Description

When Karl Marx wrote *Outlines of the Critique of Political Economy* – or *Grundrisse*, as the book has come to be known even outside Germany – during the winter of 1857–58, he regarded it as the first scientific exposition of communist theory. This seminal work further develops the arguments put forward in the Communist Manifesto of 1848, whilst exploring several of the themes and theses that would later form the backbone of Capital. Here, Marx presents for the first time his own interpretation of Hegel’s dialectic and elaborates on his ideas concerning, among other things, labour, surplus value and profit. But the Grundrisse is not only an important precursor to Capital; it also offers valuable insights into Marx’s broader philosophy. Through its close interlinking of theory and practice, the Grundrisse provides an invaluable insight into the expectations and hopes that Marx attached to the communist project.

“And what is the situation for the Grundrisse today, a decade into the new century? It depends on us, as we live in the shadow of a major economic crisis, a looming natural disaster and growing xenophobia. One thing is certain: never do we come as close to the very heart of Marx’s work as we do in the Grundrisse.”
From Sven-Eric Liedman’s newly written foreword.