitalist mode of production, and how it was the precursor of the socialist mode of production.- Themes :In Capital: Critique of...
. The ideas that are expressed in the book have a very thorough economic contemplation about them as he put aside some of his materialist conceptions of history for the time being. This book did, however, start to show an increased scientific rationale on his ideas of "alienated labor," which in Marx’s perspective would eventually lead to the proletarian revolution
Proletarian revolution
A proletarian revolution is a social and/or political revolution in which the working class attempts to overthrow the bourgeoisie. Proletarian revolutions are generally advocated by socialists, communists, and most anarchists....
.
Wage-Labor and Capital is considered by Marxists as an "in-depth economic and scientific observation on how capitalist economy works, why it was exploitative, and ultimately why it would eventually implode from within".
Some of the main topics that the book examines are about labour power and labour, and how labour power becomes a commodity. It also presents the Labour Theory of Value that further develops the distinct differences between labour and labour power. The book also examines the commodity
Commodity
In economics, a commodity is the generic term for any marketable item produced to satisfy wants or needs. Economic commodities comprise goods and services....
and how the economic principles of supply and demand
Supply and demand
Supply and demand is an economic model of price determination in a market. It concludes that in a competitive market, the unit price for a particular good will vary until it settles at a point where the quantity demanded by consumers will equal the quantity supplied by producers , resulting in an...
affect the pricing of certain commodities. Beyond that the book explores how capital and capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
do not service any purpose other than to gain more of it, which Marx presents as an illogical method of living one’s life.
External links
- Online Text of this book
- Free audiobook of Wage-Labour and Capital from LibriVoxLibriVoxLibriVox is an online digital library of free public domain audiobooks, read by volunteers and is probably, since 2007, the world's most prolific audiobook publisher...