Early Writings

By Karl Marx

Book Overview

Written in 1833-4, when Marx was barely twenty-five, this astonishingly rich body of works formed the cornerstone for his later political philosophy. In the Critique of Hegel's Doctrine of the State, he dissects Hegel's thought and develops his own views on civil society, while his Letters reveal a furious intellect struggling to develop the egalitarian theory of state. Equally challenging are his controversial essay On the Jewish Question and the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, where Marx first made clear his views on alienation, the state, democracy and human nature. Brilliantly insightful, Marx's Early Writings reveal a mind on the brink of one of the most revolutionary ideas in human history - the theory of Communism. This translation fully conveys the vigour of the original works. The introduction, by Lucio Colletti, considers the beliefs of the young Marx and explores these writings in the light of the later development of Marxism.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140445749
• ISBN13: 9780140445749
• Release Date: July 1992
• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.1" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

indispensable...

Indispensable for a correct reading of Karl Marx. To fully understand his point of view and critics you need to cover the early writings first, so that you won't form a wrong idea what Marxism is about, like most people usually do.

To Learn More About A Legend

This book gives the reading a kind of "before they were stars" approach. It provides a good spring board to seeing how Marx metamorphasized from Das Capitol into the Communist Manifesto. I recommend this book for anyone who is looking to get to the base of and learn more about this influential write and philosopher.