Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie. Buch 1

Karl Marx's major work begins with the commodity and analyzes how its use value differs from its exchange value, then develops a theory of value based on labor. He shows how money and capital emerge, how surplus value arises from the working day, and how capitalists extract profit by paying workers less than the value they create. Later chapters discuss the working day, machinery, and primitive accumulation, with historical illustrations from English factory reports. The book is a critique of political economy and of the capitalist system.

It suits readers interested in economic theory, social history and the roots of socialist thought. It is dense and demands steady study, often best approached with a guide.

Deep and outward-looking; a demanding read.

Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?